The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-04-19
iv-rHE ADVENTURE or THE
SOLITARY CYCltST.-continue


tesque and bizarre than dangerous.
that n man should lie I'm wait for and
follow a very handsome woman L. no
unhcard of thing and III he has 10
little audacIty that he not only dared
not address her. but even fed from her
approach. he was not very formidable
assailant. The ruftian woodley was a
very different person. but. except on
one occasion. hc has not molested our
client. and now he visited the house OF
Cnrruthers without intruding upon her
presence. The man on the bicycle was
doubtless a member 90 those Weekend
parties at the hail OF which the publ
can had spoken. but who lac Was. or
what he wanted. Was ns obscure as
ever. II Was the severity OF Holmes
manner. and tho fact that he slipped
n revolver into his pocket. before lcaN
Ing our rooms which Impressed me
with the feeling that tragedy might
prove TO Turk behind this curious train
OF events.
A rainy might had been followed by
a glorious morning, and the heath COW
cred country side. with the glowing
ciumps Of lowering gorse, seemed all
the more beautiful To eyes which were
weary of the durs and irlbs and slate
Ereys OF London. Holmes and I walked
along the broad. sandy road lnhalinr
the fresh morning air, ard rcjoiCins
breath az spring. FROM a rise OF the
Rad on the shoulder of Crooksbury
hill. we could see the grim hall brlstling
out from amidst the ancient oaks.
which. old "a they were. were sti'l
younger than the building which they
surrounded. Holmes pointed down
the iorg tract OF road. which wound.
reddish yellow band. between the
brown OF the heath aud the budding
green OF the woods, Far away. n black
dot We could see u vehicle moving I'm
our direction. Holmes gave an ex-
ciama;ion OF Impotence.
Il have given a margin Of half an
hour" said he. ''lf that II her trap.
abe must nc making for the earlier
train. I fear. Watson. that she viii be
past Chnrlington before We can pos
slbly meet her
Prom the instant that we passed the
rise. we could no longer see the We
hicle. but We huSteucd EDWARDS at such
pace that my scndcniaty life began
To tell upon me. and I was compelled
To fall behind. Holmes. however. was
always In training, Tor he had mex
haustible stores OF nervous energy upon
which To draw. Ills sprInEy step never
slowed until suddenly. when he was a
hundred yar is in front az me. he halt
ed. and | saw him throw up HIS hand
with gesture Of grief and despair. At
the same instant an empty dog cart.
the horse cantcring. the rcins trailing.
appeared around the curve OF the road
and ratified swiftly toward us.
TOO late. Watson. too late!" cried
Holmes. IN I ran painting to his side.
Fool that I was. not Ia allow for that
earlier train! Its abduction. Watson
--abductioni Murder! Heaven knows
what! Block the road. stop the
horse! That's right Now. jump In.
and let us see IL I can repair the conse-
qucnccs OF my own blunder."
We had sprung into the dog cart. ard
Holmes. after turning the horse. gave
u n sharp cut with the whip. and we
few back along the road. AZ We
turned the curve. the whole Btrctcf 81
road between the hall and the heath
was opened up. l graspcd Holmes
arm.
That's the mani" gasped.
A solitary cyclist was coming to-
wards US. Tits head was down and his
shoulders rounded. ms hr put every
ounce OF energy that ne possessed onto
the pedals. lie was dying like racer.
Suddenly he raised his bearded face.
Jaw us close To him. and pulled up.
sprtnging from the machine. That
cuai-bllC beard WAS la singular con-
trast TO the palior OF his face. and his
eyes were as bright az ~ he had
fevci. lie stared At us and at the dog
cart. Then n look OF lmazcmcnt came
over his face.
"HalIoa! Stop there" 80 shouted.
holding his bicycle To- block our road.
where did you get that dog cart?
Pull up. man" he yelled. drawing "a
pistol from hts side pocket. Pull up,
l say, or. by George. I'LL put "a bullet
into your horse"
Holmes threw thc rclna into my lap.
and sprang down from the cart
You're the mHn Ne want to see.
where is Miss Violet smith," he said.
ia his quick. clear way.
That's what I'm asking you. You're
Ca her dog cart. You ought to know
where she is"
I'VE met the dog cart on the road.
There was 40 one I'm II. We drove back
to help the young lady"
Good Lord! Good, Lord. what shall
I doZ" cried the stranger. In AN ecstasy
ar despair They've got her thai hell
hound Wcodtey and the blackguard
parSon. Come. man, come. " you really
are her friend. Stand 10y the and wei
save her. II have to irave my carcass
in Chnrlington wood"
He ran distractcdiy. mis- pistol In
hand. towards gap In the hedge.
Holmes followed him. and l. leaving the
horse grazing beside the road followed
Holmes.
This ~ where they came through"
said he. pointing 10 the marks of sever
al feet upon the muddy path. Hal
ioa. Stop a minute. Who's this In
the bush ,"
II was a young fellow about seven
teen. dressed like an ostlcs, with
leather cords and CATERS. lie lay upon
his back. hts knees drawn up. a ter
rlble cut upon his head. He was In
sensible. but alive. a glance at his
wound told me that IL had not pcnc-
iratcd the bCac.
That's Peter. the groom" cried tho
stranger. He drove her. The beasts
have pulled him OF and dubbed him.
Let him lie; We can't do him any good.
hut We may save her from tn. worst
fate that can befail "A woman"
We ran lrnnliCaily down the path.
which wound among the trees. We had
reached the shrubbery which surround
I'D the house when Holmes pulled up.
They didn't 20 To the house. Here
are their marks on the lrft=-=herr be-
side the laurel bushes. All. I said So"
As he spoke. a womans shrill scream
"a scream which vibrated with n
frenzy OF horror--burst from the thick.
green clump OF bushes Ia front OF us.
IL ended suddenly on its highest note
with n choke and a gurgle.
This way! This way. They are
In the bowling alley" cried the strun-
ger, dnrting through the bushes. All,
the cowardly dogs! Follow me. gem
tieraen! Too late! too late! by the Nv
Ing Jingol"
We had broken suddenly into a