The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-02-10

you know all that2''
 Never mind," said Holmes, laugh ing; it is my business to know things. Perhaps I have trained my self to see what others overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?"
 "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, whose husband you found so easy when the police and every one had given him up for dead. Oh. MT. Holmes, I wish you would do as much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in my own right, besides the little that make all to know what has become of MT. Hosmer AngeL''
 Why did you come away to con- suit me in such a hurry?" asked tips together, and his eyes to the ceiling.
 Again a startled look came over the someWhat vacuous face of Miss Mary Sutherland. 'tYes, I did bang out of the house, she said, for it in which MT. Windibank-that is, my father-took it all. He would not go to the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he would do nothing, and kept on saying that there was no harm done, it made me mad, and just on with my things and came right away to you'
 Your father" said Holmes your step-father, surely, since the name is different
 father, though it sounds funny, too, for he is only five years and two months older than myseIf.''
 And your mother is aive?"
 '.Oh yes, mother is alive and we'll wasn't best pleased, MT. Holmes, when she married again so soon after fathers death. and a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father was plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy business behind him, which mother carried on with MT. Hardy, the foreman; but when MT. Windi- bank came he made her sell the busi- ness, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. They got f47OO for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't near as much as father could have got if he had been alive"
 had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this ramb- ting and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary. he had listened with the greatest concentration of attention.
 Your own little income" he ask ed, "doeS it come out of the -busi- ness?"
 "Oh no, sir. It is quite separate, and was left me by my Uncle Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying Az per cent. Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount, but I can only touch the interest,"
 You interest me extremely said Holmes. And since you draw so large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the bargain, you no doubt travel a little, and in dulge yourself in every way. I. be- lieve that a single lady can get on very nicely upon an income of about f6O."
 T could do with much less than that, MT. Holmes, but you under stand that as long as I live at home don't wish to be a burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while I am staying with them. Of course, that is only just for the time. MT. Windibank draws it over to mother, and I find that I can do pretty well with what I earn at typewriting. It brings me two pence a sheet, and can often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day"
 clear to me-" said Holmes. ''This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Kindly tell us now all about your connection with MT. Hosmer Angel"
 A flush stole over Miss suther- lands face, and she picked nervously at the fringe of her acket. +I met him first at the gasftters' ball. she said. They used to send father tick cts when he was alive, and then after wards they remembered us, and sent them to mother. MT. Windibank did not wish us to go. He never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I wanted so much 2 as to join a Sunday-school treat. But | this time I was set on going, and ] | would go; for what right had he to prevent? He said the folk were not
 fit for us to know, when all fathers l friends were to be there. And he i said that I had nothing fit to wear when I had my purple plush that had never so much as taken out o1 | the drawer. At last, when nothing
 else would do, he went off to Franco l upon the business of the firm, bu we went. mother and I, with MT and it was there I met MT. Hosme. Angel.''
 T suppose said Holmes, 'ttha,
 when MT. Windibank came back iron France he was very annoyed at you having gone to the ball.
 'Oh, well, he was very good abou it. He laughed, I remember, ant
 shrugged his shoulders, and said ther
 was no use denying anything to
 woman, for she would have her way. T see. Then at the gasfitters' bal you met, as I understand, a gentle
 man called MT. Hosmer Angel "Yes, sir. I met him that night
 and he called next day to ask if w
 had got home all safe, and after tha
 we met him-that is to say, MI
 Holmes, met him twice for walks but after that father came back again and MT. Hosmer Angel could no come to the house any more." '.No?"
 tFWeH. you know, father didn't lik
 anything of the sort He wouldn' have any visitors if he could help ii and he used to say that a woman should be happy in her own famil. circle. But then, as used to say t j. mother, a woman wants her ow7 circle to begin with, and I had no , got mine yet.''
 ''But how about MT. Hosmer An gel? Did he make no attempt to SC you?''
 well father was going off t France again in a week, and Hosme
 wrote and said that it would be safe and better not to see each other unt he had gone. We could write in tn
 mean time, and he used to writ [ tcxy lox Ioff ;..