Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-12-06
C6c
ADVENTURE
or IHf
DEVnS FOOT
(Continued.)

Il have lived SO long among saw
ages and beyond the law" said he,
that I have got into a way Of being
a law to myself. You would do well.
Mr.. Holmes, not to forget 1t, for ]
have no desire to do you an injury"
Nor have any desire to do you
an injury. DR.. Sterndale. Surely the
clearest proof Of 1t is that. knowing
what l know. have sent for you and
not for the police"
Sterndale sat down with a gasp.
overawed. perhaps. the first time in
his adventurous life. There was
calm assurance of power in Holmes
manner which could not be withstood
Our visitor stammered for a moment.
his great hands opening and shutting
in his agitation"
What do you mean?" he asked. at
last. "If this Is blum upon your part.
Mr.. Holmes. you have chosen a bad
man for your experiment. Let US have
no more beating about the bush. What
do you mean7"
II will tell you." said Holmes. land
the reason why I tell you Is that I
hope frankness may beget frankness.
What my next step may be will de-
pend entirely upon the nature Of
your own defense"
My defense"
Yes. SIR"
MY defense against what?"
Against the charge of killing Nor
timer Tregennis."
Sterndale mopped his forehead with
his handkerchief. Upon my word.
you are, getting on" said he. DO all
your successes depend upon this pro-
digious power of bluff"
The bluff" said Holmes, sternly.
lis upon your side. DR.. Leon Stern
dale, and not upon mine. As a proof
I will tell you some of the facts upon
which my conclusions are based. OF
your return to Plymouth. allowing
much of your property to go on to
Africa. ! will say nothing save that 1t
first informed me that you were one
Of the factors which had to be taken
Into account in reconstructing this
drama"
II came back"
Il have heard your reasons and re-
gard them as unconvincing and made
quate. We will pass that. You came
down here to ask me whom suspect
ed. ! refused to answer you. You
then went to the vicarage. waited out
side 1t for some time, and finally re-
turned to your cottage"
How do you know that?"
81 followed you"
Il saw no one"
That is what you may expect to
see when follow you. You spent a
restless night at your cottage, and
you formed certain plans, which in
the early morning you proceeded to
put into execution. Leaving your door
Just as day was breaking, you filled
your pocket with some reddish gravel
which was lying beside your gate"
Sterndale gave a violent start and
looked at Holmes in amazement
You then walked swiftly for the
mile which separated you from the
vicarage. You were wearing, | may
remark. the same pair of ribbed ten
mis- shoes which are at the present
moment upon your feet. At the vicar
age you passed through the orchard
and the side hedge. coming out under
the window of the lodger, Tregennis.
1t was now daylight, but the house
hold was not yet stirring. You drew
souAS Vi tlt sTdNel ITOn your pocket,
and you threw it up at the window
above you"
Sterndale sprang to his feet.
Il believe that you are the devil
himself!" he cried
Holmes smiled~>at the compliment.
''1t took two. or possibly three. hand
fuls before the lodger came to the
window. You beckoned him to come
down. He dressed hurriedly and de-
scended to his sitting-room. You en-
tered by the window. There was an
interview-a short one-during which
you walked up and down the room.
Then you passed out and closed the
window, standing on the lawn out
side smoking cigar and watching
what occurred. Finally, after the
death of Tregennis, you withdrew as
you had come. Now, DIR. Sterndale,
how do you Justify such conduct, and
what were the motives of your ac-
tons? If you prevaricate or trifle
with me. give you my assurance that
the matter will pass out of my hands
forever"
Our visitors face had turned ashen
gray as he listened to the words of
his accusef Now he sat for some
time in thought with his face sunk in
his hands. Then, with a sudden inn
pulsive gesture, he plucked a photo
graph from his breast pocket and