Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-10-01
Gle
ADVENTURE
or TnE
RED CIRCLE
(Continued.)

tudt you nave dIy pdIliCuidl cause
for uneasiness, nor do l understand
why ], whose time is of some value,
should interfere in the matter. real
ly 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 recent material.
But the landlady had the pertinac-
ity, and also the cunning of her sex.
She held her ground firmly.
You arranged an affair for ledger
of mine last year." she said-"Mr.
Fairdale Hobbs"
''Ah, 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. I remembered his words
when | was in doubt and darkness
myself. know you could if you only
would"
Holmes was accessible upon the
side of 1attery, and also, to do him
justice, upon the side of kindness.
The two forces made him lay down
his gum-brush with a sigh of resigna-
ton and push back his chair.
We'll, well, Mrs. Warren, let us
hear about it, then. You don't object
to tobacco, / take it? Thank you,
Watson-the matches! You are I'M
easy, as | understand, because your
new ledger remains in his room and
you cannot see him Why, bless you,
Mrs. Warren, if l were your LOGGER
you often would not see me for weeks
on end"
mo doubt, sir; but this is different.
It frightens me, Mr.. Holmes. | can't
sleep for fright To hear his quick
step moving here and moving there
from early morning to late at night,
and yet never to catch so much as
glimpse of limits more than | cum
stand My husband is as nervous over
1t as / am, but he is out at his work
all day. while l get no rest from it.
What is he hiding for? What has ne
done? Except for the girl, am AL
alone in the house with him. and It's
more than my nerves can stand"
Holmes leaned forward and laid his
long, thin fingers upon the wcman's
shoulder He had an almost hypnotic
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
indicated.
IF l take it up l 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 fortnight's board and lodging?"
HE asked my terms, sir. / said
fifty shillirgs a week. There is
small sitting-room and bedroom, and
all complete, at the top of the house
'Wel?"
HE said, I'll pay you 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 mon
ey meant much to me- He took out
a ten-pound note, and he held it out
to me then and there. You can have
the same every fortnight for a long
time to come if you keep the terms
Ne said. IF not, I'll have no more to
do with you
What were the terms?"
well, sir, they were that he was
to have key of the house. That was
all right. Lodgers often have them.
Also, that he was to be left entirely
to himself, and never. upon any ex-
cuse. to be disturbed"
Nothing very wonderful in that,
surely?"
mot in reason, sir. But this is out
of all reason. He has been there for
ten days, and neither Mr.. Warren nor
I nor the girl has once set eyes upon
him. We can hear that quick step
of his 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"
"Oh, he went out the first night.
did hep"
Yes, sir, and returned very late
after We were all in bed. He told me
after he had taken the rooms that he
would do so, and asked me not to
bar the door. I heard him come up
the stair after midnight"
But his meals?"
1T was his particular direction that
we should always. when he rang,
leave his meal upon a chair outside
his door. Then he rings again when
he has finished, and we take it
down from the same chair. If he
wants anything else he prints it on
a clip of paper and leaves it."
Prints it?"
Eyes. sir; prints it in pencil Just
the word. nothing more. Here's one
/ brought to show you--S0AP. Here's
another-MATCH This is one he
left the first morning-DAILY GA
zETTE. leave that paper with his
breakfast every morning"
Dear me, Watson said Holmes.
staring with great curiosity at the
slips of foolscap which the landlady
had handed TO him, "this is certainly
a little unusual. Seclusion can I'M
derstand; by why print? Printing is
a clumsy process. Why not write
What would it suggest, Watson
"That be desired TO conceal his
handwriting"
~Rct why? What can it matter to
him that his landlady should, have a
word of his writing? Still. it may be
as you say. Then, again, why such
iaconic messages
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