The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-05-31
THE ADVENTURE OF 6lkLn
PETER.-Continued.

~
we drove for some miles through the
remains OF widespread woods, which
were once part OF that great forest
which for 40 long held the Saxon In
vaders ut bay-the impenetrabie
"wcald." for sixty years the buiwark OF
Britain. Vast sections OF IL had been
cleared. for this II the seat OF the first
| iron works OF the country. and the
trees have been felled TO smelt the ore.
Now the richer fields OF the north have
absorbed the trade. and nothing save
these ravagcd groves and great sears
In the earth show the work OF the past.
Here, In n clearing upon the green
slope OF hill. stood long. low. stone
house. approached by a curving drive
running through the fields. Nearer the
road. and surrounded on three sides by
dow and the door facing In our d.
| rection. IL was the scene OF the muir
der.
Stanley Hopkins led W. first 10 the
house. where he introduced us To a
haggard. grey haired woman. the widow
OF the murdered man. whose gaunt and
deep lined face, with the furtive look
OF terror In the depths OF her red
| trimmed eyes. told OF the years OF hard
| ship and III usage which she had en-
dured. With her was her daugter. n
pale. fair haired girl. whose eyes blazed
defantly at us an she told us that she
| was glad that her father was dead. and
that she blessed the hand which had
struck him down. IL was a terrible
household that Black Peter Carey had
| made for himself. and IL yas with
sense OF relief that we found ourselves
I'm the sunlight again, and making our
way along a path which had been worn
across the fields by the feet OF the
dead man.
The clubhouse was the simplest OF
| dwellings. wooden walled. shingle
| rooted. one window beside the door and
| one on the farther side. Stanley Hop
kins drew the key from his pocket and
had stopped to the lock. when he
/ paused with look OF attention and
surprise on his face.
Someone has been tampeEing with
is." he said.
There could be no doubt OF the fact.
The woodwork was cut. and the scratch
es showed white through the paint. as
II they had been that instant done.
Holmes had been examining the win
dow.
Someone has tried TO force this
also. Whoever IL was has failed To
make his way In. He must have been
"A very poor burglar
This is most extraordinary thing"
said the inspector. Il could swear
that these marks were not he.e yester-
day evening"
Some curious person from the VIII
lage. perhaps" I suggested.
Very unlikely. Few OF them would
dare To set foot In the grounds. far
less TO try To force their way into the
cabin. What do you think OF Il. MIR.
| Holiness"
Il think that fortune Is very kind to
us"
You mean that the person will come
again.
1T Is very probable. He
came expecting ia Ind the doo-
open. He tried 20 get In with the blade OF
| n very small penknifc. He could not man
age ~. what would he do
Come again next night with a more
useful tool"
so should say. IL will he our fault
five are not there to receive him. Mean
while, let me see the inside OF the cabin"
| The traces OF the tragedy had been re-
moved, but the furniture within the little
room Etill stood at 10 had been on the
night OF the crime. For TWO hours with
most intense concentration. Holmes ex-
amined every object I'm turn. but his face
showed that his quest was not success
fui one. once only he paused In his pa
tent Investigation.
Have you taken anything or this shelf
Hopkins?''
NO. I have moved nothing.
| Something has been taken. There IN
Tess dust In this corner OF the shelf than
elsewhere. IL may have been n book lying
on its side. n may have been box. Well
well. I can do nothing more. Let us walk
In these beautiful woods. Watson. and
give n few hours TO the birds and the
flowers. We shall meet you here later.
Hopkins. and see II We can come TO closer
quarters with the gentleman who has paid
this visit In the night"
IL was past II o'clock when we formed
our little smbuscade. Hopkins was for
leaving tn. door OF the hut open. hut
Holmes was OF the opinion that this would
rouse the suspicious OF the stranger. The
lock was n perfectly simple one. only n
strong blade was NEEDED to push Il back.
Holmes also suggested that We should
wait. not inside the hut. but outside II
among the bushes which grew round the
farther window. In this way we should he
Abit 90 watch our man IL h. struck q Hight.
and sec what his object was in this
stcalthy nocturnal visit.
II was a long and melancholy vigil and
yet brought with Il something 81 the thTilI
which the hunter feels when he lies be-
side the waterproof and waits for the com.
ing OF the thirsty beast OF prey. what
savage creature was IL which might steal
upon us out Of the darkness? Was Il a
fierce tiger OF crime. which could only be
taken fighting hard with flashing fang and
claw. or would IL prove to he some skulk-
ting jAckal. dangerous only 20 the weak
and unRuardsd?
In absolute silence We crouched amongst
the bushes. waiting for whatever might
come. At FIRST the steps Of n few belatcd
villagers. or the sound OF voices from the
village. l.ghtencd our vigil. but one by one
these Interruptions died away. and an alb
solute stiffness fell upon US. save for the
chimes OF the distant church. which told
us OF the progress OF the night. and for
the rustic OF n line rain falling amid the
foliage which rooted us In.
IIalf-past two had chimed. and "a was
the darkest hour which prccedcs the
dawn. when We all started as n low sharp
click came from the direction OF the gate.
Some ono had entered the drive. Again
there Was a long silence, and l had begun
TO fear that 10 was a false alarm. when
| a stcalthy step was heard upon the other
side OF the hut. and n moment later me-
tallic scrRp.ng and cllnking. The man Was
trying to force the lock. This time his
skill was greater or his tool Vas better.
for there was q sudden snap and the crsak
OF the hingcL Then a match was struck.
and next instant the steady light from a
candle filled the interior Of the hut.
| Through the gauEe curtain our eyes were
all fiVctcd upon the scene within.
The nocturnal visitor was a young man.
fran and thin. with n black mustache.