The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-05-11
v.-IHE ADVENTURE OF THE
PRtQRY SCHOQl-Continued.

v.-THE ADVENTURE OF THU
PRtoRY SCHOoL.-continued.
"A bicycle, certainly, but not the hi
cycle" said he. 81 am familiar wit
forty-two different Impressions left b.
tires. This, as o perceive, is a Dun
Top. with q patch upon the outer cover
Heidegger's tires We're Palmer's, leav.
Ing longitudinal stripes. Aveling, tn,
mathematical master, was sure upo1
h point. Therefore. it is not Heideg.
gers track"
THE boys. then?"
Possibly, If we could prove a bi
cycle to have been in his possession
Blu this we AVE utterly failed to do
This track, as you perceive, was made
by a rider who was going from the di-
rection of the school,
Or towards it?"
mo, no. my dear Watson. The more
deeply sunk impression is. of course
the hind Wheel. upon which the weight
rests. You perceive several places
h 1t has passed across and oblit-
grated the more shallow mark of the
front one. 1t was undoubtedly head
ing away from the school. 1t may or
may not be connected with our inquiry,
but we will follow it backwards before
we go any farther"
M w NAA VS. IA " III Sl0 VI IL lew
hundred yards lost the tracks as we
emerged from the Doggy portion Of the
moor. Following the path backwards.
Ue picked u another spot, where a
;sprtng srickled across 1t. Here, once
again. was the mark of the bicycle,
though nearly obliterated by the hoofs
0f. cows. After that there was no sign.
hut h path ran right on into Ragged
shaw. h wood which backed on to the
school. From this wood the cycle must
aave emerged. Holmes sat down on q
boulder. and rested his chin in his
lands. l had smoked two cigarettes
'oef0re he moved.
Well, WELL" said he, at last. ut is.
q course. possible that a cunning man
m order to leave unfamiliar tracks. A
srtmina who was capable OF such
thought is 9. man whom / should be
stroud to do business with. We will
seave this question undecided and bark
back to our morass again, for we have
ct a good deal Su~nexplored."
We continued U systematic survey
al the edge OF the sodden portion Of the
,aoor, ana sSon e9r perseMerapee was
rye partsofAth bog lay a miry path.
Holmes gave a cry OF delight as he APP
preached It. An impression like a fine
6ussdie OF telegraph wires ran. downSthe
center OF y. It was the Palmer tire.
Ter Is Herr Heidegger, sure
s,soaish!' cried Holmes. e%xultantly.
ny reasoning seems to have been
pretty sound. Watson"
= congratulate you."
buG we have q long way still to go.
kindly walk clear OF the path. Now
as follow the trail. I fear that it
VIII not lead very far"
We found. however, as we advanced
mat this portion of the moor is inter-
sected with soft patches, and, though
ne frequently lost sight Of the track.
always succeeded In picking it up
once more.
p o observe" said Holmes. chat
me Rider ts now undoubtedly forcing
me pace? There can be no doubt of it.
at this impression, where you get
both tires clear. The one is as deep
- the other. That can only mean that
rider is throwing his weight ON
the handlebar, Is a man does when
he is sprinting. BY love! he a had
. fall"
Thereswas a broad. irregular smudge
covering some yards of the track. Then
there were a few footmarks. and the
tire ~reappeared once more.
"A sfde-slip." 1 suggested.
Holmes held up a crumpled branch of
lowering gorse. To my horror, l per-
peived that the yellow blossoms were
I'll dabbled with crimson. On the path.
too. and among the heather were dark
stains of clptted blood.
said Holmes. bad! Stand
slear Watson! Not an unnecessary
eo0t4tep! What do / read here? He
mounted--he preceded. But there is no
otlaer track. Cattle on this side path.
was surely not gored by q bull? I'M
possible! But ] see no traces OF any
me else. We must push on. Watson.
surely. with stains as we'll as the track
q guide us. he cannot escape us now"
Our search was not a very long one.
IantaAstcaliy upon the wet md shining
path. Suddenly. us I looked ahead. the
gseam Of metal caught my eye
u amid the thick Eorse bushes.
Ont Of them we dragged a bicycle,
Palmer tired. one pedal bent, and the
Wholes front Of It horribly smeared and
With blood. On the other side Of the
bushes 9 shoe was projecting. We ran
around. and there lay the unfortunate
rider, was5a tall nIar:sfulkbearded
With s~pectacles. one glass OF which had
knocked out. The cause OF his
death was a frightful blow upon the
head, which had crushed in part. of his
skull. That he could have gone on at
ter receiving such an inquiry said much
- AC SASdlAly dLO courage OF CnG man.
ore shoes. but no socks, and his
coat disclosed a night shirt be-
meath It. It was undoubtedly the Ger
master.
Holmes turned the body over rever-
.ntiy. and examined 1t with great at
tentlon. He then sat in deep thought
for q time, and I could see by his ruff
He'd brow that this grim discovery had
not lin his opinion. advanced us much
In U inquiry.
1t is a little difficult to know What to
So Watson" said he. at last. MY own
lncitnattons are to push this inquiry on,
TOR we havesalready losttso much time
that we.cattnotsa afford to. waste another
hour. On the other hand, we are bound
TO Inform the police of the discovery,
and to e that this poor fellows body
70 looked after"
II could take q note back"
But ! need your company and assis-
tance. Wait Q bit! There is a fellow
peat up yonder. Bring him
here. and he will guide the po-
lY tno,,~ht s<hn 4-~n.n-A 49,,