The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-22
The Adventure of
the Empty House
No. / OF the Series


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(cofyyirif 1905 ~ Msciays Phaiss q CO.
The place was pitch dark. But II was
evident 70 me TINT It was an empty
house Orr feet creaked and cracked
over the bare planking, and my out
stretched hand touched a wall from
which the paper was hanging II rib
boas. Holmes cold. thin fingers closed
around my wrist and led me forward
down a long hall until dimiy saw the
murky fan light over the door Here
Holmes turned suddenly to the right.
and we found ourselves in large
square, empty room, heavily shadowed
in the corners, but family 1t IN the
center from the lights Of the street be-
yond. There was no lamp near, and
the window was thick with dust, so
that we could only just discern each
others figures within. My companion
put his hand upon my shoulder and
his lips close to my ear.
"Do you know where we arei" he
whispered.
Surely that is Baker street." / an
swered, staring through the dim win
dow
Exactly. We are in Camden House.
which stands opposite to our own old
quarters"
But why are we herew
'Becapse it commands so excellent
a view Of that picturesque pile Might
] trouble you, my dear Watson, TO
draw little nearer to the window.
taking every precaution not TO show
yourself and then to look up at our
old rooms--the starting point Of so
many Of your little fairy tales? We
viii see II my three years Of absence
have entirely taken away my power to
surprise you"
] crept forward and looked across
at the familiar window. AS my eyes
fell upon it / gave a gasp and a cry
OF amazement The blind was down,
and a strong light was burning in the
room. The shadow of a man who was
seated in n chair within was thrown
in hard, black outline upon the lumi-
nous screen OF the window. There was
no mistaking the poise OF the head, the
squareness Of the shoulders, the sharp
ness Of the features. The face was
turned half around. and the effect was
that OF one Of those black silhouettes
which our grandparents loved to
frame 1t was a perfect reproduction
Of Holmes. SO amazed was 1 that
threw out my hand to make sure that
the man himself was standing beside
me. He was auivering with silent
laughter.
"wen7' said he.
Good heavensr cried. ut is mar
velous"
Il trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety" said
he. And ! recognized in his voice the
joy and pride which the artist takes in
his own creation. ut really is rather
like me, is II nOt2"
Il should be prepared TO swear that
It was you"
"The credit OF the execution IS dre
to NJ. Oscar Mcnnier Of Grenoble, who
spent some Gays ia doing the moiding.
1t Is a bust In wax. The rest l ar
ranged myself during my visit 70 Ba-
Eer street this afternoon"
"Hut whyY"
''Beefgse. my dear Watson. had the
strongest possible reason for wishing
a
when ! was really elsewhere
And you thought the rooms were
watchedT
Il knew that they were watched"
by whomT
''By my old enemies, Watson. BY the
charming society whose leader lies In
the Reichenbach fall. You must re-
member that they knew, and only they
knew, that / was still alive. Sooner or
later they believed that I should come
back to my rooms. They watched them
continuously, and this morning they
saw me arrive"
"How do you known"
Because / recognized their sentinel
when glanced out Of my window. He
q q harmless enough fellow, Parker by
name, a garroter by trade and a re-
markable performer upon the jews
harp. cared nothing for him. But
! cared a great deal for the much more
formidable person who was behind him.
the bosom friend OF Moriarty, the man
who dropped the rocks over the cliff
the most cunning and dangerous crimi-
nal IN London That Is the man who is
after me tonight, Watson. and that is
the man who is quite unaware that we
are after him."
Ny friends plans were gradually re-
vealing themselves. From this eonven-
lent retreat the watchers were being
watched and the trackers tracked
That angular shadow up yonder WIS
the bait, and we were the hunters. In
silence we stood together In the dark
ness and watched the hurrying figures
who passed and repassed In front OF
US. Holmes WAS silent and moticaless,
but / could tell that he was keeniy
alert and that dis eyes were fixed in
tently upon the stream Of passersby,
II was a bleak and bOisterOus night
and the wind r'hstied shriliy down the
long street Many peorle were moving
900 90 o o o o o o o o o O {