The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-01
The Adventure Of the Speclled Band
with Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Copyright arrangement

Crane Water near Reading. My step
father has offered no opposition to the
match, and we are to be married in
the course Of the spring. Two days
ago some repairs were started in the
west wing of the building, and my
bedroom wall has been pierced, so
that l have had to move into the
chamber in which my sister died, and
to sleep in the very bed in which she
slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of
terror when last night, as I lay awake,
thinking over her terrible fate, sud
denly heard In the silence of the night
the low whistle which had been the
herald OF her own death. l sprang up
and Lit the lamp, but nothing was
to be seen In the room. / was too
shaken to go to bed again, however,
so ] dressed. and as soon as it was
daylight slipped down. got dog-cart
at the Grown Inn,' which is opposite,
and drove to Leathcrhead. from whence
l have come on this morning with the
one object of seeing you and asking
your advice"
You have done wisely" said my
friend. But have you told me ALP
Yes, all"
Miss Roylott, you have not. You
are screening your stepfather."
why, what do you mean"
For answer Holmes pushed back
the frill Of black lace which fringed
the hand that lay upon our visitor
knee. Five little livid spots, the marks
of four fingers and a thumb. were
printed upon the white wrist.
"You have been cruelty used" said
Holmes
The lady colored deeply and cover
ed over her injured wrist. "He is
a hard man." she said, land perhaps
he hardly knows his own strength"
There was a long silence, during
which Holmes leaned his chin upon
his hands and stared into the crack
ling fire.
This is a very deep business" he
said, at last. There are a thousand
details which l should desire to know
| before / decide. upon our course oil
action. Yet we have not moment tc
| lose. II we were to come to Stoke
| Moran today, would it be possible fol
US to see over these rooms without
the knowledge of your stepfather?"
las it happens, he spoke of com
ing into town today upon some mos
important business. 1t is probable
that he will be away all day, anc
that there would be nothing to dis
! turb you. We have a housekeepel
now, but she is Old and foolish, and
could easily get her out of the way
Excellent. You are not averse t
this trip, Watson?"
| by no means"
Then We shall both come Wha
are you going to do YOURSELF"
Il have one or two things which
| would wish to do now that I an
in town. But I shall return by thu
twelve o'clock train, so as to be Their
| in time for your coming"
And you may expect us early II
the afternoon. l have myself SOM
small business matters to- attend to
Will you not wait and breakfast"
NO. I must go. My heart is light
! ened already since I have confided M
trouble to you. I shall look forwar'
to seeing you again this afternoon
She dropped her thick black veil owe
her face and glided from the room
And what do you think of it al
Watson?" asked Sherlock Holme:
leaning back in his chair.
1T seems to me to be a most dar
and sinister business"
Dark enough and sinister enough.
Yet if the lady is correct in sayin
that the flooring and walls are sounc
and that the door, window and chin
! ney are impossible, then her siste
must have been undoubtedly alon
when she met her mysterious end"
What becomes, then, of these not