The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-04-06

II stand out in these long records oil
crime from whica l gather the ma
terial Ter these little narratives.
On referring 10 nay note book for the
year 1885, | find that il MAS upon Sat
urdaN, The eSrd of April, that we first
heard of Miss Violet Smith, Her visit
MAS. l repleinber, extremely unwelcome
20 Holmes, for he was immersed at the
4 moment in q very abtruse and colnpli-
/ Gated problem concerning the peculiar
persecution 10 which John Vincent
Harden. The wei known tobacco mill
iionaise had been subjected, My friend,
Wlo loved above aj things precision
a3d concentration of Thought. resented
anything which distracted his atten-
ton from the matter ia hand. And
yet, without u h~arsfness which was
foreign to his nattre. ii was Impossible
To refuse to listen TO the story of the
young and beautiful woman, tall.
graceful Il queenly. who presented
herself at Baker street late in the even
ing II implored his assistance and
advice. 1t was in vain to urge that
his time was already fully occupied. for
the Young lady had come With the de-
termination 10 tell her story. it was
evident that nothing short OF force
could get her out of the rcom until she
had done so. With a resigned air and
a somewhat weary smile. Holmes
begged The beautiful intruder to AXE
a seat, and to inform US what it was
that was troubling her.
AT least it cannot be you health"
said he. us his keen eye darted over
her; 80 ardent a bicyclist must be full
of energy"
She glanced down i'm surprise at her
OWN feet, and I observed the slight
roushening of the side of the sole
caused by the friction of the edge OF
the pedal.
Yes. bicycle a good deal. Mr..
Holmes, and that has something to do
With my visit to YOU today"
My friend took the lady's ungloved
hand and examined it with as close
attention and as little sentiment as a
sclentist would show to a specimen.
You will excuse me, l am sure. 1t is
my business said he. as ne dropped it.
Il nearly fell into the error of suppos-
course. it is obvious that it is music.
You observe the s%patulate finger ends,
Watson. Which is common TO both pro-
f~essions" There is a spirituality about
the face, however"-she gently turned
it towards the light-"which the type
a musician
Yes. Mr.. Holmes. I teach music.''
In the country, l presume, from your
compleXion?"
Yes. sir, near Farnham, On the Dor.
ders of Surrey"
y oStolIlul ~SlSIlDOIIlOOQ anu IuIl
of the most interesting associations.
You remember, Watson, that it was
there that we took Archie SIAM
ford. the forger. Now, Miss Violet,
what has happened to you, near Farm
ham, on the borders of Surrey?"
The young lady. with great clearness
and composure, made the following
curious statement:
My father is dead. Mr.. Holmes. He
was James Smith Observation-Disclosures A.,
orchestra at the old Imperial theater.
My mother and l We're left without a
in the world except one uncle.
Ralph Smith, who went to Africa TWEEN
Iy-hNe years ago., and we have never
had a word from him since. When
died we We're left very poor, but
one day we were told thai there was
advertisement in the Times, ipquir-
for u whereabouts. You can i'm
aslna how excited we We're, for we
thought that someone had left us a
We went at once to the law
yer whose name was given in the pa
per. Their we met two gentlemen,
Mr.. Carruthers and Mr.. Woodley, who
were home on a visit from South Afri-
ca. They said that my uncle was a
friend of theirs, that he a died some
months before in great poverty in
them with his last breath to hunt up
MS relations and see that they were in
want. 1t seemed strange to us that
Uncle Ralph, Who took no notice of us
when he was alive. Should be so care
full to look after us when he was dead,
reason was that my uncle had lust
heard of the death of his brother. and
felt responsible for our fate"
Excuse me-" said Holmes. 'eWhen
was this interview
Last December-four month ago"
Pray proceed"
MIR. Woodley seemed to me to be a
most odious person. He was for ever
making eyes at me-a coarse, puffy
red-mustached young man. with
his hair plastered down on each side of
his forehead. l thought that he was
perfectly hateful-and I was sure that
Cyril would not wish me to know such
a person."
"Oh. Cyril is his name!" said Holmes,
smiling.
The young lady blushed and laughed.
ton, an electrical engineer. M
hope to be married at the
end of the ummer Dear me, how
did 1 get talking about him? What J
to say was that Mr. Woodley
was perfectly odious, but that Mr.. Car
ruthers, who was q much older man,
vas more agreeable. He was a dark,
clean shaven. silent person., but
he a polite manners and a pleasant
smile. He inquired how we were left,
and on finding that we We're very poor,
he suggested hat I should come and
teach music to his only daughter, aged
ten. 1 said that 1 did not like to leave
my mother. on which he suggested that
I should go home to her every week
end, n he offered me a hundred a
year. which was certainly splendid pay.
it ended by my accepting. and I
went down to Chiltern Grange, about
six miles from Farnham. Mr.. Car
was a widower, but he had en-
gagged a lady housekeeper, a very re-
spectacle, elderly person, called Mrs. !
Dixon. to look after his establishment.
child was a dear. and everything
promised we'll. Mr.. Carruthers was
very kind n very musical. and we
had most pleasant evenings together.
Every week end l went home to nv
in town.
Continued Next Week.
Animals and Fire.
Chicago Journal: Most animals ar.
afraid of fire and will Hy from III in +ar-