The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-04-19

client. dropping and faint. handkeF-
chief around her mouth. Opposite her
stood brutal. heavy faccG. red mus
tachcd young man. his gathered legs
parted wide. one arm akimbo. the other
waving riding crop. his whole atti-
tudc suggestive of triumphant braNado
Between them an elderly. grey bearded
man. wearing short surplicc over
light tweed suit. had evidently just
completed the wedding service. for he
pocketed his prayer book a. we APP
pearcd. and slapped the sinister bride
groom upon the back In Jovial con-
graduation.
They're married." I gaspcd.
Come on" cried our guide: come
on" lie rushed across the glade.
Holmes and I nj hts heels. As we APP
preached. the lady staggered against
the trunk ~ the tree for support Will
hanson. the cx-Clergyman. bowed To us
with mock politcncss, and the bully.
Woodlcy. advanced with n shout OF
brutal aud cxhultant laughter.
You can take your beard or. Bob,
said he. Il know you. right enough.
Wen. you and your pals have just come
In time for mc to be able To intro
ducc you To- Mrs. Woodlcy."
our guides answer was singular
one. He snatched OF the dark beard
on the ground. disclosing a long. SAL
low. clean shlvcn face below IL. Then
he raised his revolver and covered the
young ruffiau. who was advancing upon
him with Tbs dangerous riding crop
swinging In his hand.
Yes" said our ally. Il am Bob Car
ruthcrs. and I'll sec this woman right
ell. II I have to swing for u. | told you
what I'd do u YOU molested her. and.
by the Lord. I'll be as good as my
word"
You're too late. She's my wife"
NO. she's your widow"
His revolver cracked. and I saw the
blood squirt from the front OF Wood
lcy's waistCoal lie spun around with
a scream and fell upon his back, hts
hideous rcd face turning suddenly to
"A dreadful notified pallor. The old
man, still clad In his surpliCe. burst
into such string OF foul oaths as ]
have never heard. and pulled out re-
volver Of his own. but. before he could
raise u, he was looking down the bar
rel or Holmes weapon.
Enough OF this" said my friend,
coldly. Drop that pistol. Watson.
pick IL up! Hold IL To his head.
Thank YOU. You. Carruthers. give me
that revolver. Wen have no more Nio-
lcncc. Come, hand IL over"
Who are you. them"
My name In Sherlock Holmes"
Good Lord"
You have heard OF me. see will
represent the official police until their
arrival Here. you!" nv shouted To a
frightened groom. who had appeared at
the edge OF the glade. Come here.
Take this note. as hard as you can ride,
to Farnham." He scrubbed "A few
words upon Leaf from his note book.
Give IL To the superintendent ut the
police station, Until he comes, I must
dctain you all under my personal Gus
tody."
The strong. masterful personality OF
Holmes dominated the tragic scene.
ana all were equally puppets In his
hands. Williamson and Carruthers
found themselves carrying the wound
cd Woodley into the house. and I gave
my arm To the frightened girl The in
Jured man was laid on his bed. and at
Holmes request l examined him.
carried my report to- where he sat In
the old tapestry hung dining room with
his two prisoners before him.
He viii live" said I.
What" cried Carruthers. springlng
out Of his chair. IN go upstairs and
finish him first. DO you tell me that
that girl, that angel. ~ tn be tied to
tN'tAlllNE JUN W oollf1 lpT illt
You need not concern yourself about
that" said Holmes. There are two
very good reasons why she should. un-
der no circumstances. be his wife. In
the first place. we are very safe In
Mr.. wllliamson's right to
sol"mnlZc u marriage"
Il have been ordained" cried the old
rascal.
And also unfrockcd"
once a clergyman. always "A clergy
man.
Il think not. How about the license 49,
we had licence for the marriage.
| have II here In my pocket
Then you got IL by a trick. But. In
any case, "A forced marriage ls no mar
riagc. but II is very serious felony,
az you will discover before you have
finished. You'll have time To think the
point out during the next ten years or
50, unless | am mistaken. ~ to you.
Carruthcrs. you would have done bet
ter To- keep your pistol Iva your pocket"
Il begin TO think so. Dir. Holmes. but
when ! thought OF all the precaution
had taken To shield this giri-ior
loved her. Ir. Holmes, and IL the only
time that ever I knew what love was
IL fairly drove me mad To think that
she was I'm the power OF the greatest
man whose name In a holy terror from
Kimberley TO Johannesburg. Why. Dir.
Holmes. your hardly believe u. but
ever since that girl has been I'm my EN-
ployment | never once let her 20 pas
this house. where I knew the rascals
were lurking. without following her on
my bicycle. just to see that she came
To no harm. ] kent my distance from
her. and I wore beard. so that she
should not recognize me. for she IN u
good and high spirited girl. and she
wouldn't have stayed In my employ
ment long had she thought that I was
following her about the country roads.
Why didn't you tell her OF her dan
GER"
Because. then. again. she would
have left the. and couldn't bear 10