Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-02-02

tall. thin man with colored glasses,
whom / strongly suspected of being a
plain clothes detective, was pointing
out some theory of his own. while the
others crowded around him to listen TO
what he said. / got as near him as
could, but his observations seemed to
me to be absurd, so I withdrew again In
some disgust. AS | did so | struck
against an elderly, deformed man, who
had been behind me, and | knocked
down several books which he had been
carrying. | remember that as | picked
them up, / observed the title of one
Of them, THE Origin of Tree Wor-
ship" and it struck me that the fellow
must be some poor b~ibliophile, who,
either rs a trade or as a hobby, was q
collector of obscure volumes. i en-
deayored to apologize for the accident,
but it was evident that these books
which / had so unfortunately maltreat-
ed were very precious objects in the
eyes Of their owner. With a snarl Of
contempt he turned upon his heel, and
/ saw his curved back and white side
W1iskers disappear among the thrOng.
My observations of No. 427 Park
Lane did little to clear up the problem
i'm which / was Interested. The house
was separated fEpm the street by a
low wall and railing. the whole not
more than five feet high. II was per-
fectly easy, therefore, for anyone to get
into the garden, but the window was
entirely inaccessible, since there was no
Waterpipe or anything which could
help the most active man to climb it.
More puzzled than ever, | retraced my
steps to Kensington. / had not been
in my study five minutes when the
maid entered 10 say that a person de-
sired to see me. To my establishment
IT was none other than my strange
cid book collector, his sharp, wizened
face peering out from a frame Of white
hair, and his precious volumes, a dozen
Of them at least, Wedged under his
right arm.
You're surprised to see me, sir" said
he, in a strange, croaking voice.
l acknowledged that l was.
We'll, I've q conscience, sir, and
when l CHANGED to see you go into this
house, as l came hobbling after you,
thought to myself, I'll just step in and
see that kind gentleman, and tell him
that If / was q bit gruff in my man
ner there was not any harm meant,
and that l am much obliged to him for
picking up my books"
You make too much of a trife," said
|. May | ask how you knew who 1
was?"
well, sir, If it isn't too great a lib
erty, / am a neighbor of yours, for
you'll find my little bookshop al the
corner of Church street, and very
happy to see you, l am sure. Maybe
you collect yourself, sir. Here's Brit
isb Birds, and 'Catullus,' and The Holy
War'-a bargain, every one of them.
With five volumes you could just fill
that gap on that second shelf. 1t looks
untidy, does it not, sir?"
l moved my head at the cabinet be-
hind me. When | turned again Sher-
lock Holmes was standing smiling at
me across my study table. rose to
my feet, stared at him for some Sec
onds in utter amazement,. and then 1t
appears hat | must have tainted for
the first and the last time in my
life. Certainly a grey mist swirled be-
fore my eyes, and when it cleared I
found my collar ends undone and the
tingling after-taste of brandy upon my