The news & observer., 1905-12-17

this is one of my clients, or I am
much mistaken
He had risen from his chair and was
standing between the parted blinds.
gazing down into the dull, neutral
tinted London street Looking over
his shoulder, saw that on the pave
ment opposite there stood a large
woman with a heavy fur boa round
her neck and a large curling red
feather in a brOad-brimmed hat which
was tilted in a coquettish Duches-of-
DeVonshire fashion over her ear.
From under this great panoply she
peeped up in a nervous, Hesltatlng
fashion at our windows, while her
body oscillated backward and for
ward, and her fingers figetted with
her glove buttons. Suddenly with Il
plunge as of the Swimmer who leaves
the bank, she hurried across the road,
and we heard the sharp clang of the
bell.
II have seen those symptoms be-
fore" said Holmes, throwing his Gig
arctic into the fire. Oscillation upon
the pavement always means an affaire
de occur. She would like advice but
is not sure that the matter is not TOO
delicate for communications. And yes
even here we may discriminate. When
a woman has been seriously WronSed
by man she no longe" Oscillates,
and the usual symptom is a broken
bell wire. Here we may take 1T that
there is q love matter, but that the
maiden is not So much angry as per-
picked. or grieved But here she
comes i'm person to receive our
doubts"
AS we spoke there was Il tap at
the door and the boy in buttons en-
tered to announce Miss Mary Souther-
land. while the lady herself loomed
behind his small black figure like q
full-sailed mercnant-man behind n
tiny pilot-boat. Sherlock Holmes
welcomed her with the easy courtesy
for which he was remarkable. ana
having closed the door and bowed her
into an arm chair. he looked her Over
in minute, and yet abstracted fash
ion which was peculiar TO him.
"Do you not find he said, that
with your short sight it is littly try
ing to do so much typeWriting ?"
az did al first" She answered, but
now / know where the letters are
without looking" Then, suddenly re-
alizing the fun purport of his words.
she gave violent start and looked
up. with fear and astonishment upon
her broad. good -humOred face.
you've heard about me, Mr.. Holmes
she cried "else how could you know
all that?"
"Never mind" said Holmes laugh
ing; ''it is my business to know
things. Perhaps / have trained my
self to see what others overlook. Ii
not, why should you come to consult
me?"
81 came to YOU, sir, because / heard
of you from Mrs. Ethrege, whose hus-
band YOU found so easy when the po-
lice and every one had given him up
for dead. oh, Mr.. Holmes, l wish you
would do as much for me. I'm not
rich. but still 1 have hundred a
year in my own right, besides the
little that [ make by the machine,
and 1 would give it all to know what
has become of Mr.. Hosmer Angel
''Why did you come away TO consult
me in such a hurry?" asked Sher-
lock Holmes. with his finger-tips to-
gether. and his eyes to the ceiling.
Again a startled look came over
the somewhat vacuous face of Miss
Mary Switzerland. Yes. | did bang
out of the house. she said, "for il
made me angry to see the easy way
in which Mr. Windibank-that is, my
father-took it all. He would not go
to the police, and he would not go TO
you. and so at last, as he would do
nothing, and kept on saying that there
was IlO IldTII uOIc, II iiC lil''u'
and l just on with my things ana
came right away to you"
Your father" said Holmes. your
stepfather, surely, since the name is
different
"Yes, my stepfather. / call him
father though il sounds funny, too,
for he is only five years and two
months older than myself"
"And your mother is alive?"
"Oh, yes, mother is alive and well.
| wasn't best pleased, Mr.. Holmes,
when she married agan so soon after
fathers death, and a man who was
nearly fifteen years younger than her-
self. Father was plumber in the
Tottenham Court Road, and he left
a tidy business behind him, which
mother carried on with Mr.. Hardy,
the foreman, but when Mr.. Windi-
bank came he made her sell the busi-
ness, for he was very superior, be-
ing traveller in wines. They got
f4,700 for the goodwill and interest.