The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-07
PART SIX

"You were always a noble woman,
Anna" said the old man, putting at
his cigarette.
She had risen but she fell back
again with little cry of pain.
Il must finish" she said. When my
term was over l set myself to get the
diary and letters which, if sent to the
Russian government would procure
my friends release. i knew that my
husband had come to England. After
months of searching l discovered
where he was. knew that he s:ill
had the diary, for when l was in ST.
IBERIA l had a letter from him once, re-
preaching me and quoting some pas
sages from it's pages. Yet l was sure
that, with his revengeful nature, ne
would never give it to me OF his own
free will. | must get it for myself.
With this object l engaged an agent
from a private detective firm, who en-
tered my husbands house as a secre'
tary-it was your second secretary
Sergius, the one who left you so hur-
riedly. He found that papers were
kept in the cupboard, and he got an
impression of the key. He would not
go farther. He furnished me with
plan of the house, and he told me that
in the forenoon the study was always
empty as the secretary was employed
| up here. So at last took my courage
| in both hands, and l came down to get
the papers for myself. l succeeded,
but at what a cost!
II had just taken the papers and
was locking the cupboard, when the
young man seized me. l had seen him
already that morning. He had met me
bod aSR
! tell me where Professor Coram lived,
not knowing that he was in his en-
| ploy."
/ Exactly, Exactly" said Holmes.
| "The secretary came back, and told
his employer of the woman he had
met. Then in his last breath, he
tried to send a message that it was
| she-that she whom he had just dis
cussed with him.
| you must let me speak" said the
woman, in an imperative voice, apd
| her face contracted as if in path.
when he had fallen I rushed from
the room, chose the wrong door, and
found myself in my husbands room.
He spoke of giving me up. l showed
him that if he did so, his life was IN
my hands. If he gave ME to the law,
/ l could give him to the Brotherhood.
| 1t was not that I wished TO live for
my sake. but it was that | desired to
accomplish my purpose. He knew
that would do what | said-that his
own fate was involved in mine. For
! that reason, and for no other, he
| shielded me. He thrust me into that
| dark hiding place a relic of old days,
known only to himself He took his
meals in his own room. and so was
10 1o n oivo mart nf his food -
was agreed that when the police left
the house l should slip away by night
and come back no more. But in some
way you have read our plans" She
tore from the bosom of her dress a
small packet These are my last
words" said she, here is the packet
| which will save Alexis. l confide it
to your honor and to your love of JUS
| tice. Take it. You will deliver it at
the Russian embassy. Now, l have
done my duty and"
stop her." cried Holmes. He had
bounded across the room, and had
| wrenched a small phial from her
hand.
TOO late" she said. sinking back
on the bed. TOO late. I took the
! poison before I left my hiding place.
Ny head swims. ! am going! I charge
you. sir, to remember the packet
"a simple case, and yet, in some
ways, an instructive one" Holmes
remarked. as we travelled back to
! town. 1T hinged from the outset
| upon the pinc-nez. But for the for
tunate chance of the dying man have
seized these, l am not sure that we
could ever have reached our solution.
1t was clear to me, from the strength
| n tho ola that the
have been very blind and helpless
when deprived of them. When you
! asked me to believe that she walked
along a narrow strip of grass without
once making a false step, l remarked
as you may remember, that it was a
! noteworthy performance. In my mind