The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14

one which reached US on a gloomy
February morning. some seven or
eight years ago. ana gave Mr.. sherlock
Holmes "a puzzled quarter of an hour
Il was a3 Iressca to hiTa. ana ran fhu-:
Please await me. Terrible mi for
tune Right wing threa-quarter miss
ing. indispz znsable to-nnorrow-ovsls-
TON"
strand 3ostmark. and dispa tched
ten-tnirtr-si> - saia Holmes. reading It
over ard over. Mr. overton was
evidently considerably excited when
he sent it, "a d somewhat incoherant in
eonsecuen, 9 We'll well. he VII be
here. I dare say by the time I have
looked through the Times. aa1 then
we SHAH know ali about il Er-n the
most insignificant Droclem would be
welcome in these stagnant day
Things had indeed been very slow
with ue. and I had learned u dread
such periods OF inacuon. for / knew
by experience that my companions ;
brain was 50 abnormally active that
ID WAS dangerous t. leave il without
material u-on which to work For
wears had gradually weaaed him
from thai drug mania which had
threatened once TO check his remark
able career. Nrw [ knew that under
ordinary conditions he no lonse-
iraved for this artificial stimulus. but
! was well aware that the lend was
no; dead but sleeping, and I have
tl-o
and the waking near when in periods
CT idleness I have. seen the drawn
Jeok upon Holmes ascetic face, ana
the bToodhlg CT his deep-set and in
sc~Utable es7es- Therefore I bless I'd
this Mr. Oyerton, whoever he might
he. since he had come with his eng
matte message 10 break thar danger
Gus calm which brought more peril =
my friend than all the storms % his
tempestuous Efe-
AS We had expected, the. telegram
was soon followed by its sender. and
the card of Mr.. Cyril Overton Trinity
College, Cambridge. announced the ar
rival OF an enormous young nam, six
teen stone OF solid bone and muscle.
Who spanned the doorway with his
broad shoulders, and looked from one
Of US 10 the other with comeIy face
which was haggard with anxiety.
Mr. Sherlock Holiness
Ny companion bowed.
I've been down to Scotland Yard.
Mr- Holmes / saw Inspector Stanley
Hopkins. He advised lie to come to
you He said the case, so far as he
could see, was more in your line than
in that Of the regular police
Pray sit down and tell me what is
the matter"
It's awful Mr.. Holmes-simply
awful. I wonder my hair isn't gray.
Godfrey Staunton-you've heard of
him, of course? He's simply the
hinge that the whole team turns on.
I'd rather spare two from the pack,
and have Godfrey for my three-quarter
line. Whether it's passing or tackling
or dribbling, there's no one to touch
him, and then he's got the head and
can hold us all together. What am to
dO2 That's what ask you, Mr.. Holmes.
There's Moorehouse, first reserve,
but he is trained as a half, and he al
ways edges right in on to the serum
instead Of keeping out on the touch
line. He's a fine place-kick, it's true.
hut then he has no judgment, and he
can't sprint for nuts. Why Morton
or johnson, the oxford fiers, could
romp round him. Stevenson is fast
enough, but ne couldn't drop from the
twenty-five line, and a three-quarter
who can't either punt or drop isn't
worth a place for pace alone. No,
Mr.. Holmes. ee are done unless you
can help me to find Godfrey Staun-
ton
Ny friend had listened with amused
surprise to this long speech. which was
poured forth with extraordinary Wig
or and earnestness, every point being
driven horne by the slaoping of a
brawny hand upon the speakers knee.
When our visitor was silent Holmes
stretched out his hand and took down
letter IS" of his commonplace book.
For once he dug in vain into that mine
CT varied information.
There is Arthur II. Staunton, the
rising young forger." said he. and
there was Henry Staunton, whom l
helped to hang. but Godfrey Staunton
is a new name TO me-"
1t was our visitors turn to look sur
prised.
why, Mr.. Holmes, I thought you
knew things" said he. Il suppose,
then, If you have never heard of God
frey Staunton, you don't know Cyril
Overton elther?"
Holmes shook his head good hu-
mcredly.
Great Scott crie1 She athlete.
why, was first reserve for England
against Wales. and I've skippered the
varsity all this year. But that's moth
ing. I didn't think there was a soul
IN England who didn't know Godfrey
Staunton, the crack three-quarter,
Cambridge, Blacklleath and five in
ternatioEals. Good Lordi Mr.. Holmes,
where have, you Lived ?"
Holmes laughed at the young
giants naive astonishment
You live in a different world to