The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-04-12
W-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
SOLITARY CYClIST.-Continu

week. and OH. Il seemed three months
TO me. He was a dreadful persona
bully to everybody. but To me
something Infinitely worse. He
ed OF his wealth. said that u I
married him I could have the finest
diamonds In London. aud finally when
would have nothing Co do with HIN.
ne seized me in his arms one day after
dlnner--he was hidcously strong-and
sworc that he would not let me 20 until
I had kissed him. Mr.. Carruthers came
In ana tore him from me. on which he
turned upon his own host, Knocking
him down and cutting his face open.
That was the end OF his visit. M you
can imagine. Mr.. Carruthcrs apollo
glzcd To- me next day, and assured me
that | should never he exposed To such
insult again. | have not seen Mr.. Wood
ley since.
And now. Mr. Holmes. come NJ
Inst To the special thing which has
caused me to ask your advice today.
You must know that every Saturday
forenoon 1 ride on my bicycle to- Farm
ham station. In order To get the Il: % To
town. The road from Chiltcrn Grange
Is a lonely one. and at one spot IL II
particularly 50. for IL lies for ever
mile between Charlington Heath upon
one side and the woods which lie
around ShnrlinStou hall upon the other.
You could not lind "a more lonely tract
OF road anywhere, and IL II quite rare
To meet so much rs n cart, or "A peas
ant. until you reach the high road near
Crooksbury hill. Two weeks ago I
was passing this place when CHANGED
To look back over my shoulder. and
about two hundred yards behind me
saw man, also on bicycle. He
seemed to b. "A middle aged man. with
N N.ag. FgI As.s. A. h.
fore I reached Farnhnm. but the man
was gone. so thought no more about
II. But you can imagine how sur
priscd I was. Mr.. Holmes. when. on my
return on the Monday. l saw the same
man on the same stretch OF road. My
establishment was Increased when the
incident occurred again. exactly as be-
fore. on the following Saturday and
Monday. He always kept his distance
and did not modest me In any way. but
still II certainly was very odd. I men
TONED u To Mr. Carruthers, who seemed
interested In what I said. and told me
that he had ordered n horse and trap.
80 that In the future I should not pass
over these lonely roads without some
companion.
The horse and trap were ~ have
come this week. but for some reason
they were not delivered. and again
this morning. You can think that
looked out when came to Chariington
Heath. and there. sure enough. was the
man. exactly aa he had been the two
weeks before. He always Kept so far
from me that I could not clearly see
his face. but IL was certainly someone
whom did not know. lie was dressed
I'm dark suit with cloth cap. The
only thing about his face that ! could
CLEARLY asa yyaa his dn tlf heard TnHnr
I was not alarmed. but was filed with
curiosity. and determined To find out
who nc was and what he wanted.
slowed down my machine. but he
slowed down hts. Then I stopped al
together. but he stopped also. Then
laid n trap for him. There IL n sharp
turning OF the road. and pedalled very
quickly around this. and then / stopped
and waited. expected him TO shoot
around and pass me before he could
stop. But he never appeared. Then I
went back and looked around the cor
ner ! could see a mile 81 road. hut
he was not on IL. To make IL the more
extraordinary, there was no side road
nj this point down which he could have
gone
Holmes chuckled and rubbed his
hands. This case certainly presents
4 some features OF it's own" said he.
How much time elapsed between your
| turning the corner aud your discovery
! that the road was clear"
Two or three minutes"
Then he could not have reiterated
Gown the road. and you say that there
are no side roads,"
None"
| Then he certainly took "A tootpath
| on one side or the other"
1T could not have been on the side
90 the heath. or I should have seen
him"
so. by the process Of exclusion. We
arrive at the fact that he made his way
| toward Chariington hall. which. as
| understand. II situated ia It's own
grounds on one side OF the road. Any
thing else
Nothing. Mr.. Holmes, save that
was 80 pcrplexed that I felt should
not be happy until had seen you anc
had your advice"
Holmes sat In silence for some little
time.
where Is the gentleman Ia whom
you are engaged hc asked az last
He ~ In the Midland Electrical com
paGy. at Coventry"
He would not pay you a surpris
visit
"Oh. Mr.. Holmes. ~ ~ should no
know HIM"
Have you had any other admirers?
Several before knew cyril"
And since?"
There was this dreadful man. Wood
ley. II you can call him an admirer."
NO one else 80
our fair client seemed a little con
fused.
who was he7" asked Holmes
oh, IL may be- "A mere fancy ~ mine
but IL had seemed To mc sornctiIn.
that my employer. Mr.. Carruther,
takes n great deaf OF interest In me "
are rather thrown together. play hi
accomplishments In the evening n
has never said anything. He Is per
, feet gentleman. But girl Away
knows"
"Ha." Holmes looked grave. "whs
does he do for "A living
He ~ "A rich man"
No carriages or horses"
Well at least he IL fairly wcll-to-d
But he goes into the city two or thr,
times "A week. He IL deeply Interests
ia South African gold shares"
You viii let me know any fresh d.
/ velopment, Miss Smith. am very bu,
. Just now. but ! viii md time To mai
some Inquiries into your case. In u
meantime. take no step without lettir
] rue know. Goodbye. aud I trust tn
b We shall have nothing but good nev
, from you"
III is a part OF the settled ord
OF nature that such n girl should hn'
; followers" said Holmes. as he pulled
A his meditative pipe. but for choice n
|, on bicycles In lonely country road
Some secretivc lover. beyond all doul
hut there are curious and suggesii
L nh b.