Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-08-02

leads only to the professors room.
There is no exit that --'ay?''
No, sir
I'VE shall go down it and make the
acquaintance of the professor Halloa,
Hopkins. this is very important, very
important indeed. The professors cor
ridor is also lined with cocoanut mat
ting
We'll, sir. what of that"
Don't you see any bearing upon the
case? Well we'll, don't insist upon it.
No doubt | am wrong. And yet it
seems to me to be suggestive. Come
with me and introduce me-.
We passed down the passage which
was of the same length as that which
led to the garden. At the end was Il
short flight of steps ending i'm a door.
Our guide Knocked, and then ushered
us into the professors bedroom.
1t Was Il Very large chamber, lined
with innumerable volumes which had
overlooked from the shelves and lay in
piles in the corners, or We're stacked
All round at the base of the cases The
bed was in the center of the room, and
In 1t. propped up with pillows w-ls the
owner of the house. I have seldom
seen a more remarkable look ing per-
son. 1t WAS Il gaunt, aquiline face
1880 N'''' tui iltu loMstIlS us, MlUl
piercing dark eyes. which lurked in
deep hollows under overhung and
tufted brows. His hair and beard We're
Wnlte. save that the latter was curious
~ stained with yellow around his
mouth a cigarette slowcd amid
the tansle of white hair, and
the air of the room Was fetid
With Stale tobacco-smokc. AS he hold out
ms hand To Holmes, ] perceived that it
was also stained with yellow nicotine.
A smoker Mr. Holmes" said he.
speaking in well-chosen English with Il
curious little mincng accent Pray take
a cigaret. And YOU, sir? | can rccom-
mend the,n, for | have them especially
prepared by 1ondes, of Alexandria, He
sends mo thousand at Il time, and
sricvc to say that have to arrange for Il
fresh supply every fortnight Bad. sir,
very bad. but an old man has few pleas
ures. Tobacco ana my work that is all
that is left TO me-
Holmes had lit cigaret. and was shoot
ing little darting glances all over the
room
tobacco" the old man exclaimed. Alas,
what fatal interruption. Who could have
forescen such a terrible catastrophe? So
cst.mablc Il young man! i assure you
that, after few months training he was
an admirable assistant. What do you
think of the matter, Mr. IIomes?'
II have not yet made up my mind"
~ shall indeed be indebted to you If you
can throw light where all is SO dark
to US. TO poor baeANaym and invalid
like myself such y blow Is paralyzing. !
seem to have lost the faculty of thought.
k4s yna ayes man of action-you are a
man 81 affairs. l, is part OF the everyday
reM..ne Of your life. You can preserve
ssWHF balance In every emergency We are
Fortunate, indeed, in having YOU at our
Side
Homes was pacing up and down OH:
side of the room whilst the old professor
was talking. | observed that he was
IN boxing with extraordinary rapidity 1t
was evident hat lie shared our hosts lik-
ing for th' fresh .Mexandrian cigarets
les. sr. it is a crushing blow" said the
old MAJ. That is my magnum opus-the
pile OF papers on the side table yonder
III is my ana.ysis of The documents found
N the cop,ic munastcrics of Syria and
Egypt. a work witch win cut deep at the
wry foundation of revealed religion. With
my enfrcbl,,l health not know wheth-
or shall ever be able 0 complete it, now
that my assistant has been taken from
nc. Dear me. Nh holmes, why. YOU are
exc n II quicker smoker than | am myself =
Holmes anil.od.
II am a conno.sse,lr" said he. taxing
another aisar,i from the box-i his fourth
and Lighting II from til" Stub of chat which
he had iiiiishnd 81 will i4et trouble you
with amy lengthy osS-exainination, Pro-
f,ssor CoiAln. s:nc. | gather that You
wcr in bod at the time OF the crime aud
could know nothing about It. would only
ask this What do you imagine that this
poor follow meant by his last words. The
Professor-=it Was She
Tho professor shook his head