The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-07

/ why its disappearance should have
J such momentOus consequences?
The two statesmen exchanged q
quick glance and the premier's shaggy
eyebrows gathered in "a frown.
Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long,
thin one of pale blue color. There is a
seal Of red wax stamped with a crouch
ing lion It Is addressed IN large, bold
/ handwriting To-
Il fear, sir said Holmes. that. in
tereStiug and indeed essential as these
details are. my inquiries must go more
90 the root of things What was the
letter."
THAT is u state secret of the utmost
Importance, and ] fear that / can not
tell you, nor do | see that il is ueCeS-
sary. If by the aid of the powers
which you are said To- possess you can
ind such an envelope as I desCTib
with its inclosure. YOU viii have de-
served well Of your country. and earned
any reward which it lies in our power
TO bestow-"
Sherlock Holm 8 rose with d smile
You are two of the most busy men
i'm the country" said he, and in my
own small way [ have also d good
many calls upon me. I regret eN-
ceediHSly that I can not help YOU Ia
this matter. and any continuation of
this interview would b. a waste of
time"
The premier spTanE TO his feet with
that quick fierce CLEAN of his deep
set eyes before which a cabinet has
covered 4 am not accustomed, sir.
he began. but mastered his anger and
resumed his seat For q minute OF
more Us all sat i'm silence. Then the
old statesman shrugged his shoulders
We must accept your terms, Mr.
Holmes No doubt you are right. and
it is unreasonable for US to expect you
10 act unless we give you our entire
confidence"
7 agree with you" said the younger
statesman.
Then I viii tell you, relying en-
tiTely upon your honor and that of
your colleague. DR.. Watson I may
appeal 10 your patriotism also, for L
could not imagine greater mis-
fortune for the country than that this
affair should come out"
You may safely trust US"
The letter. then, is from a certain
foreign potentate who has ben rUffied
by some recent colonial developments
of this country Il has been written
huTriedly and upon his own RESPONSE
bility entirely. Inquiries have shown
that his minisi eTS know nothing Of the
matter At the same time il Is cOUChed
In so unfortunate a manner, and Ger
a character. that its publication would
undoubtedly lead to a most dangerous
state of feeling i'm this country There
would be such Il feTmeHt. sir. that I
do not hesitate to say that within
week of the publication of that letter
this country would be involved in a
graf war
Holmes wrote name upon slip Of
paper and handed II to the premier.
Exactly IT was ne, And il is this
letter which may well mean the eN-
Ucuditure of thousand millions and
th- lives of a hundred thousand men
which has become lost i'm this uuac-
couutable fashion
Have YOU informed the sender"
Yes. sir. a cipher telegram has been
DESPATCHED
PERHAPS he desires the publication
Of the letter.
believe that he already understands
that he has acted i'm an indiScreet and
hot-headsd manner It would be
greater blow 20 him and to his country
than to Us IL this letter were to come
out"
IF this is So. who's interest is it
that the letter should come out2 Why
should anyone desire TO steal it OF To
publish ito
There. Mr. Holmes. you take me
into regions of high international poll
tics. But if YOU consider the European
situation YOU viii have no difficulty in
perceiving the motive. The whole of
Europe is an armed camp. There Is
"a double league which makes a fair
haIaUc- of military power Great
Britain holds the scales If Britain
were driven into war with one con-
federary. it would assure the SupTem-
dcy of thC other cOufedeTacy. whether
they Joined in the war OF not DO you
follow"
Very clearly. It Is then the interest
of the enemies Of this potcntate TO Sc
cure and publish this letter. 80 as to
make a breach between his country
and ouTs?"
And to whom would this document
be sent if il fell into the hands of an
enemy"
To any of the great chanceIleries of
Europe. 1t is probably speeding on its
way thither at the present instant as
fast as steam can take it
Mr.. Trelawney Hope dropped his
head on his chest and sroaued aloud
The premier placed his hand kindly
upon his shoulder.
1t is your misfortune, my dear fel-
low No one can blame you There is
no pTecaution which you nave
neglected Now Mr.. Holmes you are
ia fun possession Of the facts What
course do you recommend
Holmes shook his head moUrnfUlly-
You think. sir, that unless this
document is recovered there VIII be
war;
Il think it Is very pUObab Bile
Then. sir. prepare for war
That is q hard saying. Mr. Holmes"
Consider the facts. sir. 1t Is incou-
ceivable that il was taken after 1850
al night since / understand that MT.
Hone and his wifi were both in the
room that hour until the loss was
found out Ii was taken. then. yeSteT-
dav evening between 80 and 1850
probably near the earlier hour. since
took &c evid uuy knew that it
was there. and would naturally secure
it as early az possible. Now. sir. if a
document Of this Importance were
taken at that hour. where can it be
now No one has any reason TO T tain
IL. 10 has been passed raDidiy on to
those who need IL. What chance have
we now 10 oyeTtake OF even 10 trace il?
Il is beyond our reach
The oTimz minister rose from the
settee.
What YOU say Is perfectly logical. }
Mr. Holmes I feel that the matter IS /
indeed out % our hands"
let US presume, for arguments !
sake. that the document was taken by /
the maid or by the valet"
They are both old and tried serv-
ants"
Il understand YOU to say that your
room IS on the second floor. and there
il 10 entrance from without. and that !
from within no one could 90 up I'M |
observed 1t must. then. be somebody 1
h.