Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-07-27

u repulsive story OF
$50 the red leech and
the terrible death of Crosby, the n
err. Here also 1 find an account or the
Addiction tragedy, and the inguia
contents of the ancient British bar
row. The famous Smith Mortimer
succession case comes also within TINS
period, and so does the tracking ana
arrest of Huret, the boulevard assas-
sin-an exploit which won for Holmes
an autograph letter Of thanks from the
French president and the order OF tne
Legion of Honor. Each of these Wouid
furnish a narrative, but on the whole
/ am CT opinion that none of them
unites so many singular points or IN
terest as the episode of YoXley Old
Place, which includes not only the
lamentable death of young Willoughpy
Smith, but also those subsequent de-
velopments which threw so curious a
light upon the aus of h crime.
1t was a wild, tempestuous night,
towards the close of November. Holmes
and I sat together in silence all the
evening, he engaged with a powerful
lens deciphering the remains of the or
iginal inscription upon a palimpsest,
l deep in a recent treatise upon surg
cry. Outside the wind howled down
Baker street, while the rain beat herce-
ly against the windows. 1t was strange
there, in the very depths Of the town
with ten miles of mans handiwork on
every side of us, to feel the iron grip OF
nature, and to be conscious that to the
huge elemental forces all London was
no more than the molehills that dot the
fields. l walked to the window and
looked out on the deserted street. The
occasional lamps cleaned on the ex-
panse Of muddy road and shining
pavement. A single cab was splash
- ~ 11x. thA HVfnrd Ctrnnt nnd
well, Watson, it's as well we have
not to turn out tonight" said Holmes,
aging aside his lens and rolling up
the palimpsest. I've done enough for
one sitting. 1t is trying work for the
eyes. So far as | can make out. 1t is
nothing more exciting than an abbeys
accounts dating from the second half
of the fifteenth century. Halloa! hall
loa! halloa! What's this?'
Amid the droning of the wind there
had come the stamping of a horses
hoofs, and the long grind Of a wheel
as 1T rasped against the curb. The
cab which l had seen had pulled up at
our door,.
What can he want?" I calculated,
as a man stepped out of 1t.
Want? He wants us. And we, my
poor Watson, want overcoats and
cravats and g~aloshes, and every aid
that mar aver invented to fight the
weather. Wait a bit, though! There's
the cab off again! There's hope yet.
He'd have kept 1T II he had wanted us
to ONE. Run down, my dear fellow.
and open the door, for all virtuous folk
have been long in bed"
When the light of the hall lamp fell
upon our midnight visitor / a no
difficulty in recognizing him. 1t was
young Stanley Hopkins, a promising
detective, In whose career Holmes had
several times shown a very practical
interest.
Us he in?" he asked, eagerly.
"Come up, my lear sir" said Holmes
no designs upon us such a night as
this"
The detective mounted the stairs.
and our lamp cleaned upon his shin
ing waterproof. 1 helped him out of
it, while Holmes knocked a blaze out
Of the logs in the crate.
Nov, my dear Hopkins, draw up
and warm your toes" said he. Here's
q cigar, and the doctor has a prescrip-
ton containing hot water and a lemon,
which is good medicine on a night
like this. II must be something i'm
portant which has brought you out In
such a gale"
ut is indeed, Mr.. Holmes. I've had
a bustling afternoon. l promise you.
~ YOU sec dIylHlHS VI Tic 1OAlSy
case in the latest editions ?"
I've seen nothing later than the
fifteenth century today"
We'll, 1t was only a paragraph, and
all wrong at that, SO you nave not
missed anything. I haven't let the
grass grow under my feet. It's down in
Kent, seven miles from Chatham and
three from the railway line. I was
wired for at 3:15, reached Yoxley Old
Place at S. conducted my investigation,
was back at Charing Cross by the last
train, inc straight to you by cab"
Which means, / suppose, hat you
are not quite clear about your case?"
1T means that / can make neither
head nor tail of 1t. So far as I can
see, 1t is just as tangled a business as
ever / handled. and yet at first 1t
seemed SO simple that one couldn't go
wrong. There's no motive, Mr.. Holmes.
That's what bothers mel can't put
my hand on a motive. Here's a man
dead-there's no denying that-but. so
far as / can see, nc reason on earth
why any one should wish him harm"
Holmes lit his cigar and leaned back
in his chair.
Let us hear about it," said he.
I've got my facts pretty clear said
Stanley Hopkins. "All I want now is
to know what they all near. The
story, so far as / can make 1t out, is
like this: Some years ago this coun-
try house, Yoxley Old Place, was taxi
en- by an elderly man, who gave the
name of Professor Coram. He was
an invalid, keeping his bed half the
time, and the other half hobbling round
The house with a stick or being pushed
.bout Ike grounds by the gardener
in a bath chair. He was well liked by
the few neighbors who called upon him,
and he has the reputation down there
of being a very learned man. His
household used to consist Of an elderly
housekeeper, Mrs. Marker, n of a
maid, Susan Tarlton. These have both
been with him since his arrival. and
they seem Il be women OF excellent
character. The professor is writing a
learned book, and he found II neces-
sary, about a year ago, to engage q
secretary. The first two that he tried