Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-07-22
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Holmes examined it for some time.
and then. folding Il carefully rp, he
placed IL IN his pocketbook
This promises 20 be most interest
ing and unusual case" said he ..You
gave me a few particulars IN your LEFT
ter. Mr.. Hilton Cubiit. but 1 should
be very much obliged II YOU would
kindly go over il al again for the ben
eft Of NY friend. Or. Watson
I'm not much OK a story teller" said
cur visitor. nervously claspmg ana un-
claspiug his great. strong hands. You
viii just ask me anything that don't
make clear. III begin at the time OF
my marriage last year. but ! want to
say first OF all that. though I'm not
rich man. my people have been at Rsd-
ing Thorpe for a matter OF five centu-
ries. and there is no better known fam
lily I'm the county OF Norfolk Last year
] came UP TO London FOR the Jubilee.
and I stopped at a boarding house iu
Russell square. because Parker. the
vicar OF our parish. was staying in It.
There was an American young lady
there-Patrick was the name-Elsie
Patrick. In some way we became
friends. until before my month WAS up
I was as much In love as man could
be. We We're quietly married az "A reg
istry Office. and we returned 20 Nor
folk welded couple. You'u think IL
very mad. AR. Holmes. that man OF
n good old family should marry n wife
In this fashion. knowing nothing OF her
past or OF her people. but IL you saw
her and knew her IL would help you 10
understand.
she was very straight about Il. was
Elsie. I can't say that she did not give
me every chance OF getting out OF IL II
/ wished TO 90 50. 4 have had some
very disa greeahle associations ia my
life.' said she, ! wish TO forget all
about them I would rather never al
lude 10 the past. for II is very painful
20 me- II you take me. Hilton. you will
take woman who has nothing that
she need be personally ashamed OF. but
you Will nave 10 be content with my
word FOR Il and 10 allow me 10 be silent
as 10 all that passed up TO the time
when l became yours. II these condi-
tions are too hard. then 40 back 10 Nor
folk and leave me To the lonely life In
which YOU found me- II was only the
day before our wedding tl-at she said
those very words TO me | told her that
i was content 10 take her on her own
terms, and / have been as coed as my
word.
well we have been married now for
q year, and very happy we have been.
But about month ago. at the end OF
June, / saw for the first time signs OF
trouble. One day my wife received
letter from America / saw the Amer
lean stamp. She turned deaolS white.
read the letter and threw IL iito the
fire She made no aIiusion tO II after
ward, and I made none. for a promise
Is promise. but she has never known
an easy hour from that moment. There
Is always look OF fear upon her face
"a look as II she We're waiting and sax-
pecting. She would 90 better TO trust
me. She would find that was her best
friend. But until she speaks can say
nothing Mind you. she Il Z truthful
woman, Mr. Holmes. and whatever
trouble there may have been In her
past life Il has been no fault OF hers
i am only simple Norfolk squire. but
there is not a man in England who
ranks his family honor more highly
than I do. She knows it well. and she
knew II well before she married me
She would never bring any stain ur,on
IL; OF that am sure
We'll, now I come TO the queer part
OF my story. About week ago-,t
was the Tuesday OF last week. found
on one OF the window stills number OF
absurd little dancing figures like these
upon the paper. They were scrawled
with chalk. i thought that IL was the
stable boy who had drawn them, but
the lad swore he knew nothing about
It Anyhow. they bad come there dur
ing the night had them washed out,
and l Only mentioned the matter 10 my
wife afterward. To my surprise she
took II very seriously and begged me il
any more came 10 let her see them.
None did come for a week, and then
yesterday morning I found this paper
lying on the sundial in the garden. II
showed il 90 Elsie, and down she drop
ped in dead faint. Since then she has
looked ike woman Ia a Cream, half
dazed and with terror always lurking
In her eyes Ii WAS then that ! wrote
and sent the paper to you. Mr.. Holmes.
IL was not a thing that could take TO
the police. for they would have laughed
at me, but you viii tell me what to do.
am not rich man. bur il there is any
danger threatening my little woman
would spend my last copper 10 sAie.d
her"
lie was fine creature. this man OF
the old English so.l--slmple. straight
and gentle, with his great, earnest blue
eyes and broad. comeiy face. His love
for his wife and his trust In her shone