The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-02

the signal station all right. We know
the place, and We know the code; 30
surely our task should be simple.
There's q To Let card In that won
dow. It Is evidently In empty fiat
to which the confederate has access.
Well, Mrs. Warren, what now?"
II have 1t all ready for you. II you
will both come up and leave your
boots below on the landing, Ill put
you there now"
I 1t was an excellent h~iding-place
which she had arranged. The mirror
was so placed that, seated in the dark,
We could very plainly see the door op-
posite. We had hardly settled down
in 1t, and Mrs. Warren left US, when
a distant tinkle announced that our
mysterious neighbor had rung. Pres
emily the landlady appeared with the
tray, laid 1t down upon a chair beside
the closed door, and then, treading
heavily, departed. Crouching togeth-
er in the angle Of the door, We kept
our eyes fixed upon the mirror. Sud-
denly, as the landlady's footsteps died
away, there was the creak Of a turn
Ing key, the handle revolved, and two
thin hands darted out and lifted the
tray from the chair An instant later
it was hurriedly replaced, and I caught
q glimpse Of a dark, beautiful. horrt-
fed face glaring at the narrow open
ing Of the bedroom. Then the door
crashed to, the key turned once more.
and all was silence. Holmes twitched
my sleeve, and together We stole down
the stair.
II will call again IN the evening"
said he to the %expectant landlady. II
think, Watson, We can discuss this
business better In our own quarters"
my surmise, as you saw, proved to
be correct" said he, speaking from
the depths Of his easy-chair. There
has been a substitution Of dodgers.
What 1 did not foresee Is that we
should find a woman, and no ordinary
woman, Watson"
"She saw u.s."
"Well she saw something to alarm
her. That Is certain. The general
sequence Of events Is pretty clear. is
1t not? A couple seek refuge in Lon.
don from a very terrible and instant
danger. The measure Of that danger
is the rigor Of their precautions. The
man, who has some work which he
must do, desires to leave the woman
In absolute safety while he does 1t. 1t
is not an easy problem, but he solved
it in an original fashion, and 80 effeo-
lively that her presence was not even
known to the landlady who supplies
her with food. The printed messages,
as Is now evident, were to prevent
her sex being discovered by her writ
ing. The mar cannot come near the
woman, or he will guide their enemies
to her. Since he cannot communicate
with her direct, he has recourse to the
agony column Of a paper. So far all
Is clear"
But what is at the root of it?"
"Ah, yes, Watson-severely practi-
cal, as usual! What is at the root
of it all? Mrs. Warren's whimsical
problem enlarges somewhat and as
sumes a more sinister aspect as we
proceed. This much W. car say:
that 1t is no ordinary love escapade.
You saw the woman's face at the sign
Of danger. We have heard, too, Of the
attack upon the landlord. which was
undoubtedly meant for the lodger.
These alarms, and the desperate need
for secrecy, argue that the matter is
one Of life or death. The attack upon
Mr.. Warren further shows that the
enemy, whoever they are, are them.
selves not aware Of the substitution
of the female ledger for the male. It
is very curious and complex. Wat.
son."
why should you go further in It?
What have you to gain from it?"
What indeed? 1t is Art for Arts
sake, Watson. 1 suppose when you
doctored you found yourself studying
cases without thought Of a fee?"
For my education, Holmes"
Education never ends, Watson. II
Is a series Of lessons with the greatest
for the last. This Is an instructive
case. There is neither money nor
credit in it, and yet one would wish
to tidy 1t up. When dusk comes we