The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-10

They were certainly very much
larger thai any which he could have
made. and we're evidently quite fresh.
1t rained hard this afternoon, as you
know. and my patients wore the only
people who called. It must have been
the case, then, that the man in the
wafting-room had, for some unknown
reason, while / was busy with the
other, assembled to the room of my
resident patient. Nothing had been
touched or taken. but there were the
footprints to prove that the intrusion
was an undoubted fact.
Mr.. Blessington seemed more ex-
cited over the matter than / Should
have thought possible, though, OF
course, 1t was enough to disturb any
body's peace of mind. He actually a
crying in an arm chair, n / could
hardly get him to speak %coherently. 1t
was his suggestion that l should come
round to you, and, of course. I at once
saw the propriety of 1t, for certainly
the incident is a very singular one,
though he appears to completely over
rate its Importance. If you would only
come back with me in my %brougham,
you would at least be able to soothe
him. though | can hardly hope that you
will be able to explain this remarkable
occurrence
Sherlock Holmes had listened to this
long narrative with an in%tentness which
showed me that his interest was keenly
aroused. His face was as impressive as
ever. but his lids had dropped more
heavily over his eyes, and his smoke
had curled up more thickly from his
pipe to emphasize each curious episode
in the doctors tale. As our visitor con-
Guided, Holmes sprang up without a
word. handed me my hat, picked his
own from the table, and followed DIR.
Trevelyan to the door. Within a quar-
ter of an hour we had been dropped at
the door of the physicians residence in
Brook street, one of those sombre, fiat
faced houses which one associates with
a West-End practise. A small page adj
mitted us, and we began at once to
ascend the broad, w~ell-carpeted stair.
But a singular interruption brought
us to a s~tandstill. The light at the top
was suddenly whisked out, and from
the darkness came a reedy, %quavering
voice.
Il have a pistol it cried. 81 give
you my word that I'll fire If you come
any nearer
This really grows outrageous. Mr..
Blessington," cried DR.. T%revelyan.
''Oh. then 1t is you. DOCTOR said the
voice, with a great heave of relief.
But those other gentlemen, are they
what they pretened to be-"
We were conscious of a long scrutiny
out of the darkness.
Eyes, yes, it's all right" said the
voice at last. You can come up, and 1
am sorry if my precautions have an
noyed you"
He relit the stair gas as he spoke,
and we saw before us a singular-look-
ing man. whose appearance. as well as
his voice, testified TO his tangled nerves.
He was very fat, but had apparently
at some time been much fatter, so that
the skin hung about his face in loose
pouches, like the cheeks of a blood
hound. He was of a sickly color, and
his thin, sandy hair seemed TO bristle
up with the intensity of his emotion.
In his hand he held a pistol. but he
thrust it into his pocket as we adj
vanced.
"Good-evening. Mr.. Holmes said he.
Il am sure / am very much Obliged to
you for coming round. No one ever
needed your advice more than l do. |
suppose that DR.. Trevelyan has told
you of this most understandable intru-
sion into my rooms"
Quite So" said Holmes. WHO are
these two men, Mr.. Blessington, and
why do they wish TO modest YOU
"Well, we'll" said the resident pa
tient, in a nervous fashion. "of course
it is hard 10 say that. You can hardly
expect mo to answer that, Mr.. Holiness
do you mean that you don't knoW9'
"Come in here. if you please. Just
have the Kindness to step in here"
He led the way into his bedroom,
which was large and comfortably fur
nlshed.
you see that said he, pointing to-
a big black box at the end of his bed.
II have never been a very rich man.
Mr.. Holmes-never made but one in
Yestment in my life, as DR.. Trevelyan
would tell you. But ] don't believe in
bankers. | would never trust a banker.
Mr.. Holmes. Between ourselves, what
little ] nave is in that box, 50 you can
understand what it means to me when
unknown people force themselves INTO
my rooms.'
Holmes looked at Blessington in his
questioning way and shook his head.
81 cannot possibly advise you if you
try to deceive me- said he.
But l have told you everything.
Holmes turned on his heel with q
gesture Of disgust. Goodnight, DR..
T~revelyan," said he.
And no advice for me-" cried Bless
ingtou, in a breaking voice.
My advice to you, sir, is to speak
the truth
A minute later we We're in the street
and walking for home. We had crossed
oxford street and We're half way down
Harley street before / could get a word
from my companion.
Sorry TO bring you out on such .
FOOLS errand, Watson" he said at last.
1T is an interesting case, too. at the
bottom Of it."
Il can make little of it, I COM
fessed.
'tWcll. it is quite evident that there
are two men-more, perhaps, but at
least two-who are determined for soi.e
TO get at this fellow Blesslngton.
L have no doubt in my mind that both
on the first and on the second occasion
that young man penetrated to Blessing
toms room, while his confederate, by
an ingenious device, kept the doctor
from interfering"
And the catalepsy?"
"A fraudulent imitation, Watson.