The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-08-31
Xl.-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
MISSING THREE-QUARTER.-
(~oo%ioued

"A woman, young ana beautiful. was ~
Ing dead upon the bed. Her calm. pale
face, with dim. wide-opened blue eyes
looked upwards from amid a great tangie
of golden hair. At the foot of the bed. hall
sitting. half kneehng. his face buried in
the clothes. was a young man, whose
frame was racked by his sObs. So alb
sorbe /. was he by his bit~or grief, that he
never looked up until Holmes hand was
on his shoulder.
Are you Mr.. Godfrey staunton?"
Yes. yes, l am-but you arv too late.
She is dead
The man was so dazed that he could not
be made to understand that we were any
thing but doctors who had been sen to
his assistance. Holmes was ~endeavoring
to utter a few words of consolation. and
to explain the alarm which had been
caused to his friends by his sudden disap-
p~earancc, when there was a step upon the
stairs. and there was the heavy. stern,
questioning face of DR.. Armstrong at the
door.
so, gentlemen,' said he, "you nave at
tanned your end, and " certainly chosen
a particularly delicate moment for your
intrusion. | would not brawl in the pres
ence of death. but 1 can ssure you that
If l We're a younger man your monstrous
conduct would not pass with impunity.'
Excuse me, DIR. Armstrong, I think we
are a little at cross-purposes," said my
friend, with dignity. IF you could step
downstairs witt us, we may each be able
to give some light to the other upon this
miserable affair."
A minut later, the grim doctor and
ourselves were In the sitting room below.
We'll, s.r?" said he.
II wish You to understand in the first
place. that l am not employed by Lord
Mount-James, and that my sympathies
In this matter are entirely against that
noheman. When a man is lost it is my
duty TO ascertain his fate. but having done
SO the matter ends SO far as l am COR
cerned, and so long as there Is nothing
criminal, l am much more anxious to
hush up private scandals than to give
them publicity. If. as 1 imagine. there is
no breach of the law in this matter, you
can absolutely depend upon my discretion
and my cooperation in keeping the facts
out Of the papers,"
DIR. Armstrong took a quick step forward
and wrung Holmes by the hand.
You are a good fellow" said he. "I
had %misjudged you. / thank heaven that
my conjunction at leaving poor Stanton
all alone in this plight caused me to turn
my carriage back, and so to make YOU
acquaintance. Knowing as much as you
do, the situation is very easily explained.
A year ago Godfrey Staunton lodged Vim
London for a time. and became passion
ately attached to his l~anu4ady's daughter,
whom he married. She was as good as she
was beautiful, and as intelligent as she
was good. No man need be ashamed of
such a wife. But Godfrey was the heir
10 this grabbed old nobleman, and it was
quite certain that the news CT his marriage
would have been the end of his inheri-
lance. l knew the lad we'll, and loved
him for his many excellent qualities. |
did all 1 could to help him to. keep things
straight. We did our best to keep the
fhinr from aVnrU0nn for. Tho ,cyan c1,c1,
q whisper gets about. it IS not long before
everyone has heard it. Thanks TO this
lonely cottage and his own discretion.
Godfrey has UP to now succeeded. Their
secret was known to no one save to me
and to one excellent servant, who has at
present gone for assistance to Trumping-
ton. But at last there caIne u terrible
blow In the shape of dangerous fitness to
his wife. 1t was consumption of the most
virulent kind. The poor boy was half
crazed with grief. and yet he had to go
to London to play this match, for he
could not get out of it without %eNplana-
tons which would expose his secret. L
tried to cheer him up by wire. and he
sent me one In reply. imploring me to do
all 1 could. This was the telegram which
you appear in some incXplicable way to
nave seen. l did not tell him how urgent
the Tango was, for / knew that he could
do no good here, but | sent the truth to
the girls father, and he very injudiciously
communicat ted it to Godfrey. The result
vas that he came straight away in a state
bordering on frenzy. and has remained
in the same state, kneeling at the end of
her bed, until this morning death put an
end to her sutferings. That is all, Mr..
Holmes, and l am sure tina 1 can rely
upon your discretion and that of your
friend.'
Holmes grasped the Doctors hand.
Come, Watson" said he, and we passed
from that house of grief into the pa.e
sunlight of the winter day.