The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-06-18
TODAY'S INSTALNIENT.


 1.-TWO years have passed since then" continued Miss Stoner, and my life has been until lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, dear friend, whom have known for many years, has done me the honor to ask my hand in marriage. Ills name is rmitage-Percy Armitage- the second son of MT. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading My stepfather has offered no opposition to the match. and we are to be mar ried in the course of the spring. 1.-TWO days ago some repairs were started in the west wing of the build l ing, and my bedroom wall has been pierced, so that I have had to move into the chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed S1n which she slept Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last night, as l lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate I suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which had been the herald of her own death- I sprang up and lit the the room. I was too shaken to go to bed again, however. so I dressed, and as soon as it was daylight slip ped down. got a dog-cart at the drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your service"
 "You have done wisely said my friend. But have you told me an?''
 Miss, Roylott, you have not: You are screening your stepfather;;
 Why, what do you mean
 For answer Holmes pushed back the friI of black lace which fr1nged the hand that lay upon our visitors knee. Five little livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumo' were printed upon the white wrist.
 
 The lady colored deeply and GOV cred over her injured wrist He is a hard man." she said, and per haps he hardly knows his own
 There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin upon his hands and stared into the crack- ling fire. aaen business" he said at last. 'There are a thousand details which should desire to know before I decide upon our course action. Yet we have not a nron rlotlietio to Stoke Moran today, would it be pos s-bIe for us to see over these rooIlS without the knowledge of your slep- father " of co,o- i, into town today upon some most important business. It IS prooapiss that he will be away all oay' anu that there would be nolIillls Io-.r, Io turb you We have a housekeePeII ooW hut she is old and foolish, ana I could easily get her out or the way" o+ .ve-se +o this trip, Watson E
 .~Tben we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself!
 'I have one or two Lhits tL+ am in town. But shall return by the 1a o'clock train, so as to be there Tn time for your coming" +be affernoon. have myself some small business matters to attend to- Vii Viii you not wait and breakfast" ?"
 .eNo, must go; s,nce My bnHe hger[ cons fded my trouble to you l shall 1ook forward to seeing you again tb;s afternoon" She dropped her thick black veil over her face ana
 And what do you think Of 1t all watson?' asked Sherlock Holmes, leaning back in his chair.
 '.It seems to me to be a most oark and sinister business"
 ssDart enough and sinister enough"
 ~Yet if the lady is correct in say ing that the flooring and walls are sound, and that the door. window, sister must have been undoubtedly alone when sine met her mysterious end"
 sswhat becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the very peculiar words Of the dying woman?"
 q cannot think"
 ''When you combine the ideas of whistles at night. the presence of band of gypsies who are on intimate terms with this old doctor, the fact that we have every reason to be- iteye that the doctor has an interes, l in preventing his stepdaughter's l marriage. the dying alIusion to a | band, and, finally. the fact that Miss | Helen Stoner heard a metallic clang. 1 which might have been caused by | one of those metal bars which se- cured the shutters falling back Into ! their place, think that there is good ground to think that the mys-