Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-08-04
BY A. CONAN DOYLE,
he closed It behind us.

he closed 1t behind us.
The place was pNch dark, but 1t was
evident to me that it was an empty
house. Our feet creaked and cracked
over the bare planking, and my out
stretched hand touched a wall from
which the paper was hanging in rib
bons. Holmes cold, thin fingers closed
around my wrist and led me forward
down long hall until l dimly saw the
murky fan light over the door. Here
Holmes turned suddenly to the right
and we found ourselves in large,
square, empty room, heavily Swallowed
In the corners. but family lit in the
center from the lights of the street be-
You'd. There was no lamp near, and
the window was thick with dust, SO
that we could only just discern each
others figures within. My companion
put his hand upon my shoulder and
his lips close to my ear.
do you know where we are?' he.
whispered.
Surely that is Baker street." an
swered, staring through the dim win
dow.
Exactly. We are in Camden House,
which stands opposite to our own old
quarters"
but why are we here?"
Because it commands SO excellent
view Of that picturesque pile. Might
/ trouble you, my dear Watson, to-
draw little nearer to the window,
taking every precaution not to show
yourself, and then to look up at our
old rooms-the starting point Of so
many Of your little fairy tales? We
will see If my three years Of absence
have entirely taken away my power to
surprise you"
I crept forward and looked across
at the familiar window. As my eyes
fell upon it I gave a gasp and cry
Of amazement. The blind was down,
and a strong light was burning in the
room. The shadow Of man who was
seated In chair within was thrown
In hard, black outline upon the lumi-
nous screen Of the window. There was
no mistaking the poise of the head, the
squareness Of the shoulders, the sharp
ness Of the features. The face was.
turned half around, and the effect was
that Of one Of those black silhouettes
which our grandparents loved to
frame. It was perfect reproduction
OF Holmes. So amazed was / that I
threw out my hand to make sure that
the man himself was standing beside
me. He was duivering with silent
laughter.
"Well?" said he.
"Good heavensi' I cried. .sIt is mar
velousl''
/ II trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety" said
he: And recognized in his voice the
Joy and pride which the artist takes In
his own creation. '.It really Is rather
like me. Is 1t not3'
II should be prepared to swear that
It was you"
1.-THE credit Of the execution is due
to NJ. Oscar Mennier Of Grenoble, who
spent some days In doing the molding.l
It is bust in wax. The rest ar
ranged myself during my visit to Ba-
ker street this afternoon"
But why ~
Because, my dear Watson, I had the
strongest possible reason for wishing
certain people to think that I was there
when was really elsewhere
"And you thought the rooms were
watched?' r.
II knew that they were watched"
"Ry whom7"
.By my old enemies, Watson. By the
charming society whose leader lies in
the Reichenbach fall. You must re-
member that they knew, and only they
knew. that was still alive. Sooner or
later they believed that should come
back to my rooms. They watched them
continuously, and this morning they
saw me arrive"
"How do you known
Because recognized their sentinel
when glanced out Of my window. He
IL harmless enough fellow, Parker by
name, garroter by trade and a re-
variable performer upon the jews
harp. l cared nothing for him. But
IL cared great deal for the much more
! formidable person who was behind him,
the bosom friend Of Moriarty, the man
who dropped the rocks over the cliff,
| the most cunning and dangerous crimi-
nal 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"
My friends plans were gradually re-
vealing themselves. From this conyen-
lent retreat the watchers were being
watched and the crackers tracked.
That angular shadow up yonder was
the bait, and we were the hunters. In
silence we stood together in the dark
| ness and watched the hurrying figures
| who passed and repassed in front Of
us. Holmes was silent and motionless,
but could tell that he was keenly
alert and that his eyes were fixed In
tently upon the stream Of passersby.
It was bleak and boisterous night,
and the wind whistled shrilly down the
long street. Many people were moving
to and fro. most Of them mufned in their
coats and cravats. Once or twice 1t
seemed to me that had seen the same
figure before, and ! especially noticed
two men who appeared to be sheltering
themselves from the wind in the door
way OF q house some distance up the
street. I tried to draw my companions
attention to them, but he gave a little
ejaculation Of Impotence and contin-
ued to stare into the street. More than
once he ddgeted with his feet and
tapped rapidly with his fingers upon
the wall. 1t was evident to me that he