The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-08-10
x.-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
GOLDEN Observation-Disclosures.

"a lady entered your study, She cam,
with the intention OF possessing herse.
OF certain documents which were IN youl
bureau. She had . key CT her WI. / havt
had an opportunity Of examining yours
and / do not find that slight d.scol-
GRAFTON which the scratch made upor
tho varnish would have produced. You
were rot an accessory. therefore, ana
she came, so far as l can read the evil
1ence, without your knowledge to rot
you."
The professor blew a cloud from his
lips. This is most interesting and in,
structive," said he. Have you no more
to add? Surely, having traced this lady
SO far, you can also say what has become
of her"
Il will endeavor to do so. In the first
place she was seized by your secretary
and stabbed him in order to escape. This
catastrophe 1 am inclined to regard as
an unhappy accident, for / am convinced
that the lady had no intention of infiict-
ing SO g%rievous an injury. An assassin
does not come unarmed. Mortified by
what she had done. she rushed wildly
away from the scene OF the tragedy. I'm
fortunately Tor her, she had lost her
glasses In the scuffie, and as she was eN-
'sremely short-sighted she was really help
less without them. She ran down a corri-
DOR. which she imagined to be that by
which she had come-both were lined with
cocoanut matting-and it was only when
1t was too late that she understood that
.sh had taken the wrong passage. and that
her retreat was cut off behind her. What
was she to do? She could not go back.
She could not remain where she was. She
must go On. She went on. She mounted
q stair, pushed open a door, and found
herself In your ROOM
The old man sat with his mouth open,
staring wildly at Holmes. Amusement and
FEAR were slammed ,1npp bic ovrraSS;,a
features. Now, with an effort he shrugged
his shoulders and burst into insincere
laughter.
"A very fine, MIR. Holmes said he.
But there is one little flaw in your splen-
did theory. I was myself In my room.
and I never left it during the day."
Il am aware OF that, Professor Coram."
And you mean to say that 1 could lie
~ Thai bed and not be aware that a
woman had entered my room?"
Il never said so. You We're aware of it.
You spoke with her. You recognized her.
You aided her to escape"
Again the professor burst into high
keyed laughter. He had risen to his feet,
and his eyes glowed like embers.
You are mad!' he cried. You are talk
Ing insanely. 1 helped her to escape?
Where is she now?"
She is there" said Holmes. and he
pointed to a high bookcase in the corner
of the room.
4 saw the old man throw up his arms, a
terrtble CONFUSION passed over his grim
lace. and he fell back in his chair. AT the
same instant the bookcase at which
Holmes pointed swung round upon a
sntnse, and a woman rushed out into the
room. You are right" she cried, in a
strange, foreign voice. You are right! L
ARP here"
She was brown with the dust, and
: trapped with the cobwebs, which had come
+: from the walls of her hiding place. Her
faee, i1o, was streaked with Crime, and at
che best she could never lave been hand
come. for she had the exact physical char
acteristcS which Holmes had OWNED with
In addition, a long and obstinate chin.
What with her natural blindness, and
what with the change from dark to light,
. she stood as one dazed, blinking about her
ITO see where and who we We're. And yet,
I'm spite of all these disadvantages, there
was a certain nobility in the woman's
bearing-a %gallantry in the defiant CHR
and in the appraised head, which compelled
.-sosneehing of respect and admiration.
Stanley Hopkins had laid his. hand upon
her arm and claimed her as his prisoner,
{ but she waved him aside gently, and yet
: wfttiien overmastering dignity which COM
/ PEELED obedience. The old man lay back
y his chair with a twitching face, and
Jared at her with brooding eyes.
Yes. sir, [ am your prisoner" she said.
H AOLl WlltIS i SlOOu i COulu near eSSFy.
thing, and I know that you nave learned
= thea truth. I confess it all. 1t was l who
t.killdds the young man. But you are right
you who say 1t was an accident. 1 did
snot'even know that it was a knife i held
tin'goy ilaund, for in my despair I snatched
enmytiiing from the table and struck at
khtm 't0 make him let me go. 1t is the
truth that I tell"
MADAM" said Holmes. 81 am sure
,ts1at it is the truth. 1 fear that you are
t1sr from we'll"
sSne had turned a dreadful color. the
more CHASTITY under the dark dust-streaks
upon her face. She seated herself on the
side OF the bed; then she resumed:
Il have only a little time here" she said.
~'but I would have you to know the whole
truth. I am this mans wife. He is not
an Englishman. He is a Russian. His
name I will not tell"
For the first time the old man stirred
sGod bless you, Anna!!" he cried. Goo
bless your
She cast a look of the deepest disdain ir
lhis direction. why should you cling SC
hard to that wretched life of yours, Ser.
aEius?" said she. 1T has done harm tc
many, and good to none-not even to your
self. However, it is not for me to cause
Iane trail thread to be snapped before God:
THINE. l have enough already upon m,
soul since crossed the threshold Of thi!
cursed house. But / must speak or l shall
be too late.
II AVE said, gentlemen, that I am tn:
mans wife. He was fifty and L a fool
ish girl of twenty when we married. l
was in a city of Russia. a university
xill not name the place"
God bless you, Anna!' muttered the OLE
man again.
I'VE were Observation-Disclosures
Nlhilists. you understand. He and l ant
many more. Then there came a time o
trouble, a police officer was killed, man,
were arrested. evidence was wanted, an,
In order to save his own life and to earl
a great reward. my husband betrayed hi
own wife and his companions. Yes, w,
were all arrested upon his confession
Some of US found our way to the gallows
and some to Siberia. / was among shes
last, but my term was not for life M,
husband came to England with his ill
gotten gains. and has lived in quiet eve
since, knowing well that If the brother
hood knew where ne was not a week woul
pass before justice would be done"
The old man reached out a tremblini
hand, and helped himself to a cigare,
"I am in your hands, Anna said he