Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-09-28
CONTINUED

[coNT1NUED.1
Then YOU are not going" said /. Il
give you my word of honor-and l new
er broke it in my life-that l will take
a cab straight to the police station and
give you away unless you let me share
this adventure With YOU"
"You can't help me"
How do you know that? You can't
tell what may happen. Anyway my
resolution is taken. Other people be-
side you have self respect and even
reputationS.'
Holmes had looked annoyed, but his
brow cleared, and he clapped me on
the shoulder.
well well, my dear fellow, be it so.
We have shared this same room for
some years, and it would be amusing
if we ended by sharing the same cell.
You know, Watson, don't mind 0 q
Tossing to you that l have always had
an idea that l would have made a
highly efficient criminal. This is the
chance Of my lifetime in that direction.
See here He took a neal little leath-
er' case out of a drawer and, opening
it, he exhibited a number of shining
instruments. This is a first class up
to date burgling kit. with nickel plated
Jimmy, diamond tipped glass cutter,
adaptable keys and every modern i'm
provement which the march of civiliZa-
ton demands. Here. too, is my dark
lantern. Everything is in order. Have
you a pair of silent shoes?"
II have rubber soled tennis shoes"
Excellent. And a mask:''
Il can make a couple out of black
silk"
81 car see that you have a strong
natural turn for this sort Of thing.
Very good. you make the masks. We
shall have some cold supper before we
start. 1t is now $50. At II we shall
drive as far as Church row. 1t is a
quarter Of an hours walk from there
to Appledore Towers. We shall be at
work before midnight. Milverton is a
heavy sleeper and retires punctually
at 1890. With any luck we should be
back here by . with the Lady Eva's
letters in my pocket"
Holmes and l put on our dress
clothes so that we might appear to be
two theater gOerS homeward bound. In
Oxford street we picked up a hanson
and drove to an address in Hamp-
stead. Here we paid off our cab. and
with our greatcoats buttoned up. for
it was bitterly cold and the wind
seemed to blow through US. we walked
along the edge of the heath.
Its a business that needs delicate
treatment" said Holmes. These docu-
ments are contained in a safe in the
fellows study, and the study is the
anteroom of his bed chamber. On the
other hand, like all these stout little
men who do themselves we'll. he Is q
plethoric sleeper. -A~gaua-tnats my
tiancee-says it is a joke in the serv-
ants hall that its impossible to wake
the master. He has Il secretary who
is devoted to his interests and never
budgeS from the study All day. That's
why we are going at night. Then he
has a beast of a dog. which roamS the
garden. l met Agatha late the last
two evenings, and She locks the brute
up so as to give me Il clear run. This
is the house. this big one in its own
grounds. IhrougL the gate-now to
the right among the lHurelS. We might
put on our masks here. | think. You
see, there is not Il glimmer of light III
any of the windows. and everything is
working splendidly.'
With our black silk face coverings.
which turned US into W. of the most
ruculen figures i'll London. we stole
up to the silent. gloomy house. \ sort
of tiled veranda extended along one
side of it, lined by several windows
and two doors.
That's his bedroom Holmes whis.
pered. This door opens straight into
the study. 1t would suit US best. but ii
is bolted as we'll as locked, and we
should make too much noise getting
in. Come round here. There's q
greenhouse which opens into the draw
ing ROOM
The place was locked. but Holmes re
moved a circle of glass and turned the
key from the inside. An instant after
ward he had closed the door behind us
and we had become felons in the eye:
OF the law The thick, warm air of tn,
conservatory and the rich, choking fra
GRANGE OF exotic plants took US by tn
throat. He seized my hand in the dark
S and led me swiftly past banks O
shrubs which brushed against GU
faces. Holmes had remarkable powers
carefully cultivated, Of seeing in tr
dark. Still holSFng my hand in one 0
his, he ope5af a door, and I wa
vaguely conssa6ns that we had cntcre
aaarge room in-which q cigar had bee
smoked not long before He felt hi
way among the furniture, opened IN
other door and closed it behind us. Put
t11agr out my hand, ! felt several coat
hafhffhg from the wall. and ] unho,