The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-04-30

ACAp yOu.
He relapsed at once into that half
humorous. half-cynical vein which was
his habitual attitude to those about
him. 1T would be superfluous to drive
us mad, my dear Watson" said he.
"A candid observer would certainly
declare that we were so already be-
fore we embarked upon so wild an
experiment. confess that I never
imagined that the effect could be so
sudden and SO severe" He dashed
into the cottage, and, reappearing
with the burning lamp held at full
arms length, he threw it among q
bank Of brambles. I'VE must give the
room little time to clear. 1 take it,
Watson, that you have no longer. q
shadow Of doubt as to how these
tragedies were produced?"
"None whatever."
But the cause remains as obscure
as before. Come into the arbor here,
and let US discuss it together. That
villainous stuff seems still to linger
round my throat. think we must ad.
NIT that all tho evidence points to
this man, Mortimer Tregennis, having
been the criminal in the first tragedy,
though he was the victim in the sec.
ond one" "~'@ @a
''Then his own death was suicide!"
'Well, Watson, 1t is on the face of
It a not impossible superstition. The
man who had the guilt upon his soul
of having brought such fate upon
his own family might we'll be driven
by remorse to inflict it upon himself.
There are, however, some cogent rea.
sons against it. Fortunately, there is
one man in England who knows all
dEour II, ana I nave made arrange
ments by which We shall hear the
facts this afternoon from his own lips.
All! he Is little before his time.
Perhaps you would kindly step this
way, DR.. Leon Sterndale. We have
been conducting chemical expert.
ment indoors which has left our little
room hardly fit for the reception of
so distinguished a visitor"
l had heard tho click of the garden
gate, and now the majestic figure Of
the. great African explorer appeared
upon the path. He turned in some
surprise towards the rustic arbor in
which we sat. '
"You sent for me, Mr.. Holmes. I
had your note about an hour ago, and
I have come. though really do not
know why I should obey your sum-
MONS"
perhaps We can clear the point up
before. we separate" said Holmes.
meanwhile, am much obliged to you
for your courteous acQuiescence. You
will excuse this informal reception in
the open air, but my friend Watson
and have nearly finished an addi-
tional chapter to what the papers call
the Cornish horror, and we prefer q
clear atmosphere for the present.
Perhaps, since the matters which we
have to discuss will affect you per-
sonally in very intimate fashion, it
is as we'll that we should talk where
there can be no eavesdropping." -
The explorer took cigar from his
lips and gazed sternly at my compan-
ion.
II am at loss to know, SIR" he
said, what you can have to speak
about which affects me personally in
q very intimate fashion"
"The killing of Mortimer Tregen-
MIS-" said Holmes. ~ s.,
For moment I wished that were
armed. Sterndale's fierce face turned
to a dusky red, his eyes glared, and
the knotted, passionate veins started
out in his forehead, while he sprang
forward with clenched hands towards
my companion. Then he stopped, and
with violent. effort he resumed a.
cold, rigid calmness which was, per-
haps, more suggestive of danger than
his hot-headed outburst. II:
II have lived so long among saw
ages and beyond the law" said he,
that have got into a way of being
law to myself. You would do we'll,
Mr.. Holmes, not to forget it, for I
have no desire to do you an injury"
"Nor have any desire to do you
an injury, DR.. Sterndale. Surely the
clearest proof of it is that, knowing
what know, have sent for you and
not for the police
Sterndale sat down with q gasp,
overawed, perhaps, the first time in
his adventurous life. There was a
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