Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-05-17

| .n,tl WE SDtlll HOili' ia wv 800
Holmes was lost in thought. and once
or twice he walked over To the WIN
dow and stared earnestly out. 1t
opened on To a squalid courtyard. In
the far corner Was a smithy, where a
griny lad was AT work. ON the other
sides were the stables. Holmes had
sat down again after one OF these eN-
cursions. when he suddenly sprang out
of his chair with . loud exclamation.
by heaven. Watson. / believe that
rye got it," he cried. Yes yes. ii must
be so. Watson. do YOU remember See
ing any cow tracks today
: Yes. several
"Nherc,"
vel. everywhere. They were n IN,
morass, and again on the path. and
aeain where poor lieidegger met his
'nNactlv. Wen, now, Watson. how
many cows did % see on the moor"
II don't remember seeing any
"Strange, Watson. hat we should see
tracks all along orr line. but never a
cow on the whole moor. Ne.y strange.
Watson. en-"
Yes. it is strange"
'Now, Watson. make an effort to
throw Your mind back. GA you see
those tracks upon the path ="
Yes. | can
"Can you recall that the tracks We're
sometimes Ike that. Watson'-he ar
ranged ii number of bread crumbs in
ihis fashion: F.: IAN sometimes
like this: .:.: . and OCCASION
ally like this. 80: "Cau you re-
member hat.
NO, cannoi."
But can. ! could swear to t. How
ever. We will so back at our leisure
and verify il. What . blind beetle
| have been, not to draw amy conclus-
ions"
and what is Your conclusion -
only that it is a remarkable co"
which walks. cantcrs and gailops. BY
George. Watson. it WAS no brain of u
country publican til.t thought out such
a blind as that. The coast seems to
be clear. save for that lad in the
smithy. Let us slip on and See what
we can see"
There were two rough haired. un-
kempt horses in the tumbledown stable.
Holmes raised the hind leg of II OF
them and laughed aloud.
"Old shoes, but newly shod-oid shoes.
but new nails. This case deserves to be
Il classic. Let us go across to the
smithy."
The lad continued his work without
regarding us. l 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 tnere was
the landlord. his heavy eyebrows drawn
dow over his savage eyes, his SWarthy
features convulsed with passion. He
! held IL short metal-headed stick in his
hand. and he advanced in SO menacing
q fashion hat | was right glad TO feel
the revolver in my pocket.
You internal SPIES" the man cried.
what are YOU doing there"
why, Mr.. reuben Hayes said
Holmes, coolly. "one might think that
you were afraid of our finding some
thing out"
h man mastered himself with a
violent effort, and his grim mouth
loosened into a false laugh. which Was
more menacing than his frown.
You're welcome to all you can find
out in our smithy." said he. But look
There, mister, l don't care for ok poking
about my place and without my leave.
So the sooner you pay your score and
get out of this the better l shall be
pleased"
"-All right. Mr.. Hayes, no harm
meant said Holmes. We have been
having n look at your horses. but
think IN walk after all. It's not sc
far. I believe"
Not more than two miles to the hall
gates. That's the road to the left" He
watched us with sullen 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. as the children say.
at the inn" said he. II seem to grow
colder every step l take ava from it.
No. no. I can't possibly leave it,"
II am convinced said /. that this
Reuben Hayes knows all about it. A
..l.1 -.tr 1.;lo,t x.ll,;,, r ,o1rar g., ~. 81
"Oh! he impressed you in that way
did he? There are the horses. there is
the smithy. Yes, ii is an interesting
place. this Fighting Cock. l think we
shall have another look at 1t III an un-
Obtrusive way
a long. slipping hillside. dotted with
grey limestone boulders, stretched be
and We're making our way up the hill
when. looking in the direction of Hold.
ernesse hall. l saw a cyclist coming
swiftly along.
Gee down. Watson" cried Holmes
with a heavy hand upon my shoulder
We had hardly sank from view wher
tine man flew past US on h road. Annie
IL rolling cloud of dust. 1 caught 6
glimpse of a pale. agitated face-a face
nlOuth Open. h eye Staring wildly In
front. 1t was like some strange cari
cature Of the dapper James Wilder
whom W. had seen the night before.
The dukes secretary" cried Holmes
Come, Watson, let us see what h
does"
We scrambled from rock to rock. I'm
til in a few moments we n made GU
way to a point from which we coul,
See the front door of the inn. Wilder
bicycle was leaning against the wall he
: sid it. No one was moving about tn
house. O could WI catch a glimps
1 of any faces at the windows. Slowl
, the twilight crept down as the sur san
behind the high towers of Holderness
l hall. Then. in the gloom. we saw tn
two side lamps of a trap light w 1
the stable yard of the inn. and shortl
afterwards heard the rattle OF hoof
as it wheeled out into the road an
t tore off at a furious pace in the dire
r ton of Chesterfield.
what do you make Of that, Watson:
X Holmes whispered.
o ut looks re a flight"
"A single man In a dog-cart. so far
I could see. Well. 1t certainly was n
Mr.. James Wilder, for there he is
1. the door,"
q A red square Of light had sprung o
= of the darkness. In the middle OF 1t "
the black figure OF the secretary, his he
advanced. peering out into the night.
was evident that he was expecting SON