Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-06-21

were prepared to aid me"
1 turned it over in my mind
Yes / said. lit is morally UNSUITABLE
SO Iona as our object is TO take no
articles save those when are used for
an illegal purpose"
Exactly. Since 1t Is morally justih-
able. have only to consider the uues-
tion OF personal risk. Surely a gentle
man should not lay much stress upon
this. when a lady is in most desperate
need OF his helpo"
You will be In such n false position
Well, h a is part OF the risk. There
Is no other possible way OF regaining
these letters. The unfortunate lady has
not the money and there are none of
her people in whom she could confide.
tomorrow ts the last day of grace. and
unless we can get the letters tonight.
this villain will be as good as his word
and Will bring about her ruin. | must.
therefore. abandon my client to her
fate OF / must play his last card. Be
tween ourselves. Watson. It's a sporting
duel between this fellow Milverton and
me. He had. as you saw. the best of
the first exchanges. but my self respect
n my reputation are concerned to
fight 1t to n finish"
well. I don't like IT. but suppose
1t must be" said l..
when do VIC starto"
You are not coming"
Then you are not going" said ].
II Civ" you my word of honor-and /
broke 1t my life-that l will take
a cab straight to the police station and
give you away. unless you let me share
this adventure with you"
You can help me-"
How do you know that? You can't
tell what may happen. Anyway. my
resolution is taken. Other people he
| c31o Vn,p hnVo oo1f racDo,t o~ .,.r
regulations"
Holmes had looked annoyed, but his
brow cleared. II he clapped me on
the shoulder.
We'll. we'll. my dear fellow, be II so.
We have shared this same room
for years. and 1t would be amusing IL
we ended by sharing the same cell. You
know. Watson. I don't mind confessing
to you that I have always had an idea
that / would have made a highly efi-
Gent criminal. This is the chance of
my lifetime in that direction. See here"
He took a neat little case out of n:
drawer. and opening 1t he exhibited n
number OF shining Instruments: This
Is a first class. up-to-date burglinS kit,
with nickel plated jimmy. diamond
tipped glass cutter. adaptable keys. and
every modern Improvement which the
march OF civilization demands. Here.
too. is my dark lantern. Everything is
in order. Have you Il pair of Silent
shoes?"
II have rubber soled tennis Shoes.
Excellent. And 4 mask?."
II can make a couple out of black
silk"
II can see that you have a strong.
natural u for this sort Of thing. Very
good. do you make the masks. We
shall have some cold supper before we
start. 1t Is now nine-thirty. At eleven
SCo shall drive Q0 far nc Chv~oHH ~ov,,
It's a quarter of an hours walk from
there to Appledore Towers. We shall
be at work before midnight. Milverton
is a heavy sleeper. and retires p%unctual-
ly at ten-thirty. With any luck we
should be back here by two. with the
Lady Eva's letters in my pocket"
Holmes and l put on our dress clothes,
so that we might appea to be two
theatergoers homeward bound. In OK
ford street we picked up a hanson and
drove to IN address in Hampstead.
Here we paid Off our cab. and with our
great coats buttoned up. for it was
bitterly cold the wind seemed to
blow through us. we walked along the
edge of the heath.
ITS a business that needs delicate
treatment" said Holmes. "These docu-
ments are contained in a safe in the
fellows study. n the study is the
ante-room OF his bed chamber. On the
other hand. like all these stout. little
mel who do themselves we'll, he is a
plethoric sleeper Agatha-that's my
financee-sayS it's Il joke in the SER
wants hall that it's impossible to wake
the master. He has a secretary who
is devoted to his interests. and never
budges from the study all day. That's
why we are going at night. Then he
garden. l met Agatha late the last
two evenings. and she locks the brute
up so as to give me q clear run. This
Is. the house. the big one in its own
grounds. Through the gatc-now to
the right among the laurels. We might
put on our masks here. 1 think. You
any OF the windows, and everything is
working s%plendidly."
With our black silk face coverings.
which turned us into two Of the most
t~ruculent figures in London, we stole
up to the silent gloomy house. A sort
Of tiled veranda extended along one
side of 1t. lined by several windows and
two doors.
That's his bedroom" Holmes whis-
pered. This door opens straight into
the study. 1t would suit us best. but
1t is bolted as we'll as locked, and we
should make too much noise getting in.
Come round here. There's a green
house which opens into the drawing
ROOM"
The place was locked. but Holmes re-
moved n circle Of glass and turned the
key from the inside. An instant after
wards he had closed the door behind
us. and we had become felons in the
eyes of the law. The thick, warm
air of the conservatory and the
rich. choking fragrance Of ex-
otto plants took us by the throat.
He seized my hand in the darkness and
led me swiftly past banks of shrubs which
brushed against our faces. Holmes had
remarkable powers. carefully cultivated.
Of seeing In the dark. Still holding my
hand In one Of his. he opened a door. and
I was vaguely conscious that we had en-.
tered a large room in which "a cigar. had
been smoked not long before. He felt his
way among the furniture. opened another
door. and closed II behind ua. Putting our