The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-03-29

had your advice"
Holmes sat in silence for some little
time.
'W'here is the gentleman to whom
you are engaged 2" he asked ut last.
"He is in the Midland Electrical con- !
pany, at Coventry"
"Hc would not pay YOU Il surprise
visit:"
"Oh. Mr.. Holmes. AS if should not
know him.
''Have YOU had any other admirers?"
Several before l knew Cyril
And since?"
"Ihere was this dreadful man. Wood
ley, if You can call him an admirer."
NO one else:"
Our fair client seemed little con
fused.
"Who was he?" asked Holmes.
ooh, it mag be 4 mere fancy of mine,
but 1T had seemed to me sometimes
that my employer Mr.. Carruthers,
takes q great deal of interest in me-
He has never said anything. He is a
perfect gentleman. But girl always
knows"
"Ha" Holmes looked grave. What
does he do for living?"
"He is rich man."
mo carriages or horses?''
"Well, at least he is fairly well to do.
But he goes into the city two or three
times week. He is deeply interested
in South African gold shares"
"You will let me know any fresh de-
velopment. Miss Smith, am very
busy just now, but l will find time to
make some inquiries into your case.
In the meantime take no step without
letting me know. Goodby, and trust
that we shall have nothing but good
news from you.'
ut is part of the settled order of ma
ture that such girl should have fol-
lowers" said Holmes as he pulled at
his meditative pipe, but for choice not
on bicycles in lonely country roads.
Some secretive lover, beyond all doubt
But there are curious and suggestive
details about the case, Watson"
"That he should appear only at that
point:''
Exactly Our first effort must be to
find who are the tenants Of Charling-
ton Hall. Then, again, how about the
connection between Carruthers and
Woodley, since they appear to be men
of such different type? How came
they both to be SO keen upon looking
up Ralph Smiths relations? One more
point What sort Of menage is 1t
which pays double the market price for
governess. but does not keep a horse,
although six miles from the station?
Odd. Watson-very odd!'
you will go down?'
"No, my dear fellow; you will go
down. This may be some trifling in
trigue and | cannot break my other
important research for the sake of it.
On Monday you will arrive early at
Farnham; you will conceal yourself
near Charlington heath; you will OBJ
serve these facts for yourself and act
having inquired as to the occupants of
the hall, you will come back to me and
report"
We had ascertained from the lady
that she went down upon the Monday
by the train which leaves Waterloo. at
$50, so started early and caught the
9:13. At Farnham station had no diff
ficulty in being directed to Charlington
heath. 1t was impossible to mistake
the scene Of the young lady's adyen
ture, for the road runs between tho
open heath on one side and an old yew
hedge upon the other, surrounding 6
park which is studded with magnificent
trees. There was main gateway Of
lichen studded stone, each side pillar
surmounted by moldering heraldic EN-
, blems, but besides this central car
riage drive observed several points
where there We're gaps in the hedge
and paths leading through them. TIL
house was invisible from the road, bu
the surroundings all spoke Of gloon
, and decay.
+ The heath was covered with COLDER
patches Of Towering gorse gleamin,
I magniticent!y In the light of the brigh
, spring sunshine. Behind one of thes
9 clumps | took up my position so as t
, command both the gateway Of the hal
+ and long stretch of the road upol
e either side 1t had been deserted whel
e left it. but now saw cyclist ridins
! down it from the opposite direction &
e that in which had come. He was ella,
d In Il dark suit, and l saw that he had
black beard. On reaching the end o
5 the CharliIg.on grounds he spran
d from his machine and led it through
e gap in the hedge, disappearing fron
;, my view.
y \ quarter of an hour passed, an
}. then Il second cyc.ist appeared. Thi
Il time it was the young lady comm
+ from the station. saw her look abou
II her us she came to the Chariingto
II hedge. An instant later the man emers
e cd from his hiding place, sprans upo
!. his cycle and followed her. In all t.
e broad landscape those We're the ON
II moving figures, the graceful girl 81
e ting very straight upon her machil
Il and the man behind her bending To-
g over his handle bar with curiousl