The Washington times., 1905-05-28

you have furnished me with seven.
but. of course. must test them before
can pronounce upon their value"
You suspect some one?"
s.T suspect myself"
| What"
"Of coming to conclusions too rapid
| ly"
Then go to Landon and test your con-
clusions.f'
Your advice ts very excellent. Miss
Harrison said Holmes. rising. .I
think. Watson, we cannot do better. Do
not allow yourself to indulge IN false
| hopes, Mr.. Phelps. The affair is a very
tangled one
II shall be IN fever until 7 see you
again." cried the diplematist.
| We'll. Iii come out by the same train
tomorrow, though it's more than likely
that my report viii be a negative one. -
God bless you sor promising to come"
cried our client. TT gives me fresh life
to know that something is being done.
BY the way. I have had a letter from
Lord BoldhuTst
Hal what did he say?'
'sIIe was cold. but not harsh. I dare
say my severe Illness prevented him
from being that He repeated that the
matter was of the utmost Importance.
and added that no steps would be taken
about my future-by which he means. OF
course, my disnissai-untiI my health
was restored and I had an opportunity
OF repairing my misfortune"
well. that was reasonable and con-
siderate," said Holmes. Come. Wat
son, for we have good days work be-
fore Us in town.
Mr.. Joseph Harrison drove Us down
to the station. and we were soon whiri-
ing up in q Portsmouth train. Holmes
was sunk In profound thought. and
hardly opened his mouth until We had
passed Clapham Junction.
Its q very CHEEKY thing to come into
London by any OF these lines which run
high. and allow you to look down upon
the houses like this
] thought he Was Joking. for the view
was sordid enough, but he soon ex-
piained himself.
Look at those big, isolated elumps OF
building rising up above the states. like
brick islands IN q Iead-colored sea-
THE board-schoois.'
lighthouses. my boy. Beaeons Of the
future! Capsules with hundreds OF
bright little seeds In each. out OF which
win spring the wiser. better England
of the future. suppose that man Phelps
does not drink
Il should not think So
Nor should I. but we are bound to
take every possibility into account. The
poor devil has certainly got himself
ton whether We shall ever be able to
get him ashore. What did you think
OF Miss Harrison?'.
"a girl of strong Character
Yes, but she IS a good sort, or I am
mistaken. She and her brother are the
only children of an ironmaster some
where up Northumberland way. He got
| engaged to her when travelling last win
| ter, and she came down to be intro
dueed TO his people. with her brother as
escort. Then came the smash, and she
stayed on to nurse her lover. while
| brother Joseph. finding himself pretty
snug, stayed on, too. I've been making
| q few Independent inquiries, you see.
But today must be q day OF inquirles.' -
| MY practice I began.
"Oh, II you find your own cases more
interesting than mine said Holmes,
| with some asperity.
'1 was going TO say that my practice
could get along very well for a day or
two. since 1t is the slackest time in the
year"
Excellent" said he, recovering his
good huInor Then We'll look into this
matter together. I think that we should
begin by seeing Forbes. He can prob
ably tell us all the details we want
| until we know from what side the case
is TO be approached"
You said you had a c1ue?'
We'll. we have several, but we car
only test their value by further inquiry
The most difficult crime TO track is the
one which is purposeiess. Now this is
not purposeless. Who is IL who profits
by It? There is the French ambassador,
| there is the Russian. there is whoever
might sell 1t 10 either Of these. and
there is Lord Holdhurst."
Lord HoIdhurst!'
"Woll. it is just conceivable that a
statesman might find himself in a posi-
ton where he was not sorry to have
such a document accidentally de-
stroyed.''
Not a statesman with the honorable
record of Lord Holdhurst?"
| 1T is a possibility. and we cannot az
ford TO disregard 1t. We shall see the
laobIe lors tsdss $50 sGsa out IL De can