The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-04-13

Dy FHCNA0rSs KnlIltp9 " 70. +
find who are the tenants of Cnar,ing-
ton hall. Then, again, how about the
connection between Carrutlers and
Woodley, since they appear to be mer
of such a different type? How anne
they both to be so keen upon lookins
up Ralph Smiths relations: One more
point. h sort of menage is it which
pays double the market price for a
governess, but does not keep Il horse,
although six miles from the station?
Odd, Watson-very odd"
You Will go down."
No. my dear fellow, you will go
down. This may be some trifiing in
trigue, and I cannot break my other
important research for the sake of it.
On Monday you will arrive early at
Farnham; you will conceal yourself
near Charlington heath; o will OBJ
serve these facts for yourself. and act
as your own judgment advises. Then,
having inquired as to the occupants of
the hall. you will come back to me and
report. Now. Watson, not another
word of the matter until we have a
lew solid stepping stones on which we
may hope to get across to u solu-
ton"
We had ascertained from the lady
that she went down upon the Monday
by the train Which leaves Waterloo at
$50, SO l started early and caught the
9:13. AT Farnham station I had no
difficulty in being directed to Charllng-
ton heath. 1t was impossible to mis-
take the scene of the young lady's adj
venture, for the road runs between the
open heath on one side n an old yew
hedge upon the other. surrounding a
park which is studded with magnificent
trees. There was a main gateway of
lichen studded stone. each side pillar
s~urmounted by mouldering heraldic
emblcns. but besides this central car
riage drive I observed several points
where there We're gaps i'll the hedge,
n paths leading through them. The
house was invisible from the road, but
the surroundings all spoke of gloom
and decay.
The heath was covered with golden
patches of Towering gorse, cleaning
magnificently in the light Of the bright
spring sunshine. Behind one OF these
clumps took up my position, SO as to
command both the gateway Of the hall
and a long stretch of the road upon
either side. 1t had been deserted when
l left it. but now I saw a cyclist rid
Ing down it from the opposite direction
to that from which I had come. He
was clad in a dark suit, and l saw tina
he had a black beard. On reaching the
SAN VI NHC SlictlilllSSOn SIOulluS 1lG
sprang from his machine and led it
through a gap in the hedge, disappear
Ing from my view.
A quarter of an hour passed, and
then a second cyclist appeared. This
time it was the young lady coming
from the station. l saw her look about
her as she came to the Charlington
hedge. An instant later the man
emerged from his hiding place, sprang
upon his cycle, and followed her. In
all h broad landscape those We're the
only moving figures, the graceful girl
sitting very straight Upon her machine,
and the man behind her bending low
over his handle bar with a curiously
furtive suggestion in every movement.
She looked back at him and slowed her
pace. He slowed also. She stopped.
He at once stopped, too, keeping two
hundred yards behind her. Her next
movement was as unexpected as it was
spirited. She suddenly whisked her
wheel around and dashed straight at
Ii darted off in desperate flight.
Presently she came back up the road
again, her Mead haughtily in the air.
not deigning to take II further no.
tice of her silent attendant. He had
turned also, n still kept his distance
until the curve of the road hid them
from my sight.
\ IA lily IfluilS place, anu
it is we'll thai 1 did SO. for presently the
r~eappeared, cycling slowly back.
He turned in at the hall gates and dis
mounted from his machine. For some
minutes i could see him standing
among the trees. His hands were
raised. and he seemed to be settling
his necktie. Then he mounted his cy-
Gle and rode away from me down the
drive towards the hall. 1 ran across
the heath and peered through the trees.
Far away I could catch glimpses of the
old grey building with it's bristling
Tudor chiEneys, but the drive ran
through a dense s%lrubbery, and I saw
no more Of my nan
However, itlseemed to me that 1 had
done a fairly good mornings work, and
I walked back in high spirits to Farm
ham. The local house agent could tell
me nothing about ChariingtOn hall. and
referred me to a Well known firm in
Pail Mall. There I halted on my way
home. and met with courtesy from the
Charlington hail for the summer. l
was just too late. 1t had been let
about a month ago. MI. Williamson
was the name of the tenant. He was
a respectable, elderly gentleman. The;
polite agent was afraid he could say
no more, as the affairs of his clients
were not matters Which he could dis
cuss.
Mr.. Sherlock Holmes listened with
attention to the long report which 1
was able to present to him that even
ing, but it did not elicit that word of
curt praise which l had hoped for, and
should have valued. On the contrary,
his austere face was sven more severe
than usual as he commented upon the
things that / Lad done and the things
! that l had not.
"Your hiding place. my dear Watson,
was very faulty. You should have been
behind the hedge, then you would have
had a close view of this interesting
person. AS 1t is, you were some hum
dreds of yards away. and can tell me
even less than Miss Smith. she thinks
! h does not know the man: l am con-
WINGED that she does. Why. otherwise,
should he be Sc desperately anxious
that she should not get go les him as
to see his features? You describe him
as bending I'VE the handle bar. Con-
cealnlent again. you see. You really
have done remarkably badly. He re-
turns to the house, and you al to
find out who he is. You come to a
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