The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-09-20

%N4,-sSNl WAS u caused bS
k Il waning inter-
est on the part OF
my readers in the
singular person
atty and unique
&&\ methods of this
NS% remarkable man.
The real reason
IN lay in the reluct-
ance which Mr..
: Holmes has shown
10 the cc-tinue6
publication o. his experiences, So long
as ne was IN actual professional prac-
lice TIE records Of his successes were
OF practical Value 10 him. but
since he has definitely retired from
London and heIaken himself 10 study
and bee farming on the Sussex Downs,
~noto-ieTy has become hateful to him.
and he has psraInptoriiy requested that
his wishes in this matter should be
strictly observed. Il was only upon
my representing 10 him that I had given
6 promise that The Adventure of the
Second Stain" should be published
when the times were ripe, and pointed
out 10 him that it is only appropriate
that this long series OF episodes should
culInina1e in the mos important inter-
national case which he ever had
been called upon TO handle, that
- -N-~ SASSN1AIN -. ScSG~-E1
ing his consent that q carefully
guarded account OF the incident should
al last be laid before the public. If in
telling the story ! seem TO be some
what vague in certain details. the pub
lie viii readily understand that there is
an excellent reason for my reticence.
It was then, in a year, and V in a
decade. that shall be ~naIneless. that
upon n Tuesday morning in autumn
c--a 49, 80 ia
fame within the walls of our humble
room in Baker street. The one. austere,
high nosed, eagle eyed, and dominant,
was none other than the illustrious
Lord Fellinger. twice premier of Brit
ain The other, dark, clear cut, and
elegant. hardly vet of middle age, ard
endowed with every beauty of body and
OF mind, was the Right Honorable
Trelawney Hope, secretary for Eu-
affairs. and the most rising
statesman in the country. They sat
side by side upon our paper Uttered
settee, and it "a easy TO see from
their worn and anxious faces that it
business of the most pressing i'm
portance which had brought them.
The prernier's thin. blue veined hands
were clasped tightly over the ivory
ascetic a C 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 I discovered my loss, Mr..
Holmes, which was at 8 o'clock this
morning, I at once Informed the prime
It was at his suggestion that
we have both come to YOU"
Have 0 informed the p~olice?"
No, sir" said the prime minister,
with the quick. decisive manner for
he was famous I'VE have not
done SO. nor it 1t possible hat 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
say probahly-lead to European
complications of the utmost moment.
1t is not too much to say that peace
or war may hang upon the issue. I'm
its recovery car be attended with
the utmost secrecy, then it may as we'll
not be recovered at all, for all that is
aimed at by those who have taken it
that its contents should be generally
Il understand. Now, MI. Trelawney
Hope, | should be much obliged if you
would tell me exactly the circumstances
under which this document disappear
ed"
That can be lone in a very few
words, Mr.. Holmes. The letter-for it
was a letter from a foreign potentate-
was received six days ago. It was of
such Importance that I had never left
in my safe, but had taken it across
each evening to my house in Whitehall
Terrace. and kept it in my bedroom
a locked despatch box. It was there
last night. OF that I am certain. I ac-
opened the box while r was
dressing for dinner, ard saw the docu-
Hent inside. This morning it was
The despatch box had stood be-
side the glass upon my dressing table
all night. ! am q light sleeper, and SO
is my wife. We are both prepared to
swear that no n could have entered
that room during the night. And yet ri
repeat hat the paper is gose."
What time did you dine?"
"Half-past seven.''
How long was it before you went TO
bede"
MY wife had gone to the theater.
l waited up for her. 1t was half-pastI
eleven before we went to u ROOM"
Then for four hours the despatch
box had lain u%nguarded? 2"
y, NO one Is ever permitted to enter
that room save the housemaid IN the
morning, and my valet, or my wife's
during the rest Of the day. Thew
are both trusty servants who have BEEN
with US for some time. Besides, neither
Of them could possibly have known that
there was anything more valuable than
the ordinary departmental papers inl
my despatch-box."
Who did know Of the existence Of
that letter."
No one in the house."
Surely your wife knew? :"
No, sir, I had said nothing to nv
morning."
The premier nodded approvingly.
have long known, sir, how high Is
your sense OF public duty" said he.5
Il am convinced that In the case OF al
OF this Importance 1t would rise
superior to the most intimate domes-
tic ties"