Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-01-19

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RST HAD intended "The Adj
k&9HGZ1I Holmes. which l should
ever communicate to the
public This resolution of mine was
not due to any lack of material, since
have notes of many hundreds of cases
TO Which have never alluded, nor was
it caused by any waning interest on
the part of my readers in the singular
personality and unique methods of this
remarkable man. The real reason lay
i'll the reluctance which Mr.. Holmes
has shown to the continued publication
OF his experiences. So long as he was
In actual professional practice the rec,
ords of his successes We're of some
practical value to him, but since he has
definitely retired from London and be-
taken himself to study and bee farm
ing on tue Sussex downs notoriety has
become hateful to him, and he has per-
emptorily requested that his wishes in
| this matter should be strictly observed.
1t was only upon my representing to
him that l had given promise that
'The Adventure of the Second Stain"
should be published when the times
We're ripe and pointing out to him that
| 1t is only appropriate that this long
series of episodes should eliminate in
the most important international case
1n
handle that l at last succeeded in OBJ
tanning his consent that a carefully
guarded account of the incident should
at last he laid before the public.
1t was, then, in year, even In a dec
ade that shall be nameless, that upon one
Tuesday morning in autumn we found
two visitors Of European fame within
the walls Of our humble room in Baker
| street. The one, austere, high nosed,
eagle eyed and dominant, was none 9TH
er than the illustrious Lord Bellinger,
twice premier Of Britain. The other,
dark, clean cut and elegant, hardly yet
Of middle age and endowed with ey-
cry beauty Of body and of mind, was
the Right Hon. Trelawney Hope, Sec
rotary for European affairs and the
most rising statesman in the country.
They sat side by side upon our paper
Uttered settee, and it was easy to see
from their worn and anxious faces that
| 1t was business Of the most pressing
Importance which had brought them.
The premier's thin, blue veined hands
We're clasped tightly over the ivory
head of his umbrella, and his gaunt,
ascetic face looked gloomily from
| Holmes to me. The European secre-
tary pulled nervously at his mustache
and f1dgeted with the seals of his
watch chain.
when l discovered my loss Mr..
Holmes, which was at 8 o'clock this
morning, I at once informed the prime
minister. 1t was at his suggestion that
we have both come to you"
| Have you Informed the police?'
NO, SIR" said the prime minister,
with the quick, decisive manner for
which he was famous. 1--WE have not
done SO, nor Is it possible that we
should do SO. To inform the police
must, in the long run, mean to inform
the public. This is what we particular
~ desire to avoid"
"And why, STRIP
Because the document In question
Is OF such immense Importance that its
publication might very easily-I might
almost say probably-lead to European
complications Of the utmost mopent.
1t is not too much to say that peace or
war may hang upon the issue. Unless
It's recovery can be attended with the
utmost secrecy then it may as well not
| be recovered at all, for all that Is aim
ed at by those who have taken 1t is
that Its contents should be generally
known"
Il understand. Now, Mr. Trelawney
Hope, should be much obliged If you
would tell me exactly the circum-
stances under which this document
disappeared"
THAT can be done in a very few
words, Mr.. Holmes. The letter-for IL
was letter from foreign potentate-
was received six days ago. 1t was OF
such Importance that have never left
1t In my safe, but I have taken ii
across each evening to my house in
Whitehall terrace and kept it In my
bedroom in a locked dispatch box. Il
was there last night OF that I am
certain. actually opened the box
while I was dressing for dinner and
saw the document inside. This morn
Ing 1t was gone. The dispatch box had
stood beside the glass upon my dress
ing table all night. am light sleep
er, and SO is my wife. We are both
prepared to swear that no one could
have entered the room during the
night, and yet repeat that the paper
is gone"
"What time did you diner
"Half past Z"
"How long was 1t before you went
to bed2"
my wife had gone to the theater. /
waited up for her. It was half past II
before we went to our ROOM"
"Then for four hours the dispatch
box had lain unguardedr'
mo one is ever permitted to enter
that room save the housemaid in the
Il n