The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-07-21

| vile, stupefying fumes of the drug and looking about for the manager. As passed the tall man who sat by
 the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at | my skirt. and a low voice whispered, | Walk past me, and then look back at me-" The words fell quite dis
 tinctly upon my ear I glanced down. | They could only have come from the | old man at my side, and yet he sat
 now as absorbed%as ever. very thin, | very wrinkled, bent with age. opium pipe dangling down from be- ! tween his knees, as though it had l dropped in sheer lassitude from his
 fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my
 breaking out into a cry of astonish-
 ment- He had turned his back so
 that none could see him but l. His gone. the dull eyes had regained | their fire, and there, sitting by the fire, and grinning at my surprise,
 was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He made a slight motion
 to me to approach him, and instant 1 ly, as he turned his face half round | to the company once more. subsided
 into doddering. 1oose-ipped sen | ility. +'Ho1mes!'' I whispered. what on
 earth are you doing in this den?' As low as you can," he answered: | ''I have excellent ears. If you would have the great kindness to get rid of
 
 be. exceedingly. glad to have little
 talk with you.''
 | q have a cab outside l Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he appears to be too limp to get into | any mischief. I should recommend
 you also to send a note by the cab | man to your wife to say that you
 have thrown in your lot with me.
 If you will wait outside, I shall be
 with you in five minutes''
 It was difficult to~refuse any of | Sherlock Holiness reuqests, for they
 were always exceedingly definite and put forward with such a. quiet air of mastery I felt. however, that the cab my mission was practically accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better than to be associated with my friend in one | of those singular adventures which
 were the normal condition of his ex- | istence- In a few minutes had writ ten my note, paid Whitney's bill, led | him out to the cab, and seen him very short time a decrepit figure had | emerged from the opium den, and I was walking down the street with | Sherlock Holmes. For two streets he shuffled along with bent back and an uncertain foot. Then, glancing quickly round, he strengthened him self out and burst into hearty fit or l laughter.
 i q suppose, Watson,' said he, that you imagine that I have added opium smoking to my cocaine injections, and all the other little weaknesses on | which you have favored me with your medical views.
 "I was crtainly surprised to find | you there.''
 But not more so than I to find you.''
 "I came to find a friend" And I to find an enemy" | An enemy?"
 "Yes: one of my natural enemies, | or, shall I say my natural prey?
 Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst | of a very remarkable inquiry, and I have hoped to find clue in the | incoherent ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been recognized in that den my life would not have been worth an hours purchase; for I have used it before now for my own purposes, and the sworn to have vengeance upon me. l sworn to have vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of PauPs Wharf. which could tell some strange tales fof what has passed | through it upon the moonless nights" What; Do you mean bodies?" Aye, bodies Watson. We should be rich men if he had 100 pounds for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den. It is the v1lest murder-trap on the whole riv- CA- oldc, .duu lear that NeV11le SC. Clair has entered it never to leave 1t more But our trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his teeth and whistled shrilly - liar whistle from the distance, follow ed shortly by the rattle of wheels and the ciink of horses hoofs.
 Now, Watson" said Holmes. as tall dog-cart dashed up through the gloom, throwing out two golden tun- nels of yellow light from its side lan- terms You'll come with me, won't your"
 "Oh. trusty comrade Is always of use; and a chronic1er still more so My room at The Cedars' is a double bedded one''
 :. The Cedards?'"
 tYes: that is MT St. Clair's house. I am staying there while I conduct the inquiry"
 Where is it. then?"
 Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven mile drive before us" ''But I am all in the dark" of course you are. You'll know all about it presently Jump up here. All right, John: we shall not need you. Here's half a crown Look out for me tomorrow, about eleven. Give l her hor head. So long, theni"
 He licked the horse with his whip,
 and we dashed away through the end | less succession of sombre and deserted streets, which widened gradually. un- | LII we "SIS dCTOSS d pEOdo DdI- | ustrade bridge. with the murky river | flowing sluggishly beneath us. Be- yond lay another dull wilderness of bricks and mortar, its silence broken | only by the heavy, regular footfall of | the policeman, or the songs and | shouts of some belated party of reve1- lers. A dull wrack was drifting slow | ly across the sky, and a star or two | twinkled dimiy here and there through the rifts of the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head sunk upon | his breast, and the air of a man who | is lost in thought, while I sat beside | him, curious to learn what this new | quest might be which seemed to tax | his powers so soreIy and yet afraid to break in upon the current of his thoughts. We had driven several miles, and were beginning to get to | the fringe of the belt of suburban
 shrugged his shoulders. and lit up his