The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-28
The TERROR
IN The SNOW

Hendry, my servant, saw to II tna'
should not forget Inspector Adding
ton Peace. Shortly after the adVen
ture which 1 have already narrated,
left London for round OF country
visits. And if a paragraph concern
ing that eminent detective CHANGED
to appear In a newspaper, the SUD
stance of it was brought to me with
my shaving-water in the morning.
Il see e as bin up to Is games
again, sir" was Hendry's usual over
ture. MY word, but 'e's a sly one
by all accounts" was the customary
conclusion.
l believe that Hendry often gained
considerable notoriety in the serv
ants hall by boasted friendship
with Peace. To this l attribute the
fact of his being consulted by Mr.
Heavitree's butler on the occasion OF
the burglary that took place while
was staying at Crandon. Hendry
ludicrous fasco, which nearly result
ed in a lawsuit for false imprison-
ment, need not be narrated mere
though it was considered a remark
ably good joke against me at the
time.
Towards the end of December 1 re-
turned to London for a few days
and on the third night after my ar
rival decided to visit the inspector
Hendry had discovered that he was a
bachelor, and lived in two little
rooms on the third floor The floors
that separated us were let out as
Offices, so that Peace at the top and
l at the bottom had the old house tc
ourselves after seven O'Clock.
The little man was at home, and
seemed pleased to see me. With his
sparrow-like agility he hoped about
producing glasses and bottle OF
whisky. Finally, with our pipes in
full blast, we sat facing each other
across the fire, and soon dropped
into a conversation which to me, at
least, was of unusual interest A
very curious knowledge Of London
and it's peoples had Inspector Adding
ton Peace.
An hour quickly slipped by, and
when l rose to go I asked him If he
would dine with me on my return
from Cloudsham in Norfolk, where !
was spending Christmas. He would
be pleased, he told me: and then, as
he stopped to light a spill in the
Goals
'You stay with Baron Steen, l sup.
poser" he asked.
YES"
"And why?''
'Why?" I echoed in some sur.
prise
you have relatives or other
friends?"
MY nearest relative is a sour old
uncle in Bradford, who calls me hard
names for using the gifts Providence
gave me instead of adding up figures
in a smoky Office. AS for friends
well, I am a fairly rich man. Inspec
tor, and, as such, have many friends
What is there against Baron Steen?'
ooh, nothing" he said, putting al
his pipe, so that he spoke as from 9
cloud, mistily. p
t'I know that he has played a bold
game on the stock exchange I con
tinued. "and there may be few out
witted financiers growing at his
heels. But it would be hard to find {
more thoughtful host. Yes, am go
ing to Cloudsham tomorrow"
81 We. shook hands warmly on part
ing, and as I descended the stair.
he leant over the rail, smiling dow1
upon me.
Remember your dinner engage
ment," l called up to him. 81 shall
see you after the New Year.
Yes; If not before he said; and
seemed to catch the faint echo of
laugh as turned the corner ~
1t was on the afternoon Of Decem
"a that L stepped from the train, a
the little station of Cloudsham. Fresl
snow had fallen. and the wind cam,
bitterly over the frozen levels Of til,
fen country A distant clock wa
striking four as the carriage passe,
into the crested entrance-gates an,
tugged up rising slope of park Ian,
dotted with ragged oaks and storm
bowed spinnies, which showed a
black stains upon its snow-clad ur
dulations. At the summit the roa,
bent sharply, and saw below m
the old manor of Cloudsham, beyon
which-a somber plain. losing itsel
In the evening mists that swathe
the horizon-stretched the restless
waters Of the North sea-
The house lay In broad depres
sion, in shape as the hollow OF
hand. save only on the seaward side
were the line Of cliff bit into It liz