The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-12

Fhey- watched them continuously, and this morn
ing they saw arrive"
How do You know.'
Because [ recognized their sentinel when
glanced our of my window. He Is a harmless
enough fellow, Parker by name, a garroter by
trade, and remarkable performer upon the jews
harp. l cared nothing for him. But / cared
great deal for the much more formidable person
who was behind him, the bosom friend of Morarty
the man who dropped the rocks over the cliff the
most cunning and dangerous criminal in London
That Is the man who Is after me tonight. Watson,
and that IS the man who is quite unaware that we
are after him."
Ny friends plans were gradually revealing
themselves From this convenient retreat the
watchers were being watched, and the crackers
tracked. That angular shadow up yonder was the
bait, and the hunters. In silence VIC stood
together IN the darkness, and watched the hurry
ing figures who passed and repassed in front of us
Holmes was silent and motionless; but could tell
that he keenly alert, and that his eyes we're
fixed intently upon the stream of passers-by. l.
was a bleak and boisterous night, and the wind
whlstled shrllly down the long street. Many peO-
pie were moving to and fro, most of them muff1ed
III their coats and cravats. Once twice it
seemed TO me that had the same figure be-
fore, and / especially noticed two men who ap-
peared TO be shelterng themselves from the wind in
the doorway of house some distance mp the street
l tried to draw my companions attention to them;
but he gave little ejaculation of impotence, and
continued to stare into the street More than
once he 6dgeted with his feet and tapped rapidly
with his fingers upon the wall. 1t evident to
that he becoming uneasy, and that his
plans not working out altogether he had
hoped. At last, as midnight approached and the
street gradually cleared, he paced up and down
the in uncomfortable agitation. I was about
to make remark to him. when L raised my
ewes to the lighted window, and again experienced
almost great surprise as before. 1 clutched
Holmes arm, and pointed upwards
"The shadow has movedp' cried.
1t indeed no longer the profile, but the back
which turned toward US.
Three years had certainly not smothered the
asperities of his temper or his Impotence with
less active intelligence than his own.
''Of course il has moved said he. "Am I such
farcical bungler, Watson, that | should erect an
obvious dummy, and expect that of the sharp
est men in Europe would be deceived by itl We
have been in this room two hours and Mrs Hudson
has made some change In that figure eight times, or
once IN every quarter of hour. She works it
from the front, that her shadow may never be
seen. All" He drew in his breath with shrill, eX-
cited intake. In the dim light / his head
thrown forward, his whole attitude rigid with at
tention Outside the street absolutely deserted.
Those two men might still be crouching In the
doorway but / could longer them. All
still and dark save only that brilliant yellow screen
in front of with the black figure outlined upon
its center. Again in the utter silence heard that
thin, sibilant note which spoke of intense sup
pressed excitement. An instant later he pulled me
back into the blacklist corner of the room, and
felt his warning hand upon my lips. The fingers
which clutched me quivering. Never had
known my friend more moved. and yet the dark
street still stretched lonely and motionIess before
us.
But suddenly I was aware of that which his
keener senses had already distinguished A low
stealthy- sound came 10 my ears, not from the di
rection of Baker street, but from the back of the
very house In which we lay concealed. A door
opened and shut. An instant later steps erept
down the Ge-steps which meant 70 be
silent, but which reverbcrated harshly through the
empty house Holmes crouehed back against the
wall and [ did the same my hand closing upon the
handle of my~revolver. Peering through the gloom,
] the vague outline of man, shade blacker
than the blackness of the open door. He stood for
an instant and then he crept forward, crouching
menacing into the room. He within three
yards of US, this sinister figure, and / had braced
myself TO meet his spring, before realized that he
had idea of our presence. lie passed close be
side US stole over TO the window and very softly
and noiselessly raised it half foot. As he sank
TO the level of this opening, the light of the street.
no longer dimmed by the dusty glass, fell upon his
face The man seemed TO be beside himself with
excitement His two eyes shOne like stars. and his
features were working convusively. He an
elderly man, with thin, projecting nose, high,
bald forehead, and huge grlzzled moustache. An
opera hat was pushed 10 the back of his head, and
an evening dress shirt-front CLEANED out through
his open OvercOat. His face was gaint and swar-
+hy scored with deep savage lines In his hand he
carried what appeared TO be stick, but as he laid
it down upon the floor it gave metallic clang-
Then from the pocket of his overcoat he drew a
bulky object, and he busted himself IN some task
which ended with a loud, sharp click, if a spring
or bolt had fallen into Its place Still kneeng upon
the floor he bent forward and threw all his weight