Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-01
THE ADVENTURE OF 5LACn
PETER.-Continued.

vaders at bay-the impenetrable
"weald," for sixty years the bulwark OF
Britain. Vast sections OF 1t had beer
cleared. for this is the seat OF the first
iron works of the country, and the
trees nave been felled TO smelt the ore
Now the richer fields of the north nave
absorbed the trade, and nothing save
these ravaged groves and great sears
In the earth show the work of the past
Here, in a clearing upon the green
slope Of a hill. stood a long. low, stone
house, approached by a curving drive
running through the fields. Nearer the
road. and surrounded on three sides by
bushes, was. a small clubhouse, one win
dow and the door facing I'm our di-
Irection. 1t was the scene of the muir
der.
Stanley Hopkins led us first to the
house, where he introduced us TO a
haggard, grey haired woman, the widow
of the murdered man, whose gaunt and
deep lined face. with the furtive look
of terror In the depths of her red
trimmed eyes, told Of the years OF hard
ship and i'll usage which she had en-
tdured. With her was her daugter q
pale, fair haired girl, whose eyes blazed
tdeflantly at us as she told us that she
was glad that her father was dead, and
that she blessed the hand which had
struck him down. II was a terrible
household that Black Peter Carey had
made for himself, and it was with a
sense OF relief that we found ourselves
I'm the sunlight again, and making our
way along a path which had been worn
across the fields by the feet of the
dead man.
The clubhouse was the simplest of
dwellings, wooden walled, shingle
rooted. one window beside the door and
one on the farther side. Stanley Hop
kins drew the key from his pocket and
had stopped TO the lock. when he
paused with a look of attention and
surprise on his face.
Someone has been tampering with
Is" he said.
There could be no doubt of the fact.
The woodwork was cut, and t~hescratch-
es SHOWED white through the paint, as
az they a been that instant DONE.
Holmes had been examining the win
dow.
Someone has tried to force this
also. Whoever 1t was has failed to
make his way in. He must have been
a very poor burglar"
This is a most extraordinary thing
said the inspector. Il could swear
that these marks were not here yester-
day evening"
Some curious person from the viii
lage, perhaps" / suggested.
Very unlikely. Few of them would
dare to set foot in the grounds. far
less to try to force their way into the
cabin. What do you think of 1t, Mr..
Holiness"
7 think that fortune is very kind to
You mean that the person will come
again."
1T is very probable. He
came expecting to find the door
open. He tried to get in with the blade of
a very small penknife. He could not man
are II What would ha dp1b
Come again next night with a more
suseful tool"
80 I should say. 1t will be our fault
III We are not there to receive him. Mean
while. let me see the inside of tho cabin"
The traces OF the tragedy had been re-
moved. but the furniture within the little
room still stood at is had been on the
sntght or the crime. For two hours with
most intense concentration. Holmes ex-
mine every object in turn, but his face
. showed that his quest was not a success
tful one. Once only he paused in his pa
,tient investigation.
Have you taken anything of this shelf.
Hopkins"
mo. I nave moved nothing.
Something has been taken. There is
Tess lust In this corner of the shelf than
elsewhere. 1t may have been a book lying
IN It's side. 1t may have been a box. Well,
well. l can do nothing more. Let us walk
In these beautiful woods, Watson. and
tgivc a few hours 10 the birds and the
flowers. We shall meet you here later,
Hopkins. and see IL we can come TO closer
quarters with the gentleman who has paid
this visit in the night"
1t was past II o'clock when we formed
our little ambuscade. Hopkins was for
leaving the door OF the hut open. but
Holmes was OF the opinion that this would
rouse the suspicious of the stranger. The
lock was a perfectly simple one, only a
strong blade was NEEDED TO push IL back.
EIo:rnes also suggested that we should
wait. not inside the hut. but outside II
among the bushes which grew round the
farther window. In this way we should be
aoit to watch our man IL he struck a light.
and see What his object was in this
steaithy nocturnal visit.
1T was n long and melancholy vigil, and
yet brought with IL something OF the thrill
wflicla the hunter feels when he lies be-
side the waterproof and waits for tie COM
ing of the thirsty beast OF prey. What
savage creature was II which might steal
upon us out Of the darkness? Was 1t a
fierce tiger OF crime, which could only be
taken lighting hard with flashing fang and
claw. or would II prove to be some skulk-
rng taclsaI. dangerous only to the weak
and unguarded?
In absolute silence W. crouchcd amongst
The bushes. waiting for whatever might
come. Al first the steps OF a few belated
Villagers. or the sound of voices from the
village. t.ghtened our vigil, but one by one
these Interruptions died away, and an alb
SOLUBLE stiffness fell upon us. save for the
~~chimes or tha distant church, which told
us OF the progress OF the night, and for
the rustic OF a fine rain falling amid tho
foliage which rooted us In.
Half-past two had chimed, and II was
the darkest hour which precedcs the
dawn, when we all started as a low shary
click came from the direction OF the gate
Some one had entered the drive. Again
there was a long silence. and | had begur
60 fear thai II was a false alarm. whef
a steaithy step was heard upon the okhe1
side OF the hut. and a moment later me
ta1lic scrapsng aad ciinking. The man wa
frying 20 force the lock. This time hi
skill was greater or his tool was better
for there was a sudden snap and the creal
or the hinges. Then a match was struck
and next instant the steady light from
candle filed the interior OF the hut
4 ffrVuEU TTir Sau1r curtain our eyes wrr
NJ ripetcd upon the scene withta.
The nocturnal visitor was a young mar
fraii and thin. with 4 black mustachs
which intensified the deadly pallor Of hi
Face He could not have bccn much Aboy
Svt~nfy years Of age. l have never sec
q human being who appeared to b
Z. 4,,ch q pitiable fright for his teet
~rarn yfx!bly chattering. and ne wa
~ ~ rx.orv limb He wax drcs1c