Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-15

not the money, n there are none of
her people i'm whom she could Confide.
Tomorrow is the last day Of grace, and
unless we can get the letters tonight,
this villain will be as good al his word
and will bring about her ruin. | must,
therefore. abandon my client TO her
fate or I must play this last card. Be
tween ourselves, Watson, it's a sporting
duel between this fellow MilveTton and
me. He had, as you saw, the best of
the first exchanges, but my self respect
and my reputation are concerned to
fight Il to a finish
well, / don't like it, but I suppose
II must be-" said /.
When do we START"
You are not coming
Then you are not going said !,
81 give you my word of honOr-aud i
never broke 1t my life-that / will take
a cab straight to the police station and
give you away, unless you let me share
this adventure with you"
You can't help me"
How do you know that? You can't
tell what may happen. Anyway, my
resolution is taken. Other people be-
side you have self respect, and even
regulations"
Holmes had looked annoyed. but his
brow cleared, and he Clapped me on
the shoulder.
well. well. my dear fellow, be it so.
We have shared this same room
for years, and It would be amusing If
we ended by sharing the same cell. You
know, Watson, / don't mind COnfessing
to you that l have always had an idea
that | would nave made a highly eff
cient criminal. This is the chance of
my lifetime in hat direction. See here"
He took a neat little case out of a
drawer, and opening It he exhibited a
number of shining instruments. This
Is a first class, up-to-date burgling kit,
with nickel plated Jimmy, diamond
tipped glass cutter, adaptable keys, and
every modern Improvement which the
march of civilization demands. Here,
too. is my dark lantern. Everything is
In order. Have you a pair of silent
shoes?'
II have rubber soled tennis shoes"
Excellent, And a mask
Il can make a couple out of black
silk"
II can see that you have q strong,
natural turn for this sort of thing. Very
good. do you make the masks. We
shall have some cold supper before we
start. 1t is now nine-thirty. At eleven
we shall drive as far as church row.
It's a quarter of al hours walk from
there to Appledore Towers. We shall
be at work before midnight. Milyerton
is a heavy sleeper, and retiTeS punCtual-
ly at ten-thirty. With any luck we
should be back here by two, with the
Lady Eva's letters in my pocket"
Holmes and / put on our dress clothes,
so that we might appear to be two
theatergoers homeward bound. In OK
ford street we picked up a hanson and
drove to an address In Hampstead.
Here we paid off our cab. and with our
great coats buttoned up, for it was
bitterly cold and the wind seemed to
blow through us, we walked along the
edge of the heath.
Its a BUSINESS that needs delicate
treatment said Holmes. These docu-
ments are contained in "A safe in the
fellows study, and the study is the
ante-room of his bed chamber. on the
other hand. like all these stout, little
men who do themselves well, he is a
plethoric sleeper. Agatha-that's my
financee-says it's a joke in the ser
wants hall hat it's impossible to wake
the master. He has a secretary who
Is devoted to his interests, and never
Judges from the study all day. That's
why we are going at night. Then he
has a beast OF q dog that roams the
garden. / met Agatha late the last
two evenings, and h locks the brute
WI H1 dN III AINS Nv - SASsh = NAaH So
is the house, the big n i'm it's own
grounds. Through the gate-now to
the right among the laurels. We might
put on our masks here. | hin You
any of the windows, and everything Is
working ~splendidly."
With our black silk face coverings
which turned us into two of the most
truculent figures in London, we stole
up to the silent gloomy house. A sort
of tiled veranda extended along one
side OF ii. lined by several windows anC
two doors.
That's his bedroom" Holmes whis
pered, This door opens straight int
the study. 1t would suit us best. bur
II is bolted as we'll as locked, N WI
| should make too much noise getting in
| Come round here. There's a green
house which opens into the drawing
ROOM"
The place was locked. but Holmes re
moved a circle of glass and turned TIT
KEY from the inside. Al instant after
wards he had closed the door behinC
us. and we had become felons In tn,
ewes of the law. The thick, warn
air of the conservatory and TIL
rich, choking fragrance Of ex
otto plants took us by the throat
He seized my hand in the darkness an
led me swiftly past banks of shrubs whicl
brushed against our faces. Holmes ha
remarkable powers, carefully cultivated
of seeing in the dark. Still holding m
hand IN one of his, he opened a door, an
was vaguely conscious that we had en-
tered a large room in which a cigar ha
been smoked not long before. He felt hi
way among the furniture. opened anothe