Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-08-24

their weakness both m attack and defense
more than neutralixed the efforts Of a
heavy and hard-working pack
Then our friend Overton's forebodipgs
have been Justified said Holmes. per-
sonally / am In agreement with DIR. Arm
strong. and football does not come within
my horizon. Early TO bed tonight. Wat
son, for | foresee that tomorrow may DO
an eyentful day..
I was mortified by my first glimpse OF
Holmes next morning, for he sat by the
fire holding his tiny hypodermic syringe. !
associated that instrument with the single
Of his nature, and l feared the
worst when / saw 1t glittering In his hand.
He laughed at my expression OF dismay.
and laid IT upon the table.
INC. no, my dear fellow, there Is no
cause for alarm. Ii is not upon this &C.
casion the instrument of evil, but 1t will
rather prove to be the key which will UNI
lock our mystery. On this syringe 1 base
all my hopes. / have just returned from
/ a small scouting expedition, and every
thing is favorable. Eat a good breakfast.
Watson, for l propose to get upon DR..
Armstrong; trail today, and once on IT
VIII not stop for rest or food until l run
him to his burrow."
I'm that case" said !, I'VE had best
carry our breakfast witt us. for he is
making an early start. His carriage is at
the door,"
Never mind. Let him go. He will be
clever IL he can drive where / mo fol-
low him. When you have finished, come
| downstairs with me. and / will introduce
you to a detective who is a very eminent
specialist in the work that lies before us"
When we descended l followed Holmes
into the stable yard, where he opened the
door of a loose-box and led out a squat,
lop-earcd, Mathematician cog. something
between a beagle and a foxhound.
Let me introduce you to Pompey,"
said he. "Pompey is the pride OF the local
draghounds-no very great fier, as his
build will show, but a staunch hound on a
scent. Well. Pompey, you may not be fast,
but I expect you will be too fast for a
couple of middle-aged London gentlemen,
so | will take the liberty of fastening
this leather leash TO your collar. Now,
boy, come along, and show what you can
do" He led him across 20 the doctors
door. The dog shifted round for an In
slant, and then with a shr.ll whine or ex-
element started off down the street, tug
ging at his leash in his efforts to go faster.
In half an hour we were clear of the town
and fastening down a country road.
What have you done, l
asked.
"A t~hreadbare and venerable device. bur
useful upon occasion. / walke into the
doctors yard this morning, and shot my
syringe full of aniseed over the mir
wLeel. A Greyhound will follow aniseed
from here to JOIN o. Groat's, and our
friend, Armstrong, would ave 10 drive
through the Cam before he would shake
Pompey off his trail. Oh, the cunning ras-
cal! This is how he gave he the slip the
/ other night"
The dog had suddenly turned out of the
main road into q grass-grown lane. Half
a mile farther this opened into another
broad road, and the trail turned hard TO
the right in the direction Of the town,
which we had just quilted. The road took
a sweep to the south Of the town, and
continued in the opposite direction to that
in which we started.
This detour has been entirely for our
benefit, them" said Holmes. N wonder
that my inquiries among those villages led
to nothing. The doctor has certainly
played the game for all it is worth, and
one would like to know the reason for
such elaborate deception. This should be
the village Of Trumpington to the right
| of us. And, by Jove! here is the brougham
coming round the corner. Quick, Watson
quick. or we are done!"
He sprang through a gate into a field.
dragging the reluctant Pompey after hin
We had hardly got under the shelter of
the hedge when the carriage ratified past.
| caught a glimpse of DR., Armstrong
within, his shoulders bowed, his head
sunk on his hands, the very image of dis
tress. i could tell, by my companions
graver face that he also had seen.
II fear there is some dark ending TO our
quest" said he. ut cannot be long be-
fore we know 1t. Come, Pompey! All, 1t
is the cottage in the ield!'
There could be no doubt that we had
reached the end of our journey. Pompey
ran about and whine eagerly outside the
gate, where the marks Of the brougham's
wheels were still to be seen. A footpath
led across to the lonely cottage. Holmes
tied the dog to the hedge, and we FASTENED
EDWARDS. My friend knocked at the little
rustic door, and knocked again without
response. And yet the cottage was not
deserted. for a low sound came to our
ears-a kind of drone of misery and de-
spair, which was indescribably melan-
choly. Holmes paused irresolute, and then
he glanced back at the road which he had
just traversed. A b~rougham was coming
down It, and there could be no mistaking
those grey horses.
by love, the doctor is coming backi''
cried Holmes. That settles 1t. We are
bound to see what 1t means before he
comes"
He opened the door, and we stepped into
the hall. The droning sound swelled
louder upon our ears until 1t became one
long, deep wall of distress. 1t came from
upstairs. Holmes darted up, and / fol-
lowed him. He pushed open a half closed
door, and we both stood appalled, at the
sight before us.
Continued Next Week.