The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-08-09
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.


, us had taken. My husband found and kept
both diary and letters. He hid them, and
he tried hard to s"car way the young
mans life. In this he failed, but Alexis
was sent a convict to Siberia, where now,
at this moment, he works in a salt mine.
Think of that, you villain, you villain
now, now, at this very moment, Alexis, a
man whose name you are not worthy to
speak, works and lives like a slave, and
yet have your life in my hands, and |
let YOU 90"
You were always a noble woman,
Anna" said the old man, putting at his
ctgarct.
She had risen. but she fell back again
with a little cry of pain.
Il must finish" she said. "When my
term was over ! set myself to get the
diary and letters which, if sent to the
Russian government, would procure my
friends release. ] knew that my husband
had come to England. After months Of
searching / discovered where he was. l
knew that he still had the diary, for when
| was in Siberia l had Il letter from him
once, reproachins me and quoting some
passages from its pages. Yet l was sure
that, with his ~rcvengCful nature, he would
never give it to me of his own free will.
| must get it for myself. With this object
| engaged an agent from a private de-
tccttVc firm, who entered my husbands
house as a seCretary-it was your second
secretary, Scrgius, the one who left you
so hurriedly. He found that papers were
kept In the cupboard, and he got an Tn
preston of the key. He would not go
farther. He furnished me with a plan
Of the house, and he told me that in the
forenoon the study was always empty as
the secretary was employed up here. SO
at last l took my courage in both hands,
and came down to get the papers myself.
| succeeded; but at what a cost.
II had just taken the papers and was
locking the cupboard, when the young
man seized me. 1 had seen him already
that morning. He had met me on the
road, and l had asked him to tell me
where Professor Coram lived, not know
ing that he was in his employ"
. Exactly! exactly" said Holmes. THE
secretary came back, and told his en-
ployer of the woman he had met. Then
in his last breath, he tried to send a mes
sage that it was she-the she whom he
had just discussed with him.
You must let me speak, said the wom-
an, in an imperative voice, and her face
contracted as IT, in pain. when he had
fallen rushed from the room, chose the
wrong door, and found myself in my hus-
bands room. He spoke of giving me up.
/ showed him that if he did so, his life
wa in my hands. If he gave me to the
law, | could give him to the brotherhood.
II was not that l wished 10 live for my
own sake, but it was that I desired to ac-
comIlish my purpose. He knew that 1
would do what l said-that his own fate
was involved in mine. For that reason,
and for no other, he shielded me. He
thrust me into that dark hiding-placc-a
relic of old days, known only to himself.
He took his meals in his own room, and
so was able to give me part of his food.
1t was agreed that when the police left
the house l should slip away by night and
come back no more. But in some way
you have read our plans" She tore from
the bosom of her dress a small packet.
These are my last WORDS said she:
here Is the packet which will save Alexis.
l conftde it to your honor and to your
love of justice. Take it! You will deliver
it at the Russian embassy. Now, l have
done my duty, and
Stop herr cried Holmes. He had
bounded across the room, and had
wrenched a small phial from her hand.
TO- late." she said, sinking back on tho
bed. TOO late! / took the poison before
left my hiding-place. My head swims!
am going! l charge YOU, sir, to re-
member the packet
"A simple case, and yet, in some ways
an instructive one Holmes remarked, as
we travelled bac- to town. TT hinged
+ from the outset upon the pince-nez. But
for the fortunate chance of the dying mar
having seized these, l am not sure thai
! we could ever lave reached our solution
1t was clear to me, from the Length OF the
glasses, that the wearer must have beer
very BLING and helpless when deprived OF
! them. When you asked me to believe tina
. she walked along a narrow strip of grass
! without once making a false step, I re
4 marked, as you may remember. that i
i was a noteworthy performance. II
! my mind l set it down as al
: impossible performance, save in tn,
unlikely case that she had a secont
pair Of glasses. l was forced, therefore
a to seriously consider the hypothesis tina
she remained within the house. On per
ceiving the similarity of the two CORR
doris, 1t became clear that She might yer,
. easily nave made such a mistake, and, il
q that case, it was evident that she mus
have entered the professors room. I wa
keenly on the alert therefore, for what
q ever would bear out this %supposition, ant
= / amir the room narrowly for any
: thing in the shape of a h~iding-place. TIL
carpet seemed continuous and firml,
nailed, so l dismissed the idea of a tral
4 door. There might we'll be a recess be
hind the books. AS YOU are aware, sucl
devices are c.nlno in old libraries.
= observed that bucks we're piled o;1 the fhoo
at all other Joints, but that one bookcas
q was LETT clear. This, then, might be tn
:. the door. l could see no marks to guild
IA ihC, pul TIE PEI WAS VI IL duil ColOf
: which lends itself very well to examina
" ton. l therefore smoked a great numbe
{ of those excellent cigarets, and / droppe
the ash all over the space in front o
the suspected bookcase. 1t was a simpl
s trick, but exceedingly effective. 1 the.
went dow stairs, and / ascGrtaincd, j
Il your presence, Watson, without your pei
+ ceiving the drift of my remarks, that Pro
fessor Coram's consumption of food ha
4 increased-as one would expect when h
is supplying a second person. We then as
ceaded to the room again, when, by w
Il setting the cigaret box, i obtained a yer
f excellent view of the floor, and was abb
: to see quite clearly, from the traces upo
i the cigaret ash, that the prisoner had i
n our absence come out from her retrea
4 Well, Hopkins, here we arc at Charm
! Cross, and I congratulate You OF hayin
!, brought our case to q successful COZ
: clusion. You are going to headauarter;
q no doubt. I think, Watson, you and Nv
! drive together to the Russian embassy"
r xl.-THE ADVENTURE OF TIL
= MISSING THREE-QUARTER.
yTg ysEg w E were fairly accustome
{ A ( i f ssSsl . ys'ss 81 ss'sf Iss9