The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-10-24
and a rough one. too. All. he's
breathing NOW"

Surely. Bring him into the sitting
room. There is a comfortable sofa.
This way. please
Slowly and solemnly he was borne
| into Brfony Lodge and laid out in the
principal room, while / still observed
the proceedings from my post by the
window. The lamps had been lit,
but the blinds had not been drawn,
so that 1 could see Holmes as he lay
upon the couch. 1 do not know
whether he was seized with compunc-
ton at that moment for the part he
was playing. but 1 know that / never
felt more heartily ashamed OF myself
in my life than when l saw the beau
tiful creature against whom l was
conSpiring. or h grace and kindli-
ness with which she waited upon the
injured Ia And yet it would be
the blacklist treachery to Holmes 10
| draw back now from the part which
he had intruSted to me. / hardened
my heart, and took the smoke-rocket
from under my ulster. After all, I
| thought, we are not injuring her. We
are but preventing her from injuring
another.
Holmes had sat up upon the couch,
and / saw him motion like a man
who was in need Of air. A maid rush
ed across and threw open the window.
AT the same instant l saw him raise
his hand, and at the signal / tossed
my rocket into the room with a cry
of Fire" The word was no sooner
out of my mouth than the whole
crowd of spectators, we'll dressed and
ill-gentlemen, o~stlers, and servant
maids-joined in a general Shrek of
"Fire!" Thick clouds Of smoke curl
ed through the room and out at the
bel window. / caught a glimpse OF
rushing figures, and a later
the voice of Holmes from within as
surfing them that it was a false alarm.
Slipping through the shouting crowd
l made my way to the corner OF the
street. and in ten minutes was re-
joiced to find my friends arm in
mine, and to get away from the scene
of uproar. He walked swiftly and in
silence for some few minutes, until
we had turned down one of the quiet
streets which lead towards the Edg-
ware Road.
You did it very nicely. doctor" he
remarked. Nothing could have teen
better. 1t is all right"
You have the photographic
II know where it is"
"And how did o find out?"
"She showed me, as 1 old you that
she could"
81 am still IN the dark"
Il do not wish to make a mystery"
said he, laughing. 1.-The matter was
perfectly simple. You, Of course. saw
that every one in the street was an
my WI GA
for the evening"
Il guessed as much"
"Then when the row broke out, I
had a little moist red paint in the
palm Of my hand. l rushed forward,
fell down, clapped my hand to my
It is an old trick"
THAT also I could fathom.'
Then they carried me in. She was
bound to have me in. What else
could She do? And into her sitting
room, which was the very room which
1 suspected. 1t lay between that and
her bedroom, and 1 was determined
to see which. They laid me on a
couch, 1 motioned for air, they were
compelled to open the window, and
you a you chance"
How did that help your"
1T was al1-important. When a
woman thinks hat her house Is on
nre, her instinct is at nee TO rusn to
the thing which she values most. It
is a perfectly overpowering impulse,
ana l nave more than once taken ad-
vantage OF it. In the case of the Oar
hngton substitution Scandal it was OF
use 70 me, and also in the ArnsWorth
CaStle business. A married woman
GRABS at her baby; an unmarried one
reaches Tor her jeweI-box. Nov it
was clear to me that our lady of to-
DAY had nothing in the house more
PACOAOoS ~ HcI t1dH what We are III
quest OF. h would rush to secure it.
The alarm Of fire was admirably done.
Tne smoke and shouting were enough
TO shake nerves Of steel. She respond
ed beautifully. The photograph is IN
a recess behind q sliding panel just
ABOVE the right bell-pull. She was
there i'll an instant, and | caught Il
glimpse OF it as she half-drew it out.
When 1 cried out that it was a false
alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the
rocket, rushed from the room. and I
nave not seen her since. / rose, and.
making my excuses, escaped from the
mouse. l hesitated whether to at
tempt to secure the photograph at
once; but the had come in,
ana as he was watching me narrowly,
IL seemed safer to wait. A little over
acceptance may ruin all"
And now" asked