The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-09
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.
Copyright. 1905.
by Mcclure. Phillips a Co.


Indian army. and the best heavy-game
produced. believe l am correct. coll
onel, in saying that your bag of tigers
still remains unrivaled.
The fierce old man said nothing, but
still glared at my companionist with
his savage eyes. and brlstling mustache
he was wonderfully like a tiger HIM
self.
II wonder that my very simple STRAIT
agem could deceive 30 old shikari."
said Holmes. 1T must be very familiar
to you. Have you not.tethered young
kid under tree. lain above 1t with
your rifle. and waited for the bait to
bring up your tiger? This empty house
is my tree, and you are my tiger. You
have possibly had otner guns in reserve
in case there should be other tigers. or
in the unlikely supposition Of your own
aim failing you. These" he pointed
around the room. ARE my other guns.
The parallel is exact"
Colonel Moran sprang forward with
snarl of rage. but the constahles
dragged him back. The fury upon his
face was terrible to look at.
II confess that you had one small
surprise for me-" said Holmes. II did
not anticipate that you would yourself
make use of this empty house and this
convenient front window. 1 had inn
agined you as operating from the
street. where my friend Lestrade and
With that exception. all has gone as
l expected"
Colonel Moran turned to the official
detective.
you may or may not have just
cause for arresting me-" said he. but
at least there can be no reason why
should submit to the gibes Of this
person. II am In the hands OF the
law, let things be done in legal way"
We'll. that's reasonable enough"
snid Lestrade. Nothing further you
have to say, Mr.. Holmes, before we
so.
Holmes had picked up the powerful
air-gun from the floor and was ex-
aiming it's mechanism.
An admirable and unique weapon"
said he, "noiseless and tremendous
power. I knew Won Herder. the blind
German mechanic. who constructed it
to the order Of the late Professor Mori-
arity. For years have been aware of
Its existence. though l have never be-
fore had the opportunity of handling
it. commend it very specially to
your attention. Lestrade, and also the
bullets which fit It,"
You can trust us to look after that,
Mr.. Holmes" said Lestrade, as the
whole party moved towards the door,
Anything further to say?"
Only to ask what charge you intend
to prefer?"
What charge. sir? Why Of course.
the attempted murder of Mr. Sherlock
Holiness"
Not so. Lestrade. l do not propose
to appear in the matter at oil. To you.
and to you only. belongs the credit
of the remarkable arrest which you
have effected. Yes. Lestrade. I con-
graduate you! With your usual happy
mixture of cunning and audacity, you
have got him.
Got him! Got whom, Mr.. Holmes?"
The man that the whole force has
been seeking in vain-Colonel Sebas-
tian Moran, who shot the Honorable
Ronald Adair with an expanding bullet
from an air-gun through the open win
dow of the second-front of No. AT
Park Lane, upon the 30th of last
month. That's the charge, Lestrade.
And now, Watson, If you can endure
the draught from a broken window.
think that half an hour in my study
over a cigar may afford some profitable
amusement"
Our old chambers had been left un-
changed through the supervision of
Mycroft Holmes and the immediate
care Of Mrs. Hudson. AS l entered
l saw, 1t is true. an unwonted tidlness.
but the old landmarks were all in place.
There was the chemical corner and the
acidstained, deal-topped table. There
upon d shelf was the row Of formidable
scrap books and books of reference,
which many of our fellow citizens
would have been so glad to burn. The
diagrams, the violin-case. and the pipe
roo he Dn lot sill TT,
contained the topacco-all met my eyes
as ! glanced round me. There were
two occupants OF the room-one, Mrs
Hudson, who beamed upon us both as
we entered-the other. the strange
dummy which had played so important
a. part in the evenings adventures. II
was Il wax-colored model OF my friend
so admirably cone that it was perfect
fac-simile. 1t stood on small ped
estal table with an old dressing gown
of Holmes SO draped round 1t that the
Illusion from the street was absolutely
perfect.
Il hope you preserved all precau-
tons, Mrs. Hudson?" said Holmes.
Il went to It on my knees, sir. iust
as you told me-
Excellent. You carried the thing
out very WELL Did you observe where
the bullet went?
Yes, sir. Tn afraid it has spoilt
your beautiful bust. for it passed right
through the head and hattened itself
on the wall. I picked it up from the
carpet. Here 1t Isl"
Holmes held 1t out to me- IA soft
revolver bullet, as you perceive, Wat
son. There's genius in that. for who
would expect to find such a thing fired
from an air-gun. All right Mrs. Hud-
son, am much obliE ed for your assist
,ance. And now, Watson, let me see
You In the old seat once more, for there
are several points which should like
to discuss with YOU"
He had thrown off the seedy frOck
coat. and now he was the Holmes of
old In the mouse-colored dressing
gown which he took from his effigy.
The old shtkari'g nerves have NOT
Host their steadtness, nor his eyes theil
lkeeneas," said he with laugh, as he
inspected the shattered forehead OF thu
| bust.
Plumb In the middle OF the back Of
/ the head and smack through the brain
u He wan the best shot. in india. and i
expect that there are few better here
i in London. Have you heard tn;
1Sname ~ .1f
No, 4 have not. = 4
Well. well. such 10 fame! But. then
a if I remember right. you have no
II heard. the name of Professor Jame
lMOriarity. who had one of the grea
brains OF the century. Just give IN,
down my index OF biographies from tn,
81 shelf. D
I. He turned over the pages lasil,
a leantng back In his chair and blowinI
y great clouds Of smoke from his Cigar