The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-06-01

~ II CoAA0 Doyle A04 C0llbeo Wookly.
THE ADVENTURE OF sLACn
PETER.-continued.
Alfghting at a small wayside station
We drove for some miles through the
fvematns of widespread woods, which
We're once part OF that great forest
lvaders at bay-the impenetrable
~weald." for sixty years the bulwark OF
Britain. Vast sections OF 1t had been
cleared. for this is the seat of the hrst
hron works of the country, and the
trees have been felled to smelt the ore.
Now the richer fields OF the north have
absorbed the trade, and nothing save
these ravaged groves and great scars
In the earth show the work of the past.
Hers. in clearing upon the green
slope OF q hill. stood a long, low, stone
mouse. approached by a curving drive
running through the fields. Nearer the
ftoad. and surrounded OF three. sides by
feushes, was q small clubhouse, one win
dow and h door facing in our d.
teoctlon. It was the scene OF the MUIR
Stanley Hopkins led us first to the
thouse, where he introduced us to a
lhaggard, grey haired woman, the widow
fef the murdered man, whose gaunt INC
deep lined face. with the furtive look
fof terror In the depths Of her red
}nmmed eyes, told Of the years of hard
ship and Ill usage which she had en-
blurred. With her was her dauster. a
tpals. fair haired girl. whose eyes blazed
tAehantly at u as she told us that she
f.as lad that her father was dead. and
fthat she blessed the hand which had
IISssruck him down. It vas q terrible
iAousehold that Black Peter Carey had
FnAds Tor himself, and 1t was with q
fpenss OF relief that we found ourselves
IN the sunlight again. and making our
jecross the fields by the feet OF the
The Clubhouse wa the simplest Of
i0welltngs. wooden walled. shingle
ltoofed. one window beside tho door and
i1ne on b farther side. Stanley Hop
1dns drew the key from his pocket and
had stopped to the lock. when he
stp4used with q look Of attention and
burprise IN his face.
someone has been tamperinx with
-" he said.
There could be no doubt Of the fact.
%1ne woodwork was cut. and the scratch-
l9opshowed white through the paint, as
- they Q been that instant done.
HaoImes had been examining the win
Cow.
-someone has tried to force this
Also. Whoever 1t was has failed to
snake his way in. He must have been
= very poor burglar"
is q most extraordinary thing"
Haid the inspector. II could swear
10y these marks were not here yester-
LAY evening"
Some curious person from the VII
Nage. perhaps" suggested.
Very unlikely. Few Of them would
sdaro to set foot In the grounds, far
Nees to try to force their way into the
eabin. What do you think OF 1t, M.
Holmes?s 80
= think that fortune IL very kind to
You mean that the person will come
s3aln?''
can't =. a !. gsry i pF Oh - He
open. He tried to get in with the blade Of
- worry small penknife. He could not man
axe It. What would he do 2"
Come again next night with a more
,Oseful tool
SO I should say. It will be our fault
Il We are not there to receive HIM. Mean
Whtle, let me see the inside OF the cabin.
The traces OF the tragedy had been re-
,1noved. but the furniture within the little
still stood at Is had been on the
OF the crime. For two hours with
1most intense concentration. Holmes ex-
sAmlned every object in turn. but his face
showed that his quest was not q success
f1ul one. Once only he paused in his pa
tient Investigation.
-a7a X1AS0 SO0 IRA6u 0nYINlnK OH Snl8 A0GlI.
Hopkins? 4"
y s"sJNo, / have moved nothing.
! ~sss5Something has been taken. There 10
- dust In this corner Of the shelf than
elsewhere. II may have been . book lying
onstts D.de. II may have been q box. Well,
Well. I can do nothing more. Let US walk
In these beautiful woods. Watson. and
give . few hours to the birds and the
Mowers. We shall meet you here later.
aaopkins. and see II We can come to closer
quarters with the gentleman who has paid
oils visit IN the night"
It was past II O'Clock when We formed
eur little ambuscade. Hopkins was for
eaavtng the door Of the hut open. but
Holmes was OF tho opinion that this would
couse the suspicious OF the stranger. The
lock was q perfectly simple one, only a
strong blade was NEEDED to push 1t back.
Holmes also suggested that we should
walt. not inside the hut, but outside 1t
among the bushes which grew round the
farther window. In this wav we should no