Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-08


Holmes. 1T Is the one quality which Greg
DRY lacks. We imagined what might have
happened acted upon the supposition and
find ourselves justified. Let us proceed"
We crossed the marshy bottom and
passed over "A quarter Of mile Of dry
hard turf. Again the ground sloped. and
again we came on the tracks. Then we
lost them for half a mile, but only to pick
them up once more quite close TO Napoleon.
1t was Holmes who saw them first, and he
stood pointing with look Of triumph upon
his face. A mans track was visible beside
the horses
1.-THE horse was alone before" / cried.
quite so. 1t was alone before. Hullo,
what is thisT'
The double track turned sharp of and
took the direction of Kings Pyland.
Holmes whstled and we both followed
along after It, His eyes were on the trail,
but 1 happened to look a little to one side
and saw to my surprise the same tracks
coming back again in the opposite direction.
"One for you. Watson" said Holmes,
when pointed it out you have saved US
a long walk, which would have brought us
back on our own tracks. Let us follow the
return track"
We had not to go far. 1t ended at the
paving of asphalt which led up to the gates
a groom ran out from them.
I'VE don't want any loiterers about here"
said he.
II only wished to ask a question" said
Holmes with his finger and thumb in his
waistcoat pockets. should 1 be too early
TO see your master, Mr. Silas Brown, IL 1
were to call at o'clock tomorrow morn
ing?"
BLESS you sir, If any one is about he
will be, for he is always the first stirring.
But here he is. sir to answer your aues-
tons for himself No, sir, no; 1t is as
much as my place is worth to let him see
me touch your money. Afterwards, II you
like"
As Sherlock Holmes replaced the half
crown which he had drawn from his pocket
a ferce-looking elderly man strobe out from
the gate with hunting crop swinging in
his hand.
What's this, Dawson?" he cried. mo
gossiping! Go about your busness And
you, what the devil do you want here?"
Ten minutes talk with you, my good
sir" said Holmes in the sweetest of voices.
I've no time to talk to every gadabout
We want no strangers here. Be off, or you
may find dog at your heels"
Holmes leaned forward and whispered
something in the trainers ear. He started
violently and flushed to the temples.
ITS a lie!" he shouted; IAN Internal
lier'
Very good. Shall we argue about 1t in
public or talk it over in your parlorY
"oh. come in If you wish to-"
Holmes smiled. II shall not keep you
more than few minutes, Watson" said
he. Now. Mr. Brown, am quite at your
disposal"
Tt moe trv.,t,, ,,tn,,tos ~ A. -. L.. \
faded into grays. before Holmes and the
trainer reappeared. Never had 1 seen such
a change as had been brought about in
Silas Brown in that short time, His face
was ashy pale. beads of Precipitation shone
upon his brow, and his hands shook until
the huntingcrop wagged like a branch in
the wind. His bullying overbearing manner
was all gone, too and he cringed along at
my companions side like a dog with its
master.
Your instructions will be done. 1t shall
all be DONE" said he.
There must be no mistake" said Holmes,
looking round at him. The other WINGED
as he read the menace in his eyes.
''oh, no. there shall be no mistake. II
shall be there. Should I change it first
or not."7
Holmes thought little and then burst
out iduBnlnB NO uOn L bdlu me-
shall write to you about it. No tricks. now.
orr
"oh. you can trust me. you can trust
msT'
Eyes, think can. Well. you shall hear
from me tomorrow" He turned upon his
heel. disregarding the trembling hand which
the other held out to him, and we set of
for Kings Pyland.
"A more perfect compound of the bully,
coward and sneak than Master Silas Brown
/ have seldom met with" remarked Holmes
as we trudged along together,
HE has the horse. then?"
He tried to buster out OF II, but l de-
scribed to him so exactly what his actions
had been upon that morning that he is
convinced that I was watching him. OF
course you observed the peculiarly square
toes in the impressions, and that his own
boots exactly correspond to them. Again,
of course no subordinate would have dared
do such a thing. I described to him how,
when according to his custom he was the
first down, he perceived a strange horse
wandering over the moor. How he went
out to IT, and his establishment at recog-
MIXING, from the white forehead which has
given the favorite it's name. that chance
had put in his power the only horse which
could beat the one upon which he had his
money. Then l described how his first
impulse had been TO lead him back to
Kings Pyland. and how the devil had
shown him how he could hide the horse
until the race was over. and how he had
led II back and concealed II at Mapleton
When ! told him every detail he gave II UT
and thought only OF saving his own skin,
But his stables had been searched2'
'Oh an old horse fakir like him has
many a dodge"
But are you not afraid 20 leave the
horse in his power now, since he has
every interest in injuring it7'
My dear fellow, he will guard It as the
apple OF his eye. He knows that his only
hope of mercy is to produce 1t safe"
Colonel Ross did not impress me as
man who would be likely to show much
mercy in any case"
The matter does not rest with ColOne
, Ross. follow my own methods, and tel
, as much or as little as 1 choose. That 4
the advantage OF being unofficial ! dom
know whether you observed 1t, Watson
but the colonels manner has been Just
, tribe cavalier 20 me. I am inclined nov
, to have a little amusement at his expense
Say nothing to him about the horseY
, Certainly not without your permission.
And OF course this is all quite a mino
point compared to the question OF VIII,
killed John Strakarn