The farmer and mechanic., 1911-07-11


Interfere in the matter I really have
other things to engage me-" SO spoke
Sherlock Holmes, and turned back to
the great scrapbook in which he was
arranging and indexing some of his re-
cent material.
Rut the landlady had the pertina
city. and also the cunning, of her sex.
Sht, held her ground firmly.
You arranged an affair for lodger
Of mine last year" she said-'Mr
Fairdale Hobbs.
An, yes-a simple matter"
But he would never cease talking
of it-yOur kindness, sir, and the way
in which you brought light into the
darkness. | remembered his words
when [ was in doubt and darkness
myself. L know you could if you only
would.
Holmes was accessible upon the side
of hattery, and also, to do him justice,
upOn the side of kindlinesS. The two
forces made him lay down his gum
brush with a sigh of resignation and
push back his chair.
Well, we'll Mrs. Warren. let us hear
about it then. You don't object to to-
bacco | take it? Thank you, Watson
the matches! You are uneasy, as [
understand, because your new lodger
remains in his room and you cannot
SEE him. Why. bless you, Mrs. War
rem if | were your lOdger you often
would not see me for weeks on end
No doubt sir; but this is different,
j frishtens me, Mr.. Holmes. I can't
sleep for fright. To hear his quick
step moving here and moving there
from early morning to late at night.
ana yet never to catch SO much as a
glimpse of limits more than l can
stand My husband is as nervous over
it rs am. but he is out at his work all
is he hiding for What has he done?
Except for the girl, / am all alone in
the house with him, and it's more than
my nerves can stand.
Holmes leaned forward and laid his
lons. thin fingers upon the woman s
shoulder. He had an almost hypn otic
power Of soothing when he wished.
The scared look faded from her eyes.
and her agitated features smoOthed
into their usual commonplace. She sat
down in the chair which he had indi-
red.
If take it up I must understand
every detail,' said he Take time to
consider The smallest point may be
the most essential. You say that the
man came ten days ago. and paid you
for a forrnght's board and lodging" 2"
He asked my terms. sir. | said fifty
shllings d week. There is a small sit
tingrom and bedroom, and all COM
piete, at the top Of the house.
He said. I'll pay five pounds a
week if l can have it on my own
TERMS I'm a poor woman. sir, and
Mr. Warren earns little. and the money
meant much to me- He took out a
compound note, and he held it out to
me aud there. You can have the same
every fortnight for a long time to
come if you keep the terms. he said.
L
you"
What were the terms?''
W ell. sir. they were that he was to
nave KEY of the house. That was all
fight. l.odgers often have them. Also
that he was to be left entirely to him
sell and never, upon any excuse. to be
disturbed
Nothing wonderful in that surely?
Not in reason. sir. But this is out
oi all reason. He has been there fo1
Ten days, and neither Mr.. Warren. nor
/. nor the girl has once set eyes upon
MN We can hear that quick step OF
has pacing up and down. up and down
night. morning. and noon; but except
on that first night he has never once
gone out of the house.
ON, he went out the first night. die
Y es. sir, and returned very late
alter we were all in bed. He told mt
alter he had taken the rooms that he
would do so, and asked me not to ba
Inc door. / heard him come up The
stair after midnight"
But his meals =
Ii was his particular direction tha
we should always when he rang. leaV'
ms meal upon a chair outside his door
tnen he rings again when he has fin
iShed. and we take it down from TIL
same chair. If he wants anything els
ne prints it on a slip of paper ant
leaves it,
Prints it,"
eS Sir: prints it in pencil Jus
the word, nothing more. Here's one
drought to show you-SOAP. Here
a''other-match. This is one he lef
.oe hrst morning-Daily Gazette.
iease that paper with his breakfas
every morning.