Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

though limited, are exceeding
ly pertinacious. For Ions
time he has worried me TIC
write an experience of my own.
Perhaps | have rather invited TINS
persecution. since | have often had
Occasion to point out to him how
superficial are his own accounts and
to accuse him of pandering to popular
taste instead of combining hlmseiI
rigidly to facts and figures TRY
it yourself, Holiness he has retorted,
and l am compelled to admit that,
having taken my pen in my hand, /
do begin to realize that the matter
must be presented in such way as
may interest the reader. The fol
lowing case can hardly fail to do so,
as it is among the strangest happen
ings in my collection, though it
CHANGED that Watson had no note of
lit in his collection. Speaking of my
old friend and biographer, | would
take this opportunity to remark that
if / burden myself with a companion
in my various little inquiries, it is
not done out of sentiment or caprice,
but it is that Watson has some re-
markable characteristics of his own,
: to which in his modeSty he has given
small attention in his exaggerated
estimates of my own performances.
A confederate who foresees your con-
illusions and course of action is al
ways dangerous, but one to whom
each development comes as a per-
Detual surprise, and to whom the
future is always a closed book, is
indeed an ideal helpmate.
l find from my notebook that it
was in January, 1903, just after the
conclusion of the Boer War, that
had my visit from Mr. James NJ. Dodd,
big, fresh, sunburned, outstanding
Briton. The good Watson had al that
time deserted me for a wife, the only
selfish action which | can recall in
our association. | was alone.
y x X
IT is my habit to sit with my back
TO the window and to place my
visitors in the opposite armchair,
where the light falls full upon them.
Mr.. James NJ. Dodd seemed somewhat
at loss how TO begin the interview.
did not attempt to help him, for his
silence gave me more time for OBJ
servation. l have foundz1 wise to
impress clients with a sense OF power
and SO | gave him some of my con-
illusions.
From South Africa. sir. perceive. .
Yes, sir" he answered, With some
surprise.
Imperial Yeomanry, / fancy"
Exactly"
Middlesex Corps. no doubt"
That is so. Mr. Holmes, you are
a wizard"
! smiled at his bewildered express.
sion.
When a gentleman of virile an
pearance enters my room with such
tan upon his face as an English sun
could never give, and with his hand.
kerchief in his sleeve instead of in
his pocket, it is not difficult to place
him. You wear a snort beard, which
shows that you were net q regular
You have the cut of a riding man.
AS to Middlesex, your card had al
ready shown me that you are a stock
broker from Throgmorton street.
What other regiment would you
join?"
You see everything"
see no more than you, but / have
trained myself to notice what / see.
However. Mr.. Dodd, it was not to
discuss the science of observation that
you called upon me this morning.
What has been happening at Tuxbury
Old Park?''
Mr.. Holmes"
My dear sir, there is no mystery.
Your letter came with that heading.
and as you fixed this appointment in
very pressing terms, it is clear that
something sudden and important had
occurred"
Yes, indeed But the letter was
written in the afternoon and a good
deal has happened since then. If
Col. Ellsworth had not kicked me
out
kicked you out"
wei, that was what il amounted
ito. lie is hard nail is Col Ems
worth. The greatest martinez in the
Army in his day. and it was a day
of rough language. too | couldn't
have stood the colonel If it had not
been for Godfrey's sake
/ lit my pipe and leaned back in
my chair.
Perhaps you will explain what you
. are talking about
NV client grinned miSchieVously.
II had got into the way of suppos-
ing that you knew everything with
out being told" he said. But / will
give you the facts and / hope to God
that YOU will be able to tell me what
they mean. I've been awake all night
puzzling my brain and the more /
think the more incredible does it
become.
''When / joined up in January, 1901
Just two years ago-young Godfrey
Ellsworth had joined the same squad
ron. lie was Col. Emsworths only
Ellsworth, the Crimean V. c.,
ana ne Gdu the tlEHliflS DiOOu III Nun,
SO il is no wonder he volunteered
, There was not a finer lad in the regi-
( Yoent We formed a friendship--the
sort of friendship which can only be
made when one lives the same life
and shares the same joys and sorrows
He was my mate--and that means a
GOOD deal in the Army. We took the
rough and the smooth together for
q year of hard fighting. Then he was
hit with a bullet from an elephant
riIn in the action near Diamond Hill
outside Pretoria. / got one letter
from the hospital at Cape Town and
one from Southampton. Since then
moi n word-not one word. Mr.
Holmes, for six months and more, and
he my closest pal.
X x x \
6GXXTELL, when the war was over
w and we all got back. wrote
ia his father and asked where Godfrey
was. No answer. ! waited Il bit anC
then / wrote again. This time | haC
:, reulv. short and gruff. Godfrey had
gone on a voyage round the world
and il was not likely that he would
he hack for a year. That was all.
II wasn't satisfied, Mr.. Holmes
The whole thing seemed to me Sc
damned unnatural. He was Il gooc
lad and he woold not drop pal like
, that. 1t was not like him. Their
again I happened to know that hC
Iaf nf y,anrnu nd alCe