Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-15
y the Lord, I'll be as good as my

WOTu.
you're too late. She's my wife,"
"No; she's your widow"
His revolver cracked, and I saw
blood squirt from the front Of Wood.
ley's waistcoat. He spun round with q
scream and fell upon his back, his hid.
eous red face turning suddenly to
dreadful notified pallor. The old man,
still clad in his surplice. burst into such
string Of foul oaths az have never
heard and pulled out n revolver Of his
own. but before he could raise 1t he
was looking down the barrel of Holmes
weapon.
Enough of this" said my friend
coldly. drop that pistol. Watson, pick
ii up. Hold it to his head. Thank you.
You. Carruthers. give me that revolver
Well have no more violence. Come,
hand It over"
"Who are you, them"
"My name Is Sherlock Holmes"
Good Lord"
you have heard of me. I see. I will
represent the official police until their
arrival. Here. you he shouted to a
frightened groom who had appeared at
the edge Of the glade. Come here,
Take this note as hard ns you can ride
to Farnham." He scrubbed a few
words upon leaf from his notebook.
"Give 1t to the superintendent at the
police station. Until he comes I must
detain you all under my personal Gus.
toby"
II
Holmes dominated the tragic scene,
and all were equally puppets in his
hands. Williamson and Carruthers
found themselves carrying the wound
ed Woodley into the house and gave
my arm 10 the frightened girl. The in.
1ured man was laid on his bed. and at
Holmes request l examined him.
carried my report to where he sat in
the old tapestry hung dining room with
his two prisoners before him.
"He will live" said I.
What" cried Carruthers, springing
out of his chair. I'll go upstairs and
finish him first DO You tell me that
that girl, that angel. is TO be tied to
Roaring Jack Woodley for life?"
that" said Holmes. There are two
very good reasons why she should under
no circumstances be his wife. In the
| FIRST place. we are very safe In ques
tioning Mr.. Wlliamson's right to sol
emnize a marriage"
II have been ordained" cried the ole
rascal.
"And also unfrocked"
"Once clergyman, always clergy
man"
Il think not. How about the /,
cense:'
I'VE had license for the marriage
I have it here in my pocket
"rhen you got it by a trick. But il
any case forced marriage is no mar
riage. but it is a very serious felony
as you will discover before you have
finished. You'll have time to think thu
point out during the next ten years 81
so, unless | am mistaken. AS to you,
Carruthers, you would have done bet.
ter to keep your pistol in your pocket
II begin to think so, Mr.. Holmes. but
when I thought Of all the precaution I
had taken to shield this girl-for I
loved her. Mr.. Holmes, and it Is the
only time that ever knew what Low Z
vast fairly drove me mad to thinh
that she was in the power of the great
est brute and bully in South Africa-a
man whose name Is holy terror from
Kimberley to Johannesburg. Why. Mr.,
Holmes. you'll hardly believe it. hut
civ Int ytyl Inns he.ny g
employment I never once let her 60
past this house, where knew the ras
Gals We're lurking, without following
her on my bicycle just 10 see that she
came to no harm. l kept my distance
from her, ami | wore a beard so that
she should not recognize me- for she is
good and high spirited girl. and she
wouldn't have stayed in my employ
ment long if she had thought that
was following her about the countr!
roads"
why didn't you toll her Of her dan
ger?'
because then. again, she would have
left me, and l couldn't bear to face
that. Even IL she couldn't love me il
WAS great ucui ~ Ahc just l" "S" uS'
dainty form about the house and t
hear tho sound OF her voice"
well" said I, you call that love
. Mr.. Carruthers. but I should call i
selfishness.
Maybe the two things go together
Anyhow. couldn't let her go. Be
sides. with this crowd about it wa
n well that she should have some on
:, near to look after her. Then. when tn
e cable came. knew they were boun'
\. to make a move
- What cablef'
: Carruthers took a telegram from hi
pocket.
t That's it," said he.
!, II was short and concise:
c "Tho old man ia dead"
/, Hum" said Holmes. Il think Sc
I how things worked, and l can under
d stand how this message would as 70
i say. bring them to a head. But Will
d you wait you might tell me what 20
: can"
e The old reprobate with the SUPPLE
= burst into IA volley Of bad language.
u by heaven" said hc III you sques
il on us. Bob Carruthers. I'll serve you a
Il you served Jack Woodley. Iou ca
@ bleat about the girl to Your heart
y content, for that's your own affair, blu
y if you round on your pals to this plai