Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-09-28
xIIi.-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
SECOND STAiN-.Continued.
Copyright 1908.
by A. Conan Doyle and Golfers Weekly.

HIiI.-IHE ADVEN IORE OF n
SECOND 5TAiN.-Continued.
What occurred during that tim
has not yet transpired, but ut a quartz.
to - Police-Constaple Barrett, passing
along G%odolphin street, observed tina
the door If No. 1G was agar. HI
Knocked, but received no answer Per
ceiving a light in the front room, ht
advanced into the passage and agair
Knocked, but without reply. He ther
pushed pen the door and entered. The
room was in n state Of "ild disorder
the furniture being all swept to one
side. and n chair lying on its bach
in the center. Beside this chair, and
still grs Jping one of it's legs, lay the
unfortunate tenant of thes house. He
had been stabbed to the heart ana must
have died instantly. The knife with
which the crime had been committed
was q curved Indian dagger, plucked
down from a trophy of oriental arms
which adorned one of the walls. Rob
berry does not appear to have been the
motive Of the crime, for the : had
beer no attempt TO remove the valuable
contents Of the room. Mr.. Eduardo Lu-
cas- was so well known and popular
hat his violent and mysterious fate
will arouse painful interest and in
tense sympathy in a widespread circle
of friends.
"Well Watson, what DO you make of
this?" asked Holmes, after a long
pause.
1T is an amazing coincidence"
"A coincidence! Here is one Of the
three men whom we had named as pos
sible actors in this drama, Inc he
meets a violent death during the very
hours when we know that Thai drama
was being enacted. The odds are enor-
nous against it's being coincidence. No
figures could express them. No, my
dear Watson, the two events are con-
nected-must be connected. 1t is for us
TO find the connection"
But now the Official police must
know ALL"
mot at all. They know all they see
at Godolphin street. They know-and
shall ~know-nothing of Whitehall Ter
race. Only we know of both events,
and can trace the relation between
them. There is one obvious point
which would, in any case, have turned
my suspicious against Lucas. Godol-
phin street, Westminster, is only a few
minutes walk from Whitehall Terrace.
The other secret agents whom | have
named live in the extreme west End.
1t was easier, therefore, for Lucas than
for the others to establish a onnec
ton or receive a message from the
European secretary's household
small thing, and yet where events are
compressed into a few hours ii may
prove essential. Halloa! what have we
here?'
Mrs. Hudson had appeared with a
lady's caro- upon her salver. Holmes
glanced at it, raised his eyebrows, and
handed II over TO me.
ASK Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope If
she will be kind enough to step up"
said he.
A momen later our modest apart
ment, already so distinguished that
morning, was further honored by the
entrance Of the most lovely woman in
London. / had often heard OF the
beauty Of the youngest daughter OF
the luke OF Belminster, but no descrip-
ton OF 1t. and no contemplation of col
oriess photographs, had prepared me
for the subtle, delicate charm and the
beautiful coloring of that exquisite
head. And yet as we saw it that
autumn morning, 1t was not it's beauty
which would be the first thing TO inn
press the observer. The cheek was
lovely but 1t "a paled with emotion,
the eyes were bright, but it was the
brightness of fever. the sensitive
mouth was tight and drawn in an eff
fort after self command. Terror-not
beauty-was what sprang first to the
eye as our fair visitor stood framed
for an instant in the open door.
Has my husband been here, Mr..
Holmes?"
YES, madam, he has been here
Mr.. Holmes, / implore you not to
tell him that / came here" Holmes
bowed coldly, and motioned the lady to
q chair.
Your ladyship places me in a very
delicate position. l beg that you will
sit down and tell me what you desire,
but l fear that can not make any I'M
conditional promise"
She swept across the room and seat
ed herself with her back to the win
dow. 1t was a queenly -presence-tall,
graceful. and intensely womanly.
Mr.. Holiness she said-and her
white-gloyed hands clasped and un-
clasped as she spoke-"I will speak
frankly TO you in hopes that 1t ma
induce o to speak frankly In return,
There is complete confidence between
my husband and me IN all matters
save one. That one is politics. On
this his lips are sealed. He tells me
nothing. Now, I am aware hat there
was q most deplorable occurrence In
our house last night. l know that a
paper has disappeared. But because
the matter is political my husband re-
fuses to take me into his complete con-
hdence. Now Ii Is essential-essential
I say-that l should thoroughly under
! stand IL. You are the only other per-
son, save only these politicians, who
knows the true facts. l beg you then
Mr.. Holmes, to tell me exactly what
has happened and what it will lead to
Tell me all. Mr.. Holmes. Let no REGARD
for your clients interests keep yol
silent, for / assure you that his In
t~erests. IL he would only see 1t. woulC
be best served by taking me into his
complete confidence. What was thi!
paper which was stolen?"
Madam. what you ask me Is reall,
impossible"
She groaned and sank her face II
her hands,
You must see that this is so, mad
am. II your husband thinks At Il
keep you In the dark over this mat.
ter, is II for me, who have only learn,
ed the true facts under the pledge b
professional secrecy. to tell what h
has withheld? 1t Is not fair to asl
Ii. 1t Is him whom you must ask"
Il have asked him. / come 10 yo'
as a last resource. But without you
telling me anything definite, MI
Holmes, o may do q great service
you would eniighten me OIL one point.
What Is Ii, madam"
rs my husbands political caree
likely to suffer through this incident?
"Well, madam, unless ii is set RICH
1t may certainly have a very unfor
tunate effect"
"Ah!" She drew in ner breath sharp
ly as one whose doubts are resolved.
T