The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-06

that I was dead, and I meant that they
never should. I heard that Barclay
had married Nancy, and that he was
rising rapidly in the regiment. but
even that did not make me speak.
But when one gets old one has a
longing for home. For years I've been
dreaming of the bright green fields and
the hedges OF England. At last l de-
termined to see them before 1 died. I
saved enough to bring me across. and
then I came here where the soldiers
are, for | know their ways and how to
amuse them and so earn enough to
keep me-
Your narrative is most interesting"
said Sherlock Holmes. IT have already
heard of your meeting with Mrs. Bar
clay, and your mutual recognition. You
then. as / understand, followed her
home and saw through the window an
alteration between her husband and
her, in which she doubtless cast his
conduct to you in his teeth. Your ~
feelings overcame you, and you ran
across the lawn and broke in upon
them"
Il did, sir, n at the sight of me
he looked as I have never seen a nj
look before. and over he went with bis
head or the fender. But he was dead
before he fell. I read death on his
face as plain as / can read that text
over the fire. The bare sight of me
was like a bullet through his guilty
heart"
And them"
".Then Nancy tainted. and I caught
up the key of the door from her hand,
intending to unlock it and get help.
But as I was doing it it seemed to me
better to leave it alone and get away.
for the thing might look black against
me, and anyway my secret would be
out. If 1 were taken. In my haste l
thrust the key Into my pocket. and
dropped my stick while / was chasing
Teddy, who had run up the curtain.
When I got him into his box, from
which he had slipped, 1 was off as fast
as I could rum
who's Teddy?" asked Holmes.
The mar leaned over n pulled UP
the front of a kind of hutch in the cor
ner. In an instant out there slipped q
beautiful reddish brown creature, thin
and 1.-THE. with the legs of a stoat, q
long, thin nose, and a pair of the finest
red eyes that ever I saw In an ami
mails head.
TITS q mongoose," I cried.
"Well, some call them that, and some
call them ichneumon,' said the man.
"Snake-catcher is what l call them,
and Teddy is amazing quick on cobras.
1 have one here without the fangs,
and Teddy catches it every night to
please the folk in the canteen.
amy other point, sir?"
well. we may have to apply to you
again if Mrs. Barclay should prove to
be in serious trouble
"In that case, of course, I'd come
forward
But if. not. there is no object in
raking UP this scandal against a dead
man, foully as he has acted. You have
at least tho satisfaction of knowing
that for thirty years of his life his con-
science bitterly reproached him for this
wicked deed. All. there goes Major
Murphy on the other side OF the street.
Goodby, Wood. | want to learn If any
thing has happened since yesterday
We were in time to overtake the
major before he reached the r
"Ah, Holiness" he said; 81 suppose
you have heard that all this fuss has
come to nothing?"
What them"
"The inquest is just over. The medic
cal evidence showed conclusively that
death was due to apoplexy. You see 1t
was quite a simple case after ALL"
"Oh, remarkably superficial" said
Holmes. smiling. Come, Watson, I
don't think we shall be wanted in Al
dershot any more"
There's one thing" said I, as we
walked down to the station. IF the
husbands name was James. and the
other was Henry, what was this talk
about David?"
THAT one word, my lear Watson,
should have told mo the whole story
had L been the ideal reasoner which
you are so fond of depicting. 1t was
evidently a term of r%eproach."
0 ~reproach?"
yes; David strayed a little OCCASION
ally, you know, and on one occasion in
the Same direction as Sergeant James
Barclay. You remember the small at
fair of Uriah and Bathsheba? My bib
lical knowledge is a tri1e rusty, / tear,
but you will find the story in the first
or second of Samuel
1.-THE End.]