The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-04-12
iv-ThE ADVENTURE OF THE
SOLITARY CYCliST.-Continue

TO me. He was dreadful persona
bully TO everybody. but TO me
something Infinitely worse. lie
ed OF his wealth. said that "
married him I could have the finest
diamonds la London. and finally when
! would have nothing Co do with HIN.
ne seized me In his arms one day after
dinner-hc was hidcoualy strong-and
sworc that he would not let me go until
I had kissed him. Mr.. Carruthers came
In and tore him from me. on which ne
turned upon his own host, knocking
him down and cutting his face open.
That was the end OF his visit as YOU
con imagine. Mr.. Carruthcrs apollo
RiEed To me next day, and assured me
that I should never be exposed to such
insult again. I have not seen Mr.. Wood
ley since.
And now. Mr. Holmes. come ut
Inst To- the special thing which has
caused me To ask your advice today.
You must know that every Saturday
forenoon ride on my bicycle To Farm
ham station, In order To get the IL e to
town. The road from Chiltcrn Grange
~ lonely one. and at one spot IL Ii
particularly SO. for IL lies for ever a
mile between Charlington Heath upon
one side and the woods which lie
around CharilnSton hall upon the other.
You could not find "a more lonely tract
OF road anywhere. and IL In quite rare
To meet so much as a cart. or peas
ant. until you reach the high road near
Crooksbury hill. Two weeks ago /
was passing this place. when CHANGED
To look back over my shoulder, and
about two hundred yards behind me ]
saw a man. also on bicycle. He
seemed to be a middle aged man. with
n short, dark beard. I looked back be-
fore I reached Farnham, but the man
was gone. so thought no more about
II. But you can imagine how sur
priscd was. Mr.. Holmes, when. on my
return on the Monday. / saw the same
man on the same stretch OF road. My
establishment was Increased when the
incident occurred again. exactly as be-
fore. on the following Saturday and
Monday. He always kept his distance
and did not modest me In any way. but
still u certainly was very odd. i men
toned IL To Mr.. Cnrruthers. who seemed
interested In what said. and told me
that he had ordered a horse and trap,
go that In the future I should not pass
over these lonely roads without some
companion.
'"rhc horse and trap were 90 have
come this week. but for some reason
they were not delivered. and again
had To cycle to the station. That Was
this morning. You can think that
looked out when l came To Charlington
Heath. and there. sure enough, was the
man. exactly as he had been the two
weeks before. He always kept 80 far
from me that I could not clearly zee
his face. but IL was certainly someone
whom did not know. lie was dressed
I'm n dark suit with cloth cap. The
only thing about his face that I could
clearly see was his dark beard. Today
I was not alarmed. but was filled with
curiosity. and determined TO find out
who he was and what he wanted.
slowed down my machine. but he
slowed down hts. Then l stopped al
together. but he stopped also. Then I
laid n trap for him. There IL n sharp
turning OF the road. and pedailcd very
quickly around this, and then ! stopped
and waited. I expected him To shoot
around and pass me before he could
stop. But he never appeared. Then I
went back and looked around the cor
ner. j could see a mile OF road, but
he was not on a.. To make IL the more
extraordinary. there was no side road
at this point down which he could have
gone"
Holmes chuckled and rubbed his
hands. This case certainly presents
some features OF it's own" said he.
How much time elapsed between your
turning the corner and your discovery
that the road was clear"
Two or three minutes.'
Then he could not have reiterated
GOWN the road. and you say that there
/ are no side roads,"
None"
Then he certainly took n footpath
on one side or the other"
1T could not have been on the side
OF the heath. or I should have seen
him"
so. by the process OF exclusion. We
arrive at the fact that he made his way
| toward Chariington hall. which. as
understand. In situated I'm It's own
grounds on one side OF the road. Any
| thing else"
Nothing. Mr.. Holmes. save that I
was so perplcxed that I felt l should
not be happy until ! had seen you and
had your advice"
Holmes sat In silence for some little
time.
where is the gentleman To whom
| you are engaged" hc asked at last,
lie Is in the Midland Electrical COM
pauy. at Coventry
He would not pay you a surprise
VISIT"
"oh Mr.. Holmes: As II I shouts no,
/ know HIM"
Have you had any other admirers -
| Several before l knew Cyril"
And sinceT"
|
ley. if you can call him an admirer."
NO one else
our fair client seemed n little con.
| fused.
Who was he?" asked Holmes.
| oh. IL may be a mere fancy 81 mine
but IL had seemed To me sometimes
that my employer. Mr.. CarTuthers
takes a great deal Of interest In me. ",
are rather thrown together. Iplay hi,
| Accomplishments In the evening. H.
has never said anything. He is a per,
feet gentleman. Hut a girl alwayi
| knows"
"Ha!" Holmes looked grave. "wha
does he do for a living
He Is "A rich man"
NO carriages or horses
| We'll. at least he is fairly welt to- do
But he goes into the city TWO or thrc,
| times n week He In deeply lntereste,
in South African gold shares"
You will let me know any fresh de
velopment. Miss Smith. I am very bus
Just now. but ! will md time To- max
some inquiries into your case. In tn
meantime. take no step without lettin
me know. Goodbye. and l trust tina
We shall have nothing but good new
from you"
1T Is part OF the settled ordc
OF nature that such a girl should hav
followers" said Holmes. as he pulled "A
his meditative pipe. but for choice no
on bicycles In lonely country roads