Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-09-27


tihei n word 20 Any Vile upon
'Ats matter
ould She have RurssedH '
$50. Mr.. Holmes, She could not have
ea-nor cou!l anyone haNe sGess-
Have YOU lost amy documents be-
No, sir"
"N mo Is there in England who dl}
iat9w Of the existence of tNis letter2'
Each member of tAe cabinet
informed Of i Yesterday.
III me pieise of secrecy which attends
se'N cabinet meeting WAS Increased
Ay ne solemn warning which was Civ
f4 ny the prime minister. Good heav-
a to ihinll that Within n few Hours
[ should iayself have lost it," Ills
in !some face was distorted with "A
SIN nf despair. AMI Ais hands tore at
lis hair. For Il mou.-at So c4uebt a
81 snpse Of the natural man. iiuiul-
siNe. ardent, kecnly sensitive The next
the aristocratic nasN was replaced. aui
the gentle voice ha1 returned. BE
Sizes the members Of ihe cabinet there
a4r two. or possibly three, departmental
officials who know of The letter. 40
one else in England. Mr.. Holmes, | as
sure you
But abroad2"
II believe that 10 one abroad has
seen it save the man who wrote it. |
am We'll convinced that his minister's
that the usual official channels have
not been employed"
Holmes considered for some little
time.
Now. sir. ! must ask YOU more par
tlGulafiy what This document IS. and
why .its disappearance should have
Silin IIlNllplIOIS consequences
we TWO statesmen exchanged a
quick glance. ana the ~rreni"r's shaggy
eyebrows gathered IN a lloWll.
Mr.. Holmes the envelope is a long.
'hin one OF pale blue color. There is a
Sou oi req wax stampe WIN a rouch
ing non. 1T is addressed in large. bold
handWiltihs To
l rear SIT, SAID holmes, that In
terestlnE and indeed essential as these
details are. my inquiries must go more
To the root of things. What was the
Letter"
II Is Il state secret of the utmost
Importance. and | fear that | cannot
tel you. nor do see that it is neces-
safH., III by the aud of the powers
Which you are said to possess you can
ina such an envelope as | describe
with It's Enclosure YOU will have de-
served Wen OF your country, and earned
a reward which 1t lies in our power to
bestow;"
sherlock Holmes rose with a smile.
You are two of the most busy men
in the country" said he, and in my
own sHlail way l nave also n good
many calls upon me. regret exceed
'hsly mat l cannot help YOU in this
matter, II amy continuation of this
interview would be a waste of time"
The premier sprang to his feet with
that quick, fierce gleam of his deep set
eyes before which a cabinet has cow
cred. II am not accustomed, sir" he
began. but mastered his anger and re-
sumed his seat. For Il minute or more
we all sat in silence. Then the old
statesman shrugged his shoulders.
I'VE must accept you terms. Mr..
Holmes. No doubt you are right. and
it is unreasonable for us to expect YOU
to act unless we give YOU our entire
confidence"
Il agree with YOU" said the Younger
statesman.
Then 1 will tell you. relying entirely
upon your honor and that of your col
league. DIR. Watson. | may appeal to
your patriotism also. for I could not
imagine a greater misfortune for the
country than that this affair should
come out"
Your honor and that of your coilea que,
Or. Watson. l may appeal to your nat
riotism also, for 1 could not imagine
II greater UlSIOFlunn Tor the cn1nt1V
than that this affair should com
out"
You may safely trust us"
The letter. then, is from a certain
foreign potentate who has been rutfled
by some recent colonial Developments
of this n 1t has been written
hurriedly and upon his own responsi-
bilityentirely. Inquiries have shown that
his ministers know nothing of the mat
ter. At the same time it is couched in
so unfortunate a manner, and certain
phrases in it are of so provocative a
character. that its publication would
undoubtedly lead to n most dangerous
state of feeling in this N There
would be such a ferment. sir, that | do
not hesitate to say tina within a week
of the publication Of that letter his
country would be involved in a great
war"
Holmes wrote name upon a slip of
paper and handed it to the premier.
Exactly. 1t was he. And it is this
letter-this letter which may we'll mean
the expenditure of 4 thousand millions
and the lives of Il hundred thousand
men-which has become lost in this
unaccountable fashion,"
Have you informed the sendero"
Yes, sir. a cipher telegram has been
dispatched"
Perhaps he desires the publication
of the letter."
No. sir. we hav strong reason to
believe that he already understands
that has has acted in an indiScreet and