The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-03-29
The Adventure of
the Solitary
Cyclist

Ell M00uleV INTO the mouse. ana gave
my arm TO the frightened girl. The in
jured man was laid on his bed, and at
Holmes request | examined him.
carried my report to where he sat in
the old Tapestry hung dining room with
his two prisoners before him.
HE will live" said l.
WHAT cried Carruthers, springing
out of his chair. "l'll 90 upstairs and
finish him first. DO YOU tell me that
that girl. shat angel, is to be tied to
Roaring Jack Woodley for life?"
You need not concern yourself about
that said Holmes. There are two
very good reasons why she should under
no circumstances be his wife. In the
first place, we are very safe in ques-
tioning Mr. Williamson's right to sol
emni2e a marriage"
II have been ordained" cried the old
rascal
"And also unfrocked"
"Once clergyman, always clergy
man"
Il think not. How about the IL
cense?'
I'VE had a license for the marriage.
have it here in my pocket"
Then You got it by a trick. But in
any case q forced marriage is no mar
riage, but it is a very serious felony,
as YOU will discover before YOU have
finished. You'll have time to think the
point out during the next ten years or
so, unless l am mistaken. AS to you,
Carruthers, you would have done bet
ter to keep your pistol in your pocket"
II begin to think so, Mr.. Holmes, but
when | thought of all the precaution l
had taken to shield this girl-for
loved her, Mr.. Holmes, and it is the
only time that ever | knew what love
was-it fairly drove me mad to think
that she was in the power of the great
est brute ana bully in South Africa-a
man whose name is holy terror from
Kimberley to johannesburg. Why, Mr..
Holmes, You'll hardly believe it, but
ever since that girl has been In my
employment | never once let her go
past this house. where l knew the ras
calls were lurking, without following
her on my bicycle just to see that she
came to no harm. I kept my distance
from her, and wore beard so that
she should not recognize me, for she is
good and high spirited girl, and she
wouldn't have stayed in my employ
ment long If she had thought that j
was following her about the country
roads"
why didn't you tell her of her dan
ger?''
Because then again, she would have
left ME, and | couldn't bear to face
was a great deal to me just to see her
dainty form about the house and to
hear the sound of her voice
WELL" said 1, you call that love-
Mr.. Carruthers, but l should call il
selfiShness."
Maybe the two things go together.
Anyhow, l couldn't let her go. Be
Sides With this crowd about it was
we'll that she should have some one
near to look after her. Then, when the
cable came knew they We're bound
to make a move"
"What caDle:'
Carruthers took g telegram from Iii;
pocket.
That's it, said he
1t was short and concise:
THE old man is dead"
"Hum!'' said Holmes. II think I sec
how things worked, and can under
stand how this message would. as you
say, bring them to head But while
you wait you might tell me what YOU
can
The old reprobate With the surplice
burst into a volley of bad language.
by heaven" said he, ''if you squeal
on us, Bob Carruthers, Ill serve you as
you served jack NNoodley. You cali
bleat about the girl to your hearts
content, for that's your own affair, but
If You round on your pals to this plain
clothes copper it will be the worst
days work that ever you did"
Your reverence need not be eXcit-
ed" said Holmes, lighting cigarette.
1.-The case is clear enough against you,
eeAA0 oii L toA 10 q lew oCldllS LUZ
private curiosity However, if there's
any difficulty in your telling me I'll do
the talking, and then you will see how.
far You have chance of holding back
your secrets. In the first place, three
of you came from South Africa on this
game-you, Williamson; you, Carruth-
ers. and Woodley."
'Lie number one" said the old man.
II never saw either of them until two
months ago, and | have never been in
Africa in my life, SO you can put that
in your pipe and smoke it, MI. Busy
body Holiness
What he says is true" said Car
ruthers.
well, well, two of you came over.
His reverence is our own homemade
article. You had known Ralph Smith
in South Africa. You had reason to
believe he would not live long. You
found out that his niece would inherit
his fortune. How's that-chY'
Carruthers nodded and Williamson
swore
"She was next OF kin. no doubt, and
Won were aware that tho old fellow