The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-05-10

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OF his chair with n loud exclamation.
Try heaven, Watson. I believe that
I've got IT, he cried. Yes. yes. Il must
lie 49,. Watson. do you remember see
ing any COW tracks today"
yes several
| Where"
We'll. everywhere. They were Mt tn.
moraSS, and again on tho path. and
again where poor HcidegEer met his
DEATH
Exactly. Well. now. Watson. how
many cows did you see OF the moor? ?"
II don't remember seeing any"
Strange. Watson. that we should see
tracks ali along our lire. but never n
COW on the whole moor. Very strange.
| Watson. ehy
Yes. Il II strange
Now. Watson. make nm effort 10
throw your mird back. Can you sec
those tracks upon the path
Yes. I can"
Can you recall that the tracks were
sometimes like that. watsrn'-he ar
ranged n number of bread crumbs In
/ this fashion,: and sometimes
| like this: :: .-"and occasion
| ally like this. !: -: Can you re-
member that"
| mo, I cannot"
hut I can. I could swear to ~. How
ever. We viii 40 back ut our leisure
| and verify a.. What blind beetle
| have been. not To draw any conclus-
IONS"
And what Is your conclusion
| only that n ~ remarkable COW
| which walks. canters and gallops. by
George, Watson, ~ was no brain OF n
| country publican that thought out suchl
blind as that. The coast seems to
| be clear. save for that lad I'm the
smithy. Let US slip out and see what
we can see"
There were two rough haired. un-l
kempt horses In the tumbledown stable.
Holmes raised the hind leg OF one of
them and laughed aloud.
''Old shoes. bur newly shod-old shoes.
but new nails. This case deserves To be
classic. Let US go across Ia the
smIthy.:
The lad continued his work without
regarding US. I saw Holmes eye dart
Ing from right To left among the litter
Of iron and wood which was scattered
about the floor. Suddenly. however. We
heard a step behind us and there was
the landlord. his heavy eyebrows drawn
down over his savage eyes. his swarthy
features convulsed with passion. He
held a short mctal-headed Stick In his
hand. and he advanced I'm so mcnaCinK
q fashion that was right glad To- feel
the revolver In my pocket.
You Internal spies" the man cried.
What are YOU doing there
why. Nj. Reuben Hayes said
Holmes. CoOlly. one might think that
you were afraid of our finding some
thing Qua
The man mastered himself with a,
violent effort. and his grim mouth
loosencd into false laugh. which was
more menacing than his frown.
You're welcome tn all you can lind
out iu our smithy." said he. But look
here mister, don't care for folk poktnE
about my place and without my leave,
so the sooner you pay your score and
get out Of this the better ] shall be
pleased"
meant" said Holmes. We have been
having look ut your horses. hut
think I'll walk after all. It's not so
far. I believe"
Not more than two miles Ia the hall
gates. That's the road tn tho left" He
watched us with sullcn eyes until we
had left his premises.
We did not go very far along the
road. for Holmes stopped the instant
that the curve hid uS from the land
lords view.
We were warm. rs the children say.
at the Inn said ne. Il seem To grow
colder every step I take away from IL.
No. no, | can't possibly leave IT
Il am convinced" said I. that this
Reuben Hayes knows all about II. \
more self evident villain l never saw
oh, he impressed you In that way.
did he? There are the horses. there IN
the smithy. Yes. IL is an interesting
place. this Fighting Cock. l think We
shall have another look Mt II In an un-
obtruSivc way"
A long. sloping hillside. dotted with
grey limestone bouldcrs. stretched be-
hind us We had turned of the road,
Ill. la.. a.
when. looking In the direction OF Hold
crnesse hail. l saw cyclist coming
swiftly along.
Get down, watson" cried Holmes.
with a heavy hand upon my shoulder.
We had hardly sank from view when
the man flew past US on the road. Amid
a rolling cloud OF dust, l caught
glimpse of a pale. agitated facc-a face
with horror la every lineament. the
mouth open. the eyes staring wildly In
front. IL was like some strange carl
cpturc Of the dapper James Wilder.
whom We had seen the night before.
The dukes secretary" cried Holmes.
Come. Watson. let us see what he
does"
We scrambled from rock To rock. un-
al In n few moments We had made our
way To point from which We could
see the front door OF ihe Inn, Wilder's
bicycle was leaning against the wall be-
side u. No one was moving about the
house nor could we catch glimpse
OF any faces ut the windows. Slowly
the twilight crept down ms the sun sank
behind the high towers Of Holdernesse
hall. Then. IN the gloom. we saw the
two side lamps Of u trap light UP In
the stable yard Of the inn. and shortly
afterwards heard the rattle OF hoofr.
as u wheeled out into the road and
tore Off at furious pace In the direc-
ton OF Chesterfield.
what do you make ot that watson"
Holmes whispered.
1T looks like flight"
"A single man Ia a doE-cart 20 far NJ
I could see. Well, Il certainly was not
MIR James wilder. for there he Is at
the door"
\ red square OF light had sprung out
OF the darkness. In the middle Of II was
the black ngurc OF tho secretary. his head
advanced. pccrlng out into IN" night. II
was evident that he was expecting some
| one. Then NJ last thor" wst. steps IN the
| road. second fEur" was visible for AN
| instant against the light the door shut
| and all was black once more. Five min
| utrs later "A lamp Mas llt Ia "A room upon