The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-04-13
meantime i may make one or two In
auiries rnyself."


meantime I may make one or two In
auiries myself"
Next morning we had a note from
Miss Smith. %recounting shortly and ac-
%cura.ely the very incidents which I had
seen, but the pith of the letter lay in
the postscript:
II am sure that you will respect my
confidence, Mr.. Holmes, when / tell you
chat my place here has become difficult.
owing to the fact that my employer
has proposed marriage to me. I arm
convinced that his feelings are most
deep and most honorable. AT the am
time, my promise is of curse given.
He took my refusal very seriously, but
also very gently. You can understand,
however, that the situation is a little
strained"
Our young friend seems to be get
ting into deep waters said Holmes.
thoughtfully, as he finished the letter.
The case certainly presents more
features of interest and more possibil-
lty of development than l Z original
~ thought. l should be none the worse
for a quiet. peaceful day in the
try. and l am inclined to run Gown this
afternoon test one or two theories
which l have formed"
Holmes quiet day in the country had
q singular termination. for he arrived
at Baker street late in the evening,
with 4 cut lip and a discolored lump
upon his forehead. besides a general
air OF dissipation which would have
made his w person the fitting object
OF a Scotland Yard investigation. He
was Immensely tickled by his own adj
ventures, and laughed heartily as he re-
counted them.
Il get so little active exercise that
1T is always a treat" said he. You are
aware h a I have some proficiency in
the good old British sport of boxing.
Occasionally. it is of service; today. for
example. l should " come to very
i~gnoninious grief without it,"
I begged him to tell me what had oc-
CURED.
Il found that country pub which I
mad already recommended to your no.
tice, and there 1 made my discreet in
qu1ries. I was in the bar, and a garru-
lous landlord was giving me all that
! Williamson is a white
bearded man. and he lives alone with
q small staff Of servants at the hall.
Ihere Is some rumor that he is or has
been a clergyman, but one or two Incl
dents OF his short residence at the hall
struck me as peculiarly unecclesiasti-
cal. 1 have already made some in
quries at a clerical agency, and they
telt me that there was a mar of that
name in orders, whose career has been
a singularly lark one. The landlord
further informed me that there are
usually week end visitors-'a warm lot.
sir-at the hall, and especially one
gentleman with a red mustache. Mr..
Moodley by name, who was always
there. We had got as far as this, when
who should walk in but the gentleman
himself. Who had been drinking his
beer in the tap room and had heard
the whn1n N>,ynVSofi@D NXy1N~ ,x.o- TO
What did I want? What did 1 mean
by asking questions? He had a fine
flow of language. and his adjectives
We're very vigorous. He ended n string
of abuse by a vicious back-hander,
which l failed to entirely avoid. The
next few minutes We're delicious. 1t
was a straight left against a slogging
ruflan. l c emerged as you see me. Mr..
Woodley went home in a cart. So end
ed my country trip, and it must be
confessed that, however enjoyable, my
day on h Surrey border has not been
much more profitable than your own"
The Thursday brought us another
letter from our client.
"fou will not be surprised Mr..
Holmes" said she, Ito lear shat I am
leaving Mr.. Carruthers' employment.
Even the high pay canno reconcile me
to the discomforts of my situation. On
Saturday I come up to town, and do
" A2AIeAAa ~ WI. lllIlcIS
has got a trap, and so the dangers of
the lonely road. il there ever were any
dangers. are now over.
AS to the special cause of my leav-
ing, it is not merely the strained stu
alton with Mr.. C~arruthers, but it is
the temperance of that odious man,
Mr.. WOodley. He was always hideous,
but he looks more awful than ever
now, for he appears to- have had an
accident, and he is much disfigured. I
saw him out of the window, but l am
glad to say l did not meet him. He
had a long talk with Mr.. Carrutners,
who seemed much excited afterwards,
Woodley must be staying in the neigh
borhood, for he did not sleep here, and
yet l caught a glimpse of him again
this morning. Sinking ahout in the
shrubbery. / would sooner have a
savage Wild animal loose about the
place. L loatle and fear him more than
I a say. How can Mr.. Carruthers
endure such a creature for a moment?
However, all my troubles will be over
on Saturday." a
so I trust. Watson. so I trust" said
Holmes gravely There is some deep
intrigue going on around that little
woman. and it is our duty to see that
no n molests her upon that last
Journey. l think. Watson, that we
must spare time to run down together
OH Saturday morning. and make sure
that this curious and inclusive investi.
cation has no untoward ending"
Continued Next Week)
SAYS EVE ATE NO APPLE.