Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-07-08


into Manchester street and so TO Bland
ford street. Here he turned swiftly
down q narrow passage. passed through
wooden gate into a deserted yard and
then opened with key the back door
or house. We entered together. and
he closed Il behind us
The place was pitch dark. but II was
evident 70 me that II was an empty
house. Our feet creaked and cracked
over the bare planking. and my out
stretched hand touched wall from
: which the paper was hanging in rib
bons- Holmes cold. thin fingers closed
around my wrist and led me forward
I down a long hall until dimly saw the
murky fan light over the door. Here
/ Holmes turned suddenly to the right.
, and we found ourselves in a large.
i square. empty room. heavily shRdcwed
I in the corners but family lit 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
1 his lips close to my ear.
do you know where we sref" he
whispered
Surely that j. Baker street" I 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 hereF"
Because Il commands so excellent
view OF that picturesque pile Might
trouble you. my dear Watson. TO
draw a 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 40
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 IL l 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 a 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 20
frame II was perfect reproduction
OF Holmes. SO amazed was I that I
threw out my hand 10 make sure that
the man himself was standing beside
me. He was quivcrinR with silent
laughter.
"WellT' said be.
"Good heavensr' I cried. cit IS mar
velousr'
II trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety" said
he. And I recognized in his voice the
| joy and pride which the artist takes ia
his own creation. 1T really is rather
like me. IL ~ notT-
Il should be prepared TO swear that
II was you"
The credit OF the execution is due
20 NJ. Oscar Mennier OF Grenoble. who
spent some days in doing the holding
IL is n bust In wax. The rest l ar
ranged myself during my visit 20 Ba-
ker street this afternoon"
"But vhyT
because. my dear Watson. l had the
strongest possible reason FOR wishing
certain people TO think that was there
| when I 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 I'm
| the Reichenbach fall. You must re-
member that they knew. and only they
knew. that was still alive. Sooner or
later they believed that should come
back 10 my rooms. They watched them
continuously. and this morning they
saw me arrive"
"How do you know"
| Because | recognized their sentinel
when ! glanced ont OF my window. He
IS a harmless enough fellow. Parker by
name, a garroter by trade and re-
markable performer upon the jews
| harp. I cared nothing for him. But
] cared a great deal for the much more
formidable person who was behind him.
the bosom friend Of Aloriarty, the man
who dropped the rocks over the elf.
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"
My friends plans We're gradually re-
vealing themselves. From this conven-
lent retreat the watchers were being
watched and the truckers tracked.
That angular shadow up yonder was
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 motionless,
but i could tell that be was keenly
alert and that his eyes We're fixed in
tenuy upon the stream of passersby.
IL was bleak and boisterous night,
and the wind whistled shrilly down the
long street Many people were moving
% and fro. most Of them muffied In their
coats and cI5lvats. Once or twice il
seemed 20 me that had seen the same