The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-02-16
THE ADVENTURE OF THE
EMPTY sHoUsE-coNTiNUED
It Nan indeed no longer the profile.
but b back, which was turned toward

= ooW III C00 MdIuy lax
whole attitude rigid with attention.
Outside the street was absolutely de-
serted. Those two men might still be
crouching in h doorway. but I could
no longer see them. All was still and
dark. save only that brilliant yellow
figure outlined upon its center. Again
In the utter silence I heard that thin.
slbilant note which spoke OF intense
suppressed excitement. An instant
later he pulled me back into the black
est corner of the room. and Melt his
warning hand upon my lips. The An
gers which clutched me were q%ulvering,
Never had ! known my friend more
moved. and yet the lark street still
stretched lonelI anu motionless before
~.
But suddenly I was aware of that
which his keener senses had already
distinguished. A low. stealthy sound
of AXE street, but from the back door
OF the house in which we lay con-
cealed- A door opened and shut. An
instant later steps crept down re pas
sage-steps which were meant to be
silent, but which reverberated harshly
coruched back against the wall and ]
did the same. my hand closing upon
the handle OF my revolver. Peering
through b gloom, I saw the vague
outline OF a man. a shade blacker than
h blackness Of the open door. He
stood for an instant, and then he crept
forward. crouching. menacing, into the
US. this sinister figure. and I had
braced myself to meet his spring be-
fore I realized that he had no idea OF
our presence. He passed close be-
side us. stole over tosthe window, and
softly and ~noiselessly raised 1t
tN0yS a <nnk u A0 NaA. ~ - A.. V-,~f
OF III opening. the light Of the street,
no longer dimmed by the dusty glass,
fell upon his face. The seemed to be
beside himself with excitement. His
two eyes shOne like stars, and his feat
ures were working convulsively. He
was an elderly man, with a thin. pro-
jecttng nose, q high. bald forehead. and
. huge. grizzled mustache. An opera
hat was pushed to the back of his head,
and an evening dress shirt-front
cleaned out through his open overcoat.
His face was gaunt and swarthy,
scored with deep, savage lines. In his
hand he carried what appeared to be
h door It gave a metallic clang. Then
from the pocket Of his overcoat he drew
q bulky object, and he busted himself
In some task which ended with u loud.
sharp click. as II q spring or bolt had
fallen into its place. Still kneeling
0ROtk NAAE AlOOT 1IC OCAS 1OIW anu
threw all his weight and strength upon
some lever. with the result that there
came q long. whirling. grinding noise,
ending Once more In a powerful click.
He straightened himself then, and 1
saw that what! he held in his hand
was a'sort Of q gun. with a c%uriously
msshapen butt. He opened 1t at the
breech. put something In. and snapped
the breech-lock. Then. %crouching
down. he rested the; end OF the barrel
upon the ledge of the open. window,
and ! saw his long. mustache droop
over b stock and his y CLEAN as 1t
nss,sd slon. The s, s .s,tan !. ! hear heard s,, : It.;
the butt to his shoulder. and saw that
amazing target, the black man On the
yellow ground. standing clear at the
end of his foresight; For IN instant
he was rigid and mOtionless. Then. his
singer frightened on the trigger. There
wa 2 strange oud whiz and q lond,
stlvery dnkle OF broken glass. At that
instant Holmes sprang like a tiger on
to the marksman's back. and hurled
him flat upon his face He was up
again in q moment, and with conNulsive
strength he seized Holmes by the
throat. but I struck him on the head
with the butt OF my revolver. and he
dropped again upon the floor. I fell
upon him, and as I held him my COM
rade blew q shrill call upon q whistle.
There was the clatter Of running feet
upon the pavement, and two policemen
In uniform, with M plain CLOTHES de-
tectlye, rushed through the front en-
trance and Into the room.
..Fhat you. Lestrade? 2" said Holmes.
Yes, Mr.. Holmes. I took the Job
myself. It's good to see you back in
London. SIR
Il think you want a little unofficial
help. Three u%ndetected murders in
one year won't do, Lestrade. But you
handled the Molesey mystery with less
handled II fairly well.'
We had all risen to u feet. our pris-
ner breathing hard, with q stalwart
constable on each side Of him. AL
ready q few loiterers had begun to
collect In the street. Holmes stepped
dropped the Blinds. Lestrade had pro-
duced two candies. and the policemen
Rad uncovered their lanterns. was
able at last to have a good look at our
prisoner.
1t was a tremendously virile and yet
sinister face which was turned toward
us. With the brow OF a philosopher
low. the man must have started with
great capacities for good and evil. But
one could not look upon his cruel blue
eyes,, with their dropping. cynical lids.
or upon the fierce. aggressive nose and
the ~reatening. deep-lined brow. with
out reading natures plainest danger
signals. He Q no heed Of any of us.
but his eyes were fixed upon Holiness
face with an expression in which
hatred anu amazement were equally
blended. You fiend!" he kept on NUT
tering, you clever, clever hend!"
@Ah. c~olonel!" said Holmes, arrang-
Ing his rumpled collar. Journeys end
IN lovers meetings. as the old play
I don't think I have had the
pleasure of selling o since you fa-
Sored me with those attractions as I
.:ay on the ledge above the Reichenbach
Fall.
The colonel still stared at my friend
Alike: ~ man In astrance. "You cunning.
ssGuns,ing .fiends' was all that he could
ssss.. AZ SEQ
81 have no~t.introdliced you yei.,. said
Aoines. ~ z gentlemen IL Colonel
Il aaH a s.ff ~ Moran nNS.A NJ ne n Afnntx sS