Evening star., 1925-03-08

from that time she began to watch
her mistress closely and to keep a
closer guard upon the baby, whom
she tenderly loved. 1t seemed to her
that even as she watched the mother
so the mother watched her, and that
every time she was compelled to
leave the baby alone the mother was
waiting to get at it.
Day and night the nurse covered
the child, and day and night the ST.
lent. watchful mother seemed to be
lying in wait as a wolf waits for
lamb. 1t must read most incredible
TO you, and vet 7 beg you to take
II seriously. for child's life and a
mans sanity may depend upon it,
At last there came one dreadful
day when the facts could no longer
be concealed from the husband. The
nurses nerve had given way, she
could stand the strain no longer, and
che made a clean breast of it all to
the man. To him it seemed as wild
tale as it may now seem to you.
He knew his wife to be a loving
wife and. save for an assault upon
her stepSon, a loving mother. Why,
then, should she wound her own dear
little baby? He told the nurse that
she was dreaming, that her suspicious
were those of lunatic, and that such
libels upon her mistress were not to
be tolerated
While they were talking a sudden
cry OF pain was heard. Nurse and
master rushed together to the nur-
sery. Imagine his feelings, Mr.
Holmes, as he saw his wife rise from
a kneeling position beside the cot, and
saw blood upon the child's exposed
neck and upon the sheet. With a cry
of horror he turned his wife's face
to the light and saw blood all around
her lips. 1t was she-beyond all
question-who had drunk the poor
baby's blood.
$50 the matter stands. She is now
confined in her room There has been
no explanation. The husband is half
demented. He knows and | know
little of vampirism beyond the name.
We had thought it was some wild
tale Of foreign parts. And yet here
in the very heart of the English
SusseX-well, all this can be dis
cussed with you in the morning. Will
you see me? Will you use your great
powers in aiding a distracted man?
If so, kindly wire to Ferguson,
Cheeseman's, Lamberley, and l will
be at your rooms by 10 o'clock.
Yours faithfully,
ROBERT FERGUSON"
"P. S.-I believe your friend Wat
son played rugby for Blackheath
when l was threequarter for Rich
mond. 1t is the only personal intro
duction which l can give"
"Of course / remember him. said
/, as | laid down the letter. Big
Bob Ferguson, the finest three-quar-
ter Richmond ever had He was al
ways a good tured chap. 1t is like
him to be so concerned over a friends
case"
HOLMES looked at me thought
l. fully and shook his head. Il
never get your limits, Watson" said
he. There are unexplored possibili-
ties about you. Take wire down,
like a good fellow: VIII examine
your case with pleasure.
Your case"
ave must not let him think that
this agency is a home for the weak
minded. OF course it is his case.
Send him that wire and let the mat
ter rest till morning"
Promptly at 10 o'clock next morn
ing Ferguson strode into our room.
| had remembered him as a long.
slab-sided man with loose limbs and
a fine turn of speed which had carried
him round many an opposing back.
There is surely nothing in life more
painful than to meet the wreck of
fine athlete whom one has known in
his prime. His great frame had
fallen in, his fiaxen hair was scanty
and his shoulders were bowed.
fear that ] reused corresponding
emotions in him.
"Hullo. Watson" said he, and his
voice was still deep and hearty. You
he
when | threw you over the ropes into
the crowd at the old Deer Park !
expect | have changed bit also.
But it's this last day or two that has
aged me. see by your telegram,
Mr.. Holmes that it is no use my
pretending to be any ones deputy
1T is simpler to deal direct" said
Holmes. ..--- -.-
"Of course it is. But you can imag-
inc how difficult it is when you are
speaking of the one woman whom
YOU are bound to. protect and help.
What can / do? How am to go to
the police with such story! ana
vet the kiddieS have got to De pro-
tected. Is it madness, MT. Holmes
Is it something in the blood? Have
you any similar case in your expert
ence? For Gods sake, give me some
advice. for | am at my wits end
Very naturally. Mr.. Ferguson. Now
sit here and pull yourself together
and give me few clear answers.
can assure you that / am very FAR
from being at my Wits end, and thal
am confident we shall find some
solution. First of all, tell me what
steps you have taken. is your wlfe
still near the children?
I'VE had a dreadful scene. she IS
II
ever a woman loved man with all
her heart and soul she loves me. She
was cut to the heart that | should
have discovered this horrible. this
incredible secret. She would not
even speak. She gave no answer to
NV reproaches save to gaze al me
with scrt of wild despairine look
in her eyes. Then she rushed TO her
room and locked herself in. Since
then she has refused TO see me. She
has a maid who was with her before
her marriage, Dolores by rame-a
friend rather than servan Mt. She
takes her food to her" -.
Then the child is in no immediate
danger"
Mrs Mason. the nurse has sworn
that she will not leave it night or day.
| can absolutely trust her. ! am more
uneasy about poor little Jack. for. as |
told you in my note, he has twice been
assaulted by her"
But never wounded? >"
NO. she struck him gely. 1t is the
more terrible as he is poor little inof-
fensive cripple. Fersuson's gaunt- fea-
lures softened as he spoke Of his boy.
You would think that the dear lads
would soften any ones heart.
A fall in childhood and twisted spine,
Mr.. Holmes. But the dearest, most low
ing heart within"