The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-09-27
xin.-THe ADVENTURE OF THE
SECOND STAIN.-Continued.

SECOND STAtN.-Continued.
What occurred during hat time
has not yet t~ranspircd. but ut n quarter
10 4. poiice-C Constable Barrett. passing
along Godolphln strecS. observed that
the door OF No. &c was agar. He
Knocked. hut received 40 answer Per-
ceiving a light In the front room. he
advanced into the passage and again
knocked. but without reply. He then
pushed open the door n entered. The
room was Ia n state 90 ~ild disorder.
the furniture being aii swept TO one
side, and one chair lying ON Its back
In tho center. Beside this chair. and
stu gr. ping one OF it's legs, lay the
unfortunate tenant OF the house. He
hnd been stabbed Co the heart n must
have died Instantly. The knife with
which the crime had been committed
was n curved Indian dagger. plucked
down from n trophy OF oriental arms
which adorned one OF the walls. Rob
berry docs not appear 20 have been the
motive % the crime. FOR the , had
been no attempt To ENJOY the valuable
contents OF the room. MIR. Eduardo Luz
cas- wa1 SO well Known m popular
that his violent and mysterious fate
will arouse painful :ltercst n In
tense sympathy In a Widespread circle
of friends.
W eli. W lNNnns NUuN 10 sol Ulhht VI
this?" asked Holmes. after n long
pause.
1T IS nm amazing coincidence
~ coincidence Here In one Of the
three men whom We had named as pos
slbic &c In this drama. and he
meets u violent death during the very
hours when we know that that drama
was being enacted. The odds are NOR
nous against It's being coincidence. No
as.ssa AA.sIl NN.nWaN NJ ~ a.
dear Watson. the two cnt arc con
ncctcd-must be connected. IL In FOR us
to find the connection"
'But now the oc.cial police must
know ALL"
Not nj all. They know all they see
at Godolphln street. They know-and
shall know-noihing OF Whitehall Ter
n only We know OF both events.
and Gun trace The relation between
them. There Is one obvious point
which would. In airy case, have turned
my suspicious against Lucas. Godol-
phin street. Westminster. In only n few
minutes walk from Whitehall Terrace.
The other secret agents whom l have
named live In the extreme west end.
II was ensier. therefore. for Lucas than
for tbs others TO establish n onnec-
ton or receive a message from the
European s~ecretary's household
small thing. and yet where events are
compressed into "a few hours IL may
prove essential. Bnlloa! what have we
herc?"
Mrs. Hudson had appeared with n
lndy's card upon .hcr salver. Holmes
glanced ut II. raised his eyebrows. and
handed II over To me.
ASK Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope II
she VIII be kind enough to step up"
said he.
a moment later our modest apart
mcn,. 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 duke OF Belmlnster. but no descrip-
ton OF II. and no contemplation OF col
orlcss photographs, had prepared the
FOR the subtle. delicate charm and the
beautiful coloring OF that exquisite
head. And yet as we saw ~ that
autumn morning. IL was not It's beauty
which would be the first thing TO m
press the observer. The cheek vas
lovely but IL was palcd with emotion.
the eyes were bright. u IL was the
brightness OF fever. the sensitive
mouth wns tight and drawn In an cr-
fort after self command. TcTTor-no'
bcauty-wns what sprans iirst To the
rye as our fair vlsito. stood framed
for an instant In the open door.
Has my husband been here. Mr..
Holiness"
Yes. madam. he has been here"
Mr.. Holmes. / Implorc you not 20
tell him that I came here" Holmes
bowed coldly. n motioned the lady 10
n chair.
Your ladyship places me In n very
delicate position. l beg that you Will
sit down and tell me what q desire,
but I fear hat I can not make any un-
conditional promise"
She sweep across the room and seat
ed herself with her back TO the win
dow. IL vas n quecnly presencc-tall,
graceful. and intensely womanly.
Mr.. Holmes" she said-and hef
white gloved hands clasped and un-
clnsped as she spokc-'I will speak
frankly Ia you In hopes h Il II may
induce you to speak frankly I'm return,
There IL complete confidence between
my husband m me on all matters
saw one. That n Is politics. on
this his lips are sealed. He tells me
nothing. Now, l am aware that there
was n most deplorablc occurrence In
our house last night. I know h n a
paper n disappeared. But becaus,
the matter is political ny husband re-
fuses TO take me into his complete rom
fidence. Now IL Is essential-essentInl
say-that I should thoroughly under
stand Il. You are the only other per-
son. save only these politicians. who
knows the true facts. ! beg you then
Mr.. Holmes. TO tell me exactly what
has happened and what IL VIII lead To
Tell me all. Mr.. Holmes. Let no regarc
for your clients interests keep yot
silent. for ! assurc you that his In
tcrcsts. IL he would only see u, would
be best served by taking me into his
complete confidence. What was hi,
paper which VAS stolen"
Madam, what you ask me Is really
impossible"
She groaned and sank her face II
her hands.
You must see That this IL so. mad
am. IL your husband thinks III q
keep you In the dark over this mat,
ter. IL Il fu. me. who have only learn
cd the true ncts under the pledge o
professional secrecy. to tell what h,
has withheld? IL Is not fair TO asl
a.. IL IL him whom you must ask"
Il have asked him. l come to yo'
as a last "a But without YOU
telling me anything definite. MI
Holmes. you may do "A great service
you would enlighten me on n point.
what Is II, madam"
lis my husbands political caree
likely 90 suffer through this incident?
well, madam. unless II In set righ
IL may certainly have n very unfor
tunatc effect"
All" She drew I'm her breath sharp
ly ns one whose doubts are resolved.