The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

who stares up at Miss Hunter.
No friend of yours, Miss Hunter
he asked.
"'No; l know no one in these parts
" 'Dear me! How very impairment!
Kindly turn round and motion to him
to go away
Surely it would be better to take
no notice.
No, no, we should have him lott
ering here always. Kindly turn round
and wave him away like that.
II did as | was told and at the same
instant Mrs Rucastle drew down the
blind. That was week ago, and
from that time / have not sat again in
the window, nor have l worn the blue
dress, nor seen the man in the road.
pray continue said Holmes.
your narrative promises TO be most
interesting one"
you will find it rather disconnect-
ed, | fear. and there may prove TO De
little relation between the different in
cidents of which L speak. On the very
nrSt day that | was at the Copper
Beaches, Mr.. Rucastle took me to a
small clubhouse which stands near the
kitchen door. AS we approached 1t L
heard the sharp rafting of chain,
and the sound as of a large animal
moving about
look in here! said Mr.. Rucastle.
showing lie Il STU DclNcCll t"O pioiho'
is he not a beauty
II looked through and was con-
scious of two glowing eyes, and of
vague figure huddled up in the dark
ness.
Don't be frightened said my en-
ployer, laughing at the start which l
had given. It's only Carlo, my mas
tiff l call him mine, but really old
ToIler, my groom, is the only man
who can do anything with him. We
feed him once a day. and not too much
then, so that he is always as keen as
mustard. Troller lets him loose every
night, and God help the trespasser
whom he lays his fangs upon. For
goodness sake don't you ever on any
pretext set you foot over the TIRES
hold al night, for it is as much as your
life is worth
The warning was no idle one. for
two nights later l happened to look
out of my bedroom window about two
o'clock in the morning. 1t was beau
tiful moonlight night, and the lawn in
front Of the house was silvered over
and almost as bright as day. | was
standing, wrapt in the peaceful beauty
of the scene, when / was aware that
something was moving under the
shadow of the copper beeches. As it
emerged into the moonshinn l saw
what it was. 1t was a giant dog, as
large as a calf tawny tinted, with
hanging jowl, black muzzle, and huge
projecting bones. 1t walked slowly
across the lawn and vanished into the
shadow upon the other side. That
dreadful silent sentinel sent a chill to
my heart which i do not think that
any burglar could have done.
And now ! have a very strange OK
periencc to tell you. | had, as you
know, cut off my hair in London, and
l had placed it in a great coil at the
bottom of my trunk. One evening, af-
ter the child was in bed, / began to
amuse myself by examining the furni-
ture of my room and by rearranging
my own little things There was an
old chest of drawers in the room, the
two upper ones empty and open, the
lower one locked. | had filled the
first two with linen, and, as / had still
much to pack away, l was naturally
annoyed at not having the use of tn
third drawer. 1t struck me that it
might have been fastened by mere
oversight so / took out my bunch of
keys and tried to open it, The very
first key fitted to perfection. and 1
drew the drawer open. There was
only one thing in it, but j am sure
that you would never guess what it
was. 1t was my coil of hair.
81 took it up and examined it, 1t
was of the same peculiar tint and
the same thickness. But then the inn
possibility of the thing obtruded itself
upon me. How could my hair have
been locked in the drawer? With
trembling hands 1 undid my trunk,
turned out the contents, and drew
from the bottom my own hair. / laid
the two tresses together, and I assure
you that they were identical. Was it
not Extraordinary? Puzzle as / would.
could make nothing at all of what it
meant. | returned the strange HAIR
to the drawer, and | said nothing Of
the matter to the Rucastles. as / felt
that | had put myself in the wrong by
opening drawer which they had
locked.
Il am naturally observant, as you
may have remarked, Mr.. Holmes, and
soon had a pretty good plan of the
whole house in my head. There was
one wing. however which appeared
not to be inhabited at all. A door
which faced that which led into the
quarters of the Tollers opened into
this suite but it was invariably locked.
One day, however as | assembled the
stair, ! met Mr.. Rucastle coming out
through this door, his keys in his
hand, and a look on his face which
made him very different person to
the round, jovial man to whom / was
accustomed. His cheeks were red his
DIoW was dill CI1HkleQ Win SINGER, anu
the veins stood out at his temples
with passion. He locked tho door and
hurried past me without a word
look
This aroused my curiosity; SO when
went out for a walk in the grounds
with my charge, / strolled round to
the side from which / could see the
windows of this part of the house.
There were four of them in row,
three of which were simply dirty, while
the fourth was shattered up. They
Were evidently all deserted. AS /
strolled up and down, glancing at
them occasionally, Mr.. Rucastle came
out to me, looking as merry and jo-
vial as ever.
"'Ah' said he, you must not think
me rude if l nassed you without a
word, my dear young lady. / was pre-
occupied with business matters
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