The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-08-03

| must apologize for having intruded upon
you. Professor Coram. and promise that
We won't disturb you until after lunch. AS
TWO o'clock we will come again. and re-
port to you anything which may have
happened in the interval"
Holmes was curiously distract and We
walked up and down the garden path TO-.
| some time in silence.
Have you clue?" 1 asked. at last
1T depends upon those cigarets that J.
smoked" said he. 1T is possible that I
SHOW me-
My dear Holiness exclaimed, ''how
on earth
Well, well. you may see for yourself,
If not there's no harm done. OF course.
we always have the optician clue to fall
back upon. but take a short cut when /
can get it. All, here is the good Mrs.
Marker: Let us enjoy five minutes of in
Structive conversation with her."
l may have remarked before that
Holmes had when he liked, peculiarly
ingratiating way with women, and that
he very readily established terms of conf
dence with them. In half the time which
! he had named, he had captured the house,
keepers good WILL and was chatting with
iiei as IL Hc lldu hIloWH neT LOT years
Yes, Mr.. Holmes. it is as you say, sir.
He does smoke something terrible. All
day and sometimes all night. sir I've
seen that room of a morning-wcll, sir,
you'd have thought it was London fog.
Poor young Mr.. Smith, he was a smoker
also, but not as bad as the professor. His
health-well, l don't know that it's better
nor worse for the smoking
ALI" said Holmes, but it kills the
appetite"
We'll, l don't know about that, sir
y suppose that the professor eats hard
ly anyth!mg?'
We'll, he is variable. I'll say that for
him."
I'll wager he took no breakfast this
morning, and won't face his lunch after
all the cigarets l saw him consume"
We'll, you're out there. sir, as it hap
pens, for he ate remarkable big break
fast this morning. ! don't know when
I've known him make a better one and
he's ordered good dish of outlets for his
lunch. I'm surprised myself, for since ]
came into that room yesterday and saw
young Mr.. Smith lying there on the floor,
couldn't bear to look at food. Well it
takes all sorts to make a world, and the
professor hasn't let it take his appetite
away"
we lo1tered the morning away in the
garden. Stanley Hopkins had gone down
to the village to look into some rumors of
strange woman who had been seen by
some children on the Chatham road tho
previous morning. AS to my friend, all
his usual energy seemed to have deserted
him. | had never known him handle a
case in such half-hcarted fashion. Even
the news brought back by Hopkins that
he had found the children, and that they
mad undoubtedly seen woman exactly
corresponding with Holmes description.
and wearing either spectaces or eye
glasses, failed to rouse any sign of keen
interest He was more attentive when
Susan, who waited upon US at lunch vol
unteered the information that she believed
Mr.. Smith had been out for walk yester-
day morning. and that he had only re-
turEed half an hour before the tragedy oc-
CURED. could not nj. self see the bear
ing of this incident, but clearly per-
ceived that Holmes was weaving it into
the general scheme which he had formed
in his brain. n Z
Suddenly he sprang from Ehis
chair and glanced at his watch 1.-TWO
o'clock. gentlemen" said he. 1--WE must
go up and have it out with our friend,
the professor"
The old man had just finished hisslunch.
and certainly his empty dish bore evil
dence to the good appetite with which his
housekeeper had credited him. He was,
indeed, weird figure as he turned his
white name and his glowing eyes towards
u.s. The eternal cgaret smouldered in
his mouth. He had been dressed, and
was seated in an armchair by the fire
We'll. Mr.. Holmes. have you solved
this mystery YETI" He showed the large
tin of cigarets which stood on a table be-
side him towards my companion. Holmes
stretched out his hand at the same mo-
ment. and between them they tipped the
box over the edge. For minute or two
We were all on our knees retrieving stray
cigarets from impossible places. When
we rose again. I observed Holmes eyes
We're shining and his cheeks tinged with
color. Only at a crisis have l seen those
battle-signals flying.
Yes said he, II have solved it,"
Stanley Hopkins and ! stared in amaze
ment. Something like a sheer ouivered
over the gaunt features of the old pro-
fesscr
Indeed, In the garden?"
mo. here"
Here. Whcn?"
This instant"
You are surely joking Mr., Sherlock
Holmes. You compel me to tell YOU that
this is too serious q matter to be trea ted
in such a fashion.
have forged and tested every link of
my chain, Professor Coram, and / am
sure that 1t is sound What your motives
are. or what exact part you play in this
strange business, l am not yet able to
say. In few minutes l shall probably
hea: 1t from your own lips. Meanwhile
! Will reconstruct what Is past for your
bencf1t, SO that you may know the infor-
nation which I still require
CONTINUED Next Week.