Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-07-08
CONAN DOYLE,

heard of the death OF his brother and
so felt responsible for our fate"
Excuse me-" said Holmes. 'sWhen
was this interview"
"Last December-four months ago."
spray proceed"
''Mr Woodley seemed to me to be
most odious person. He was forever
making eyes at me-a coarse, puffy
faced, red mustached young man, with
his hair plastered down on each side
Of his forehead. I thought that be was
perfectly hateful, and 1 was sure that
Cyril would not wish me to know such
a person.
"Oh, Cyril is his namer' said Holmes,
smiling.
The young lady blushed and laughed.
eyes. Mr.. Holmes, Cyril Morton, an
electrical engineer, and we hope to be
married at the end Of the summer.
Dear me, how did get talking about
him? What 1 wished to say was that
Mr. Woodley was perfectly odious, but
that Mr.. Carruthers, who was much
older man, was more agreeable. he
was a dark, SallOW, clean shaver, silent
person, but he had polite manners and
a pleasant smile. He inquired how we
were left, and on finding that we were
very poor he suggested that l should
come and teach music to his only
daughter, aged ten. l said that did
not like to leave my mother, on which
he suggested that should go home to
her every week end, and he offered me
a hundred year, which was certainly
splendid pay. So it ended by my &C
cepting, and l went down to Chiltern
Grange, about six miles from Farm
ham. Mr.. CarrutherS was WldOWer,
but he had engaged a lady housekeep-
er, a very respectable, elderly person,
called Mrs. Dixon, to look after his eS-
tablishment The child was dear, and
everything promised we'll. Mr.. Car
ruthers was very kind and very music
al, and we had most pleasant evenings
together Every week end l went home
to my mother in town.
1.-THE first flaw in my happiness was
the arrival of the red mustached Mr..
Woodley. He came for visit OF
week, and, oh, it seemed three months
to me. He was dreadful persona
bully to every one else, but to me some
thing infinitely worse. He made odlous
love to me, boosted of his wealth, said
that if | married him | could have the
when | would have nothing to do with
him he seized me in his arms one day
after dinner-he was hideously strong
and swore that he would not let me go
until had kissed him. Mr.. Carruthers
came in and tore him from me, on
which he turned upon his own host,
knocking him down and cutting his
face open. That was the end of his
visit, as you can imagine. Mr.. Carruth-
ers apologized to- me next day and as
sured me that I should never be ex-
posed to such an insult again. l have
not seen Mr.. Woodley since.
"And now, Mr.. Holmes, l come at
last to the special thing which has
caused me to ask your advice today.
You must know that every Saturday
forenoon 1 ride on my bicycle to Farm
ham station in order to get the 1922
to town. The road from Chiltern
Grange is a lonely one, and at one spot
it is particularly 50, for it lies for over
a mile between Charlington heath up
on one side and the woods which lie
round Charlington Hall upon the other.
You could not find a more lonely tract
Of road anywhere, and it is quite rare
to meet so much as cart or a peasant
until you reach the highroad near
Crooksbury hill. Two weeks ago
was passing this place when l CHANGED
to look back over my shoulder, and
about 200 yards behind me I saw
man, also on a bicycle. He seemed to
be middle aged man, with short,
dark beard. 1 looked back before I
reached Farnham, but the man was
gone, SO l thought no more about it.
But you can imagine how surprised
was, Mr.. Holmes, when on my return on
the Monday l saw the same man on the
same stretch of road. My establishment
was increased when the incident oc-
CURED again, exactly as before, on the
following Saturday and Monday. He
always kepthis distance and did not mo-
lest me in any way, but still it certain
ly was very odd. mentioned it to Mr..
Carruthers, who seemed interested in
what I said and told me that he had
ordered horse and trap, so that in fu-
ture should not pass over these lonely
roads without some companion.
1.-THE horse and trap were to have
come this week, but for some reason
they were not delivered, and again I
had to cycle to the station. That was
this morning You can think that I
looked out when I came to Charlington
heath, and there, sure enough, was the
man, exactly as he had been the two
weeks before. He always kept so far
from me that I could not clearly see
his face, but it was certainly some one
whom did not know. He was dressed
in a dark suit with a cloth cap. The
only thing about his face that I could
- l. t. L