Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-09-21

ktl&f & u ssSt}fHA The real reason
RsssTf MN &$S,Ys lay in the reluct-
ITsTffSSsE - sA.3Ey% ance which Mr..
E.ST9,g;X,S ~ NJ Holmes has shown
G.--gS.LL to the Continued
publication of his experiences. So long
as he was in actual professional prac-
tiCe the records OF his successes were
Of some practical III to him, but
since he has definitely retired from
London and betaken himself 10 study
and bee farming on the Sussex Downs,
notoriety has become hateful to him,
and he has peremptorily requested that
his wishes in this matter should be
strictly observed. 1t was only upo
my representing to him that had given
a promise thai THE Adventure of the
Second Stain" should be published
when the times were ripe, and pointed
out to him that II is only appropriate
that this long series of episodes should
eliminate in the most important inter-
national case which he ever had
been called upon to handle, that
I at last succeeded in obtain
ing his consent that a carefully
guarded account of the incident should
at last be laid before the public. If in
telling the story I seem to be some
what vague in certain details, the pub
lie will readily understand that there is
an excellent reason for my reticence.
1t was. then, In a year, and even in a
decade, that shall be nameiess, 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 other thar the illustrious
Lord R%ellinger, twice premier of Brit
ain. The other. dark, clear cut, n
elegant, hardly yet of middle age, aE1
endowed with avery beauty of body and
OF mind, was the Right Honorable
Trelawney Hope, secretary for Eu-
ropean 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 II
was business Of the most pressing i'm
p~ortance which had brought them.
The premier's thin. blue veined hands
were 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 moustache
and fidgeted with the seals of his watch
chain.
when T discovered my loss, Mr..
Holmes, which was at s o'clock this
morning, / at once informed the prime
minister. 1t was at his suggestion that
we have both come to YOU"
Have you informed the police?"
mo, sir" said the prime minister,
with the quick, decisive manner for
which he was famous. I'VE have not
lone so, nor it it possible that we should
do so. To inform the police must. in
the long run, mean to inform the pub
lie. This is what we particularly de-
sire to avoid"
"And why. sir?"
Because the document in question
is of such immense Importance that it's
publication might very easily-I might
almost say probahly-lead to European
complications of the utmost moment.
1t is not too much to say that peace
or "a may hang upo the issue. I'm
less it's can be attended with
the utmost secrecy. then 1t may as well
not be recovered at all. for all that is
aimed at by those who have taken 1t
is that it's contents should be generally
known"
II understand. Now, Mr.. Trelawney
Hope. | should be much obliged If you
would tell me exactly the circumstances
under which this document disappear
ed"
THAT can be done in a very few
words, Mr.. Holmes. The letter-for it
was a letter from n foreign potentate-
was IcCSlNtu Elm hdSS oSO' ~ was VI
such Importance that l had never left
1t in my safe, but had taken it across
each evening to my house in Whitehall
Terrace, and kept ii in my bedroom
in n locked despatch box. 1t was there
last night. OF that I am certain. / ac-
tually opened the box while l was
dressing for dinner, and saw the docu-
ment inside. This morning 1t was
gone. The despatch box had stood be-
ciJn tho GLASS nnnn NV drocGinU IA HE
all night. l am n light sleeper, and so
is my wife. We are both prepared to
swear that nc n could have entered
that room during the night. And yet /
repeat that the paper is COVE"
What time did you diner"
"Half-past seven
How long was it before you went to
bed?"
my wife had gone to the theater.
/ waited up for her. IT was hal:-past
eleven before we went to our room"
Then for four hours the despatch
box had lain u~nguarded?"
mo one Is ever permitted to enter
that room saw the housemaid in the
morning. and my valet. or my wife's
maid. during the rest OF the day. They
are both trusty servants who have been
with us for some time. Besides. neither
of them could possibly have known hat
there was anything more valuable than
the ordinary departmental papers in
my despatch box.
"who did know of the existence OF
that letter."
mo one in the house
Surely your wife knew"
mo, sir, / had said nothing TO my
wife until / missed the paper this
morning"
The premier nodded approvingly.
Il have long known. sir. how high Is
your sense of public duty" said he.
Il am convinced that in the case OF a