Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-09-12

II, 1905
the first and the last time In my life.
Certainly a gray mist swirled before
! my eyes, ard when it cleared l found
my collar ends undone and the tingling
after-taste of brandy upon my lips.
Holmes was bending over my chair,
his flask In his hand.
my dear Watson" said the we'll re-
membcred voice, Il owe you n thou
sand apologies. had no idea that you
wou 1 be % affected"
g:., pel him l. the arms.
'lfo,:Ee5!" l cr,ed. "Is 1t really you?
Cen It in;cc;i be Chat you are alive? Is
it % ;ihlc that you succeeded in climb
ing cut Of that awful abyssT
Wit m,.:ent." said he. Are you
su:c that you are really fit to discuss
thing:! hare given you a serious
ehoc.: b. NY unnecessarily dramatic
rel:'paG"ancc."
II am IL right, but indeed, Holmes, l
can hardly believe nv. eyes. Good
heaven, tc think that you-you Of all
men-s.i ould be standing in my study!
AgliI gripped him by the sleeve and
felt the thin, s:newy arm beneath 1t.
well, you're not spirit anyhow"
said |. "My dear chap, I'm overjoyed
to see you. Sit down and tell me how
you came alive out Of that dreadful
chasm."
He sat opposite to me and lit ciga-
rette in his old nonchalant manner.
He was dressed In the seedy frock coat
of the book merchant, but the rest OF
that individual lay in n pile Of white
hair and old books upon the table.
Holmes looked even thinner and keener
| than of old, but there was dead white
tinge in his aquiline face which told
me that his life recently had not been a
healthy one.
81 am glad to stretch myself, Wat
son." said he. 1T is no joke when
tall man has to take foot Off his
stature for several hours on end. Now,
my dear fellow. in the matter of these
explanations, we have, If / may ask
for your cooperation, hard and dan
gcrous nights work in front Of us. Per
haps it would be better If gave you an
account of the whole situation when
that work Is finished"
II am full Of curiosity. l should
much prefer to hear now"
you'll come with mpt0night?"
"When you like and where you like
"This is, indeed, like the old days.
We shall have time for mouthful Of
dinner before we need go. Well. then.
about that chasm. had no serious
difficulty in getting out Of it for the
very simple reason that never was
in it."
"You never were in it,"
"No, Watson, never was In 1t. My
note to you was absolutely genuine.
had little doubt that had come to the
end of my career when perceived the
somewhat sinister figure Of the late
Professor Moriarty standing upon the
narrow pathway which led to safety.
l read an ineXorable purpose in his
gray eyes. l exchanged some remarks
with him, therefore and obtained his
courteous permission to write the short
note which you afterward received. l
left 1t with my cigarette box and my
stick, and 1 walked along the pathway,
Moriarty still at my heels. When I
reached the end stood ut bay. He
drew no weapon, but he rushed at me
and threw his long arms around me.
He knew that his own game was up
and was only anxious to revenge him
Self upon me. We tottered together
upon the brink Of the fall. have some
knowledge, however, Of baritsu, or the
Japanese system Of wrestling, which
has more than once been very useful
to me. l slipped through his grip. and
he with horrible scream kicked mad
" for few seconds and clawed the air
with both his hands. But for all his
efforts he could not get his balance,
and over he went. With my face over
HE brink saw him fall for long way.
Then he struck rock, bounded off and
splashed into the water"
l listened with amazement to this ex'
planation, which Holmes delivered be-
tween the puffs Of his cigarette.
But the tracks, l cried. Il saw
with my own eyes that two went down
the path and none returned"
1T came about in this way. The In
stant that the professor had disap-
peared it struck me what really eX-
traordnarily lucky chance fate had
placed in my way. l knew that Mori'
arty was not the only man who had
sworn my death. There were at least
three others whose desire for venge'
ance upon me would only be increased
by the death Of their leader They were
all most dangerous men. One or other
would certainly get me. On the other
hand. il all the world was convinced
that ! was dead they would take liber
ties, these men; they would soon lay
themselves open, and sooner or later
could destroy them. Then it would be
time for me to announce that was
still in the land of the living. So rapid
" does the brain act that / believe
had thought this all out before Profess
or Moriarty had reached the bottom OF
. the Roichenbach fall.
81 stood up and examined the rocky
wall behind me- In your picturesque
account of the matter, which | read
with great interest some months later
you assert that the wall was sheer
That was not literally true. A few
small footholds presented themselves
md there was some Indication OF
ledge. The cliff Is so high that to clint
1t all was an obvious imposSibllity
and it was equally impossible to MAKE
nv way along the wet path withou
Z leaving some tracks. ] might, 1t Is true
have reversed my boots, as have don'
D on similar occasions, but the sight o.
three sets Of tracks In one direction
: would certainly have suggested de
ception. On the whole, then, 1t wa'
best that I should risk the climb. 1
was not pleasant business. Watson
: The fall roared beneath me. am not
j fanciful person, but l give you IN!
word that seemed to hear Moriarty'