Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-13

and to find that line of least resistance
which my poor friend had declared to
cation. l confess that l made little
progress. In the evening l strolled
across the park and found myself
about 3 O'Clock at the Oxford street end
OF Park lane. A group of loafers upon
the ~pavenlents, all staring up at a par
lcula window. directed me to the
house which l had come to see. A tall,
thin mar with colored glasses, whom I
strongly suspected Of being a plain
clothes detective, was pointing out
some theory of his own, while the 9TH
ers crowded round to listen to what he
said. l got as neal him as l could. but
his observations seemed to me to be
absurd, SO l withdrew again in some
disgust. AS l did so l struck against
an elderly, deformed man, who had
been behind me. and l knocked down
several books which he was carrying.
l remembered that as l picked them up,
l observed the title of one OF them.
The Origin of Tree Worship and 1t
struck me that the fellow must be
some poor bibleophile. who. either as a
trade or as a hobby, was a collector Of
obscure volumes. %endeavored to
apologize for the accident. but it was
evident that these books which l had
so unfortunately m:ltreated were very
precious objects in the eyes OF their
owner. With u snarl of contempt he
turned upon his heel, and 1 saw his
curved back and white / whiskers
disappear among the throng.
My observations OF No. 427 Park
Ian did little to clear up the problem
in which l was interested. The house
was separated from the street by a low
wall and railing. the whole not more
than AyyD fact hioh II woS nnrfnof1u
easy, therefore,. for anyone to get into
the garden. but the window was en-
tirely inaccessible, since there was no
waterpipe or anything which could help
the most active man to climb it. More
puzzled h ever, l retraced my steps
to Kensington. 1 had not been in my
study five minutes when the maid en-
tered to say that a person desired to
see me. To my establishment it was
none other than my strange old book
collector. his sharp. wizened face peer
ing out from a frame of white hair,
and his precious volumes, a dozen of
them at least, wedged under his right
arm.
You're surprised to see me. sir"
said he, in a strange, croaking voice.
l acknowledged that l was.
We'll. I've a conscience. sir. and
when l CHANGED to see you go into This
house. as I came hobbling after you, I
thought to myself. I'll just step in
and see that kind gentleman. and tell
him that if l was a bit gruff in my
there was not any harm meant,
and that l am much obliged to him for
picking up my books"
You make too much of a trifle," said
1. May l ask o o knew who l
was?"
Well, sir, if it isn't too great a lib
erty, l ann a neighbOr OF yours. for
,.~,.1 o.l $500 AA1 49,
corner of Church street, and very happy
to see you. 1 am sure. Maybe you coll
lect yourself, sir. Here's British
Birds and .Catullus,' and The Holy
War'-a bargain, every one of them.
With five volumes you could just fill
that gap on that second shell. 1t looks
untidy, does it not, sir?"
A Shock.
I moved my head to look at the
cabinet behind me. When I turned
again, Sherlock Holmes was standing
smiling at me across my study table.
l rose to my feet, stared at him for
some seconds in utter amazement. and
then it appears that l must have
in my life. Certainly a grey mist
swirlcd before my eyes, and when it
cleared l found my collar ends undone
and the tingling aftertaste of brandy.
upon my lips. Holmes was bending
over my chair. his flask in his hand.
My dear Watson" said the WE'LL
remembered voice, Il w you a thou
sand apologies. I had no idea that you
would be so affected"
1 gripped him by the arms.
"Holmes!" I cried. rs it really you?
Can it indeed be h a you are alive? Is
1t possible that you succeeded in climb
ing out of that awful abyss?"
styVait u r1onponnf !" said ha oAvn 1,N,s
sure that you are really fit to discuss
things? l have given you q serious
shock by my unnecessarily dramatic
temperance"
Il am all right, but indeed, Holmes. I
can hardly believe my eyes. Good
men-should be standing in my study"
Again 1 gripped him by the sleeve. and
felt the thin, sinewy arm beneath it.
Well. you're not a spirit. anyway"
said L. My dear chap. I'm overjoyed
to see you. Sit down and tell me how
you came alive put of the dreadful
chasm."
He sat opposite to me. and lit a
cigaret in his old. nonchalant banner.
He was dressed in the seedy frock coat
of the book merchant. but the rest of
that individual lay in a pile of white
hair and old books upon the table.
Holmes looked eve thinner and keen
err tnan or ola. out tnere was a dead
white tinge in his aquiline face which
told me that his life recently o not
been a healthy one
II am glad to stretch myself. Wat
son. said he. 1T is no joke wien a
tall nan has to take a foot off his
stature for several hours on end. Now,
my dear fellow. in the matter Of these
explanations. we have, If I may ask
for your cooperation. a hard and dam
gerous nights work in front Of us.
Perhaps 1t would be better if I gave
20. IN aocounk of tho uhola Sifua ton