Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-20
* will bring him in cab il l hav
10 u a. -

Il will bring him in cab II ! have
to carry him down to it"
you will do nothing of the sort.
You will persuade him to come. And
then you will return in front Of him.
Make any excuse so as not to come
with him. Don't forget Watson. You
won't fail me. You never-did fail me.
No doubt there are natural enemies
which limit the increase of the crea-
lures. You and !, Watson, we have
done our part. Shall the world then
be overrun by oysters? No, no, horri-
bic! You'll convey all that is in your
mind"
left him full Of the image Of this
magnificent intellect, babbling like a
foolish child. He had handed me the
key, and with happy thought l took
it with me lest he should lock himself
in: Mrs. Hudson was waiting, trem-
bling and weeping in the passage, Be-
hind me, as | passed from the fiat, /
heard Holiness high, thin voice in some
delirious chant. Below, as l stood
whisthng for a cab, man came on me
through the fog.
How is MIR. Holmes, sir?" he asked.
1t was an old acquaintance, Inspector
Morton of Scotland Yard, dressed in
unofficial tweeds.
HE is very ill.," I answered.
He looked at me in a most singular
| fashion. Had it not been so fendish, /
could have imagined that the gleam of
the fanlight showed eSultation in his
| face.
Il heard some rumor of It," said he.
The cab had driven up, and left him.
Lower Burke street proved to be a
line of fine housts lying in the vague
borderland between Noting Hill and
Kensington. The particular one at
which my cabman pulled up had an
air of SNUG and demure respectability
in its old-fashioned iron ratings, its
massive folding door, and its shining
brass work. All was in keeping with
solemn butler, who appeared framed
in the pink radiance of a tinted cleo
trio light behind him.
"Yes, MIR. Culvertson Smith is in, DR..
Watson, Very good, sir, l will take
up your card"
Ny humble name and title did not
appear TO impress Mr.. Culvertson Smith
Through the half-open door / heard {
high, petulant penetrating voice.
'Who is this person? What does h,
want? Dear me, Staples how Otter
have | said that | am not to be dis
turbed in my hours of studyp'
There came a gentle flow of soothin,
explanation from the butler.
We'll, ! won't see him, Staples.
can't have my work interrupted lik'
this. / am not at home. Say so. Tel
him to come in the morning if he reall.
must see me"
Again the gentle murmur.
well, well, give him that message
He can come in the morning, or he ca,
stay away. My work must not be hin
! dered"
thought Of Holmes tossing upon hi
bed Of sickness, and counting th
, minutes perhaps until | should brin
, help TO him. 1t was not time TO stan
upon ceremony. His life depende
| upon my promptness. Before th
apologetic butler had delivered h
message l had pushed past him an
was in the room.
With a shrill cry of anger a ma
rose from reclining chair beside tn
, fire ! saw great yellow face, coarse
/ grained menacing gray eyes, whic
glared at me from under tufted an
sandy brows. A high bald head had
! small velvet smoking cap poised &C
ouettish upon one side of its pin
curve. The skull was of enormol
capacity, and yet as l looked down
! saw TO my amazement that the fgul
of the man was small and frail, twiste
i in the shoulders and back like one wh
; has suffered from ricketts, in his chile
! hood.
: Tomorrow-The Adventures of th
Diving Defective continued