The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-05-10
V.-THE ADVENTURE OF TT
PRIORY SCHOOL.-Continued.

tires. This. as you perceive, is a Dun
lop. with q patch upon the outer cover
Hcidegger's tires were Planners, leav-
ing longitudinal stripes. Aveling, the
mathematical master, was sure upon
the point. Therefore, it is not Ieideg-
gers track"
The boys, them"
"PossibIy, if we could prove a hi,
cycle to have been in his possession,
But This we AVE utterly failed to do.
This track, as o perceive, was made
by q rider who was going from the di-
rection Of the school,
cor towards it?"
mo, no, my dear Watson. The more
deeply sunk impression is, of course,
the hind wheel, upon which the weight
rests. You perceive several places
where it has passed across and oblit-
Grated the more shallow mark of the
front one 1t vas undoubtedly head
ing away from the school 1t a or
may not be connected with our inquiry,
but we will follow it backwards before
we go any farther"
We did so, and at the end of a few
hundred yards los the tracks as we
emerged from the DOGGY portion Of the
moor. Following the path backwards,
we picked out another spot, where a
spriug triCkled across it.. Here, once
'o 49, 'iA il"IN IL blIS ~ NlI
though nearly oblitcrated by the hoofs
Of cows. After that there was no sign,
u the path ran right on into Ragged
Shaw, the wood which packed on to the
school. From this wood the cycle must
have emerged. Holmes sat down on q
boulder, and rested his chin in his
hands. l had smoked two cigarettes
before he moved.
well. we'll" said he, at last. TT is,
Of course, possible that a cunning man
might change the tire of his bicycle
IN order to leave unfamiliar tracks. A
criminal who was capable Of such o
thought is a man whom ] should be
proud to do business with. We will
leave this question undecided and bark
back to u mOraSS again, for we have
left n good deal uncXplored."
We continued our systematic survey
Of the edge of the sodden portion of the
moor. and soon our perseverance was
g~loriouSly rewarded. Right across the
lower part OF the bog lay q miry path.
Holmes gave a cry Of delight as he APP
preached it. An impression like a fine
bundle of telegraph wires ran down the
center OF it. 1t was the Palmer tire.
snough.' cried Holmes, exultantly.
My reasoning seems to have been
pretty sound. Watson"
Il congratulate YOU
But we nave q long way still to go.
Kindly walk clear of the path. Now
let US follow the trail. l fear that it
will not lead very far"
We found, however, as We advanced
that this portion of the moor i. inter-
sected with soft patches, and. though
we frequently lost sight of the track,
we always succeeded i'll picking it mp
once more.
d o observe" said Holmes. that
The rider Is now undoubtedly forcing
The pace? There can be no doubt of it.
Look at this impression, where you get
both tires clear. The one is as deep
as the other. That can only mean that
the rider is throwing his weight on
to the handlebar, as II man does when
he is s%printing. BY Jove. he has had
a fall"
There was a broad, Irregular srnudge
covering some yards of the track. Then
there were a few footmarks, and the
tire ~reappeared once more.
"A side-slip," I suggested.
Holmes held UP a crumpled branch Of
towering gorse. To my horror, I per
ceived that the yellow blossoms were
all dabbled with crimson. On the path,
too, and among h heather were dark
stains of clotted blood.
Bad said Holmes. Bad! Stand
clear, Watson. Not an unnecessary
footstep! What do l read here? He
Tell Wounded-he stood up-he re-
mounted-he proceeded. But there is no
other track. Cattle on this side path.
He was surely not gored by a bull? I'm
possible! But I see no traces of any
n else. We must push on, Watson.
Surely, with stains as we'll as the track
TO guide us. he cannot escape us now"
Our search was not a very long one.
The tracks Of the tire began to curve
Enthusiastically upon the wet and shining
path. Suddenly, as I looked ahead, the
from amid the thick gorse bushes.
Out Of them we dragged a bicycle,
Palmer tired, one pedal bent. and the
whole front of it horribly smeared and
with blood. On the other side of the
bushes u shoe was projecting. We ran
around, n there lay the unfortunate
rider. He was a tall man, full bearded,
with sp~ectacles. one glass of which had
been Knocked out. The cause Of his
death was q frightful blow upon the
head, which had crushed in part of his
skull. That he could have gone on af-
ter receiving such an inquiry said much
for the vitality n courage of the mar
He wore shoes, but no socks, and his
open coat disclosed a night shirt be-
meath it. 1t was undoubtedly the Ger
maj master.
LbNtAAASS Soi41Sd NilC&DouS 4CNtI ISSSI-
entity, and examined it with great at
tention. He then sat in deep thought
for a time. and I could see by his ruff.
fled brow that this grim discovery ha6
not, in his opinion, advanced us muct
in our inquiry.
1T is q little difficult to know what t,
do, Watson" said he, at last. MY owl
inclinattons are to push this inquiry on
for we have already lost so much tim,
that wescannot afford to waste anothe
hour. On the other hand, we are bount
to inform the police of the discovery
and to see that this poor fellows bod.
Is looked after"
II could take a note back"
But I need your company and assis
lance. Wait a bit! There is a felloy
cutting peat up yonder. Bring hir
over here, and he will guide the pc
lice"
I brought. the peasant across. an
Holmes dispatched the frightened ma.
with a note to DR.. HuxtahIe.
Nov, Watson, said he. I'VE hav
picked up two clews this morning. On
is the bicycle with the Palmer tire, an
we see what that has led to. The othe
is the bicycle with the patched Dunlol
Before we start to investigate that, lie
us try to realize what we do know. s
to make the most of it. and to Sepa