Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-04-26
W-ThE ADVENTURE OF THE
SOLITARY CTCLlST.-Continucd


confess that l had o up to nov
IKE q very serious view of the case
which had seemed 10 me rather gro.
tesQue and bizarre than dangerous
That q man ShOuld lie In wait for ant
foi!ow . very handsome woman is NJ
unneard Of thing, and II he has So
little audactty that he not only daret
not address, her. but even fed from he
roa ne was not a very formidabl,
assailnnf. The ruflian Woodlcy was ;
very Inherent person, but, except OF
one occasion. he has not mo,ested oul
client. n now he visited the house O.
Carruthers without i%ntrud!ng upon hel
presence. The mar on the bicycle wa.
doubtless a member Of those weekend
parties at the hall of which the publ
can spoken. but who he was, OF
what he wanted. was as obscure as
ever. II was h severity Of Holmes
manner. and the act hat he slipped
a revolver into his pocket. before leav-
ing u rooms which impressed me
with the feeling that tragedy might
prove to iurk behind this curious train
OF events.
A rainy night had been followed by
q glorious morning, and the heath COW
cred country side. with the glowing
ciumps OF Towering gorse. seemed all
tho moro beautiful TO eyes which were
weary Of the duns and drabs and slate
greyo OF lIOndOn. Holmes and I walked
along h broad. sandy road inhalinp
inc fresh morning air. and rejoicing
IN the music Of The birds and the fresh
breath OF spring. From a rise OF the
road on Tho shoulder OF Crooksbury
hill. we could e the grim hall bristling
out from amidst the ancient oak $.
which. old ~ they were. were still
younger han the building which they
0nRHnlnNHA1 II~v--- --G1 49,
The long tract Of rond. which wound, a
reddish yellow band. between the
Drown ~ the heath and IN budding
green OF thew woods. Far away n black
dot. We could e a vehicle moving In
our direction. Holmes gave an ex-
ciamation az irnpatience.
I nav given . margin OF half an
hour" said he. IF hat Is her trap.
must be making for the earlier
past C~harlington before we can pos
sibly meet her.
From the instant that We passed the
rise. We could no longer see the We
hlcle. but We FASTENED UPWARDS at such
q pace that my s~endentary life began
TO tell upon me. M ! was compelled
to fall behind. HolIncs, however, was
always In training. for he had mex
heustbae stores Of nervous energy upon
which to draw. His springy step
slowed until suddenly. when he was IL
hundred yards in front Of me. ne halt
"a. n ] raw him throw up his hand
with q gesture Of grief and despair. At
Inc same instant An empty dog cart.
the horse C0ntcring. the reins trailing,
appeared around the curve of the road
a ratified swiftly toward us.
Tt late. Watson, loo late!" cried
HolmeA. ~ ] ran painting to his side.
M mat -> $50 - ill., a. A..
earlier trainl It's abduction. Watson
-abductSon! Murder! Heaven knows
WHAT Block the road! Stop the
horse! That's right. Now. jump In.
and let n see II I can repair the conse-
Quences Of my own blunder."
We had sprung into the dog cart. and
Holmes. after turning the horse. gave
It . sha1p cut with the whip, and we
new back e. along Sns road. As we
road between the hail and the heath
was opened up. I grasped Holmes
arm.
That's the man." I gasped.
A solitary cyclixt waS coming to-
wards u. His head was down and his
shoulders rounded. N he put every
ounce Of energy that he possessed onto
the pednls. He WAS flying like a racer.
Suddenly he r0ised his bearded face.
saw w close 10 HIM and pulled up.
s%pringfng from the machine. That
coal-black beard was IN singular con-
tsast to b palIor Of his face. and his
eyes were ~ bright ~ n he had a
fever. He stared al I'M and at the dog
cart. Then . lsok u amusement came
yer h&s fAce.
'Halsoa. stop there!" he shouted.
"Where "a yOu get hat dog cart?
Pull un Dan!. hc yelled. drawing a
pistol frum his side pocket. "Pull up.
say. 81. b. Ceogge, IN put . bullet
into your horse"
Holmes threw the rcins into my lap.
asd sprany down from the cart.
"Yc1're tho man We want to zee.
Where b Aiss Violet Snith?" he said.
In his quick. raeAr way.
That's what I'm askiaG you. You're
In her deg cart. YSs oaEht to know
whore she ~
I'VE met The Cog cart on the road.
There was no . In II. We drove back
I . help The young lady"
Good Lord! Good! Lord! what shall
I dog cried the stranger. In an ecstasy
Of despair: They've got her. that hell
houud Woodaey and the b~lackguard
parsou. Cesa&. man.. come. II you really
arc her friend Stand BY me and we'll
nave her. n ! have to leave my carcass
In ChHfflngAoo wood.
He nn 0D4racted1y. his pistol in
hand, towards = gap In the hedge.
Holmes followed him. and I. leaving the
horse gEastng beside The road. followed
Holmes
.This n where thy eame through"
nl feet usDa the muddy path. HAL
Ia! 0aeP . minute! Who's this In
Il VA . ysung fellow about scven-