The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-25

off OF to other topics.
Blu it was a weary day for me.
Phelps was still weak after his long
illness, and his misfortunes made him
querulous and V In vain l en-
deavored to interest him in Afghanis-
tan, in India, In social questions, In
anything which might take his mind
out of the groove. He would always
come back to his lost treaty, wonder
ing, guessing, specializing as to What
Holmes was doing, what steps Lord
Holdhurst was taking. what news We
should have in the morning. AS the
evening wore on his excitement be-
came quite painful.
you have implicit faith in Holmes?v
he asked.
II have seen him do some remark
able things"
"But he never brought light into
anything quite so dark as this?"
"Oh, yes; I have known him solve
questions which presented fewer clues
than yours"
But not where such large interests
are at stalker"
"I don't know that. To my certain
knowledge he has acted on behalf Of
three of the reigning houses of Europe
in very vital matters"
But you know him well, Watson.
He is such IN inscrutable fellow h |
never quite know What to make Of
him. Do you think he is hopeful? Do
you think he expects to make a sue
cess of it?"
"He has said nothing"
THAT is a bad sign"
ION the contrary, 1 have noticed
that when he is off the trail he gem
aPa la Nyn CO Il fa 4a-Inn hn &c m n
scent and is not quite absolutely sure
yet that it is the right one that he is
most taciturn. Now, my dear fellow.
we can't help matters by making our
implore you to go to bed so be
fresh for whatever may await US to-
morrow"
/ was able at last to persuade my
companion to take my advice, though
1 knew from his excited manner that
there was not much hope of sleep for
him. Indeed, his mood was infectious,
for I lay tossing half the night myself,
brooding over this strange problem,
and i%nventing a hundred theories each
of which was more impossible h a the
last. Why had Holmes remained at
Working? Why had he asked Miss a
rison to remain in the sick room all
day2 Why had he been so careful not
to inform the people at B~riarbrae that
he intended to remain near them? 1
cudgeled my brains until / fell asleep
in the endeavor to find some explana-
ton which would cover all these facts.
1t was Z o'clock when | awoke, n 1
set off at once for Phelps's room. to
find him haggard and spent after a
~sleepless night. His first question was
whether Holmes had arrived yet.
GIIagl he hove 14fH0Fa he nrnDatcaa =
said 1, "and not an instant sooner or
later"
And my words were true, for shortly
after s a hanson dashed up to the
door and our friend got out of 1t. Stand
ing in the window we saw that his left
hand was swathed in a bandage and
that his face was very grim and pale.
He entered the house, but it was some
little time before he came upstairs.
He looks like a beaten man. cried
Phelps.
I was forced to confess that he was
right. after ALL" said I. "the clue of
the matter lies probably here in town
Phelps ave a groan.
IT don't know how it is said he,
but l had hoped for so much from
his return. But surely his hand was
not tied up like that yesterday. What
can be the matter?"
"You are not wounded, Holiness" [
asked. as my friend entered the room.
tut, it is only a scratch through my
own clumsiness," he answered, nodding
his good mornings to us. This case OF
yours, Mr.. Phelps, is certainly one of
the darkest which / have ever inves-
tigated,"
Il feared that you would find it be-
yond you"
at has been a most remarkable ex-
perience."
"That bandage tells of adventures"
said l. Won't you tell us what has
h%appened?"
After breakfast, my dear Watson.
Remember that | have breathed thirty
miles of Surrey air this morning. l
suppose that there has been no answer
from my cabman advertisement? Well,
well, we cannot expect to score every
time"
The table was all laid, and just as |
was about to ring Mrs. Hudson EN-
tered with the tea and coffee. A few
minutes later she brought in three
covers, and we all drew up to the
table, Holmes %ravenous, l curious, and
Phelps in the gloomiest state OF de-
preston.
Mrs. Hudson has risen to the oc-
%casion,' said Holmes, u~ncovering a
dish of curried chicken. Her cuisine is
a little limited. but she has as good an
idea of breakfast as a Scotch woman.
What have you there, WatsonY
Ham and eggs / answered.
Good! What are you going to
Mr.. P~helps-curried fowl or eggs, or
will you help yourself?"
Thank you. l can eat nothing
said Phelps.
"Oh, come! Try the dish before you.
'"Thank you, 1 would really rather
not
well. then said Holmes, with q
? mischievous twinkle. Il suppose thar
l you have no objection to helping me-
) Phelps raised the cover, and as he did
so he uttered a scream, and sat there
staring with a face as white as the plate
upon which he looked. Across the CEN
2 tire of it was lying a little cylinder Of
blue-gray paper. He caught It up, de-
2 voured it with his eyes, and then
danced madly about the room, pressing
it to his bosom and shrieking out in
, his delight. Then he fell back into an
-, arm chair so limp and exhausted with
r his own emotions that we had to pour
brandy down his throat to keep him
l from fainting.