Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-11
The Adventure of
the Solitary Cyclist
Part Three
Nv SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYL1
Copyright. 1921. by Hsrp:s Al. 4 Bros pSbIshed by special arrangement With
Part Three
By SIR ARTHUR CONAN DO

| were some hundreds of yards away,
and can tell me even less than Miss
| Smith. She thinks she does not know
the man;>I am convinced she does.
Why, otherwise, should he be 70 des-
pcrately anxious that she should not
get so near him as to see his features?
You describe him as bending over the
handle-bar. Concealment again,
you see. You really have done re-
markably badly. He returns to the
house, and you want to find out who
he Is. You come to q London house.
AGENT"
What should / have donc?" l cried,
with some heat.
"Gone to the nearest public-house.
That is the center of country gossip.
They would have told you every name,
from the master to the scullery-maid.
williamson 1t conveys nothing to- my
mind. If he is an elderly man he is not
this active cyclist, who spirits away
from that young lady's athletic pursuit.
What have we gained by your expcdi-
ton? The knowledge that the girls
story is true. l never doubted it. That
there is a connection between the cyclist
and the Hall. / never doubted that
either. That the Hall is tenanted by
Williamson. Who's the better for thatY
Well, well, my dear sir, don't look so
depressed. We can do little more until
next Saturday, and in the meantime |
may make one or two inquiries myself
Next morning, we had a note from
Miss Smith, recounting shortly and
accurately the very incidents which
| had seen, but the pith of the letter
lay in the postscript;
Il am sure that YOU will respect
my confidence, Mr.. Holmes, when
tell you that my place here has be-
come difficult, owing to the fact that
my employer has proposed marriage
to me. l am convinced that his feel
ings are most deep and most honor
able. At the same time, my promise
is of course given. He took my re.
fusal very seriously, but also yer,
gently. You can undcrstad, how.
ever. that the situation is a little strained
'"Our young friend seems to be
getting into deep waters" said Holmes
thoughtfully, as he finished the letter
The case certainly presents moro
bility of development than l haC
I oIJSulalIN Thought. L SiiOulu ne NOM
5 the worse for a quiet, peaceful day
: in the country, and / am inclined tt
t run down this afternoon and test one
/ or two theories which l have formed"
| Holmes quiet day in the countr,
had a singular termination, for h,
arrived at Baker Street late in tn,
evening, with a cut lip and a dis
colored lump upon his forehead, be
sides a general air of dissipation whicl
would have made his own person tn
E fitting object Of a Scotland Yard lnvestl
c cation. He was immensely tickled b.
r his wi ventures. and laughed hearth
as he recounted them.
Il get so little active exercise tha
{ it is always a tire at" said he. "Yo
{ are aware that l have some prohcienc
4 in the good old British sport of boxing
t Occasionally, it is of service; toda,
for example, ! should have come to veI
. ignominious grief without it."
4 l begged him to tell me what had O
:, CURED.
Il found that country pub whic
| had already recommended to yol
notice and there ! made my discre,
inquiries. / was in the bar, and a ga
rulous landlord was giving me 8
d that l wanted. Williamson is a whit.