The evening world. Newspaper, February 11, 1905, Page 10

& known to have ay enemy, and no attempt had been made to pmionéy or. valuables in the room. ‘T turned these facts over In my mind, endeavoring to hit upon Peery Which could reconcile them all, and to find thet ine of least whieh my poor friend had declared to be the starting point of ves gation, I confess that I made little progress, In the evening Bcrogs the park, and found myself about 6 o'clock at the Oxford Of Park lane. A group of loafers upon the pavements, al) staring stilar window, directed me to the house which I had come to ;, thin man with colored glasses, whom I strongly suspected of lain-clothes detective, was pointing out some theory of his own, ¢rowded round to listen to what he said. I got a3 near , Hut his observations seemed to me to be absurd, so | with- In some disgust. As I did so T struck against an elderly, de- f, who had been behind me, and I knocked down several books carrying. I remember that as | picked them up I observed ‘Ome of them, “The Origin of ‘Tree Worship,” and it struck me must be some poor bibliophile, who, either as a trade or ag »@ collector of obscure volumes, I endeavored to apologize for it, but it was evident that these books which I had so unfortu- altreated were very precioua objects in the eyes of their owner, fir) of contempt he turned upon his heel, and | saw his curved White aide whiskere disappear among the throng. vationa of No. 427 Park lane did little to clear up the problem was interested. The house was separated from the atreet by a failing, the whole not more than five fect high, It was per- Mherefore, for any one to get into the garden; but the window inaccessible, since there was no waterpipe or anything which ‘the moat active man) to climb it, More puszled than ever, | gteps to Kensington. I had not been in my study five minutes Malt entered to say that a person desired to see me. Tr my 4t was none other than my strange, old hook collector, hie ie face peering out from a frame of white hair, and his Woltimes, a dozen of them at least, wedged under his right arm, fre @urprised to see me, sir," sald he, in a strange, croaking voice, 0 ped that I was. “Five & conscience, sir, and when I chanced to see you go into He, ee 1 came hobbling aft T (nought to myself I'll just step p6 that kind gentleman, and tell him that if I was a bit gruff in there was not any harm meant, and that I am much obliged to up my books,” Make too mach of a trife,” said 1. “May I ask how you knew ir i tant too aret 9 tery, Tam a neighbor of yours, for d my little bookshop at the corner of Church street. and very you, Tam sure. Maybe you collect yourself, sir; here's ‘Brit- *Catullus, and ‘The Holy War’—a bargain every one of » doen it not, sir?” my heed to lock at the cabinet bebind me. Wher | turned wlock Holmes was standing smiling at me acrosa my study table feet, stared at him for some seconds in utter amazement, and that 1 must have tainted for the first, and Inst time im ‘was bending over my chair, his flack in bis hand, i) Watson,” eaid the well-remembered voice, “Il owe you @ T had no idea that vou would be so affeeted.” ‘him by the arm. T cricd. “Ts it really you? Cam tt indeed be that you’ are ‘Possible that you succeeded in climbing out of that awful Moment,” said he, “Are you sure that you are really Mt te ige? 1 have given you a serious shock by my unnecessarily that you--you of ull men—should be standing in my study.”* i him by the sleeve and felt the thin, sinewy arm bemeath it, ‘Rok & spirit, anyhow," said 1, “My dear chap, I'm overjoyed ve wn and tell me how you came alive out of that dreadful chasm.” ; fo te ine, and lit a cigarette in hie olf, nomehalnat manner, He The it would be time for me to announce that I was still in the land of th ithe weedy frock-coat of the book merehant, but the rest of that “Ving So rapidly doen the brain act that 1 believe I had thought this all out & pile of white hair and olf books upon the table. Ho'mes hefore Prof. Moriarty had reached the bottoms of the Reichenbach Pull and keener than of old, but theme wae 9 dead-white tings “I stood up and cramined the rocky wall behind me, In your picturesque ac- count of the matter, whieh I read with great interest some months later, you unsert that the wall was sheer, This was not literally ruc. A few foothois Presented themseciven, and there was some indication of a ledge, ‘The oliff is so nigh that to climb it all was an obvious impossibility, and it was equally impos @ibte to make my way along the wet path wit! Weaving some tracks, I might, it im true, bave reversed my bouts, ne I have om sumilar oecastons! but the aight of three sete of tracks im one direction would certainly have suggested 3 Gepeption. On the whole, then, It was best that i shoul@ risk the climb, It was not a pleasant business, Watson, ‘the fall roared beneath me. 1 am not a fanci- ful person, bet I give you mp word that I seemed to hear Moriarty's voice sereaming to me out of the abyan A, mistake would have been fatal More than onee, as tufts of gragn came out in my hand or my foot slipped in the wet notehen of the rock, 1 thought that I was gone, But I struggled upward, and at last I reached @ ledge several feet deop and covered with soft green moss, where I could He unseen in the moet perfeat comfort. There I was stretched, when you, my dear Watson, and alt your following were investigating In the most sympa- thetic and inefficient.manner the circumstances of my death, of curlosity. 1 h preter to hear with me to- “At last,’ when you had all formed your Inevitable and totally erroneous con- slusiona, you departed for the hotel, and I was left alone. I had Imagined that 4 had reached the end of my adventures, but a very unexpected occurrence showed me that there were surprises still In store for me, A huge rock, falling from above, boomed past me, struck the path, and bounded over into the chasm. For an instant I thought that it was an accident, but a moment later, looking up, I saw a man'a head against the darkening sky, and another stone struck the very ledge upon which I was stretched, within a foot of my head. Of course, the meaning of thfs was obvious, Moriarty had not been alone, A confederate-— and even that one glance had told me how dangerous a man that confederate | ike and where a ‘Wke the oz “have time for Gianer before we then, about the «= With a Snarl He Turmed — was—naa kept guard while the Professor had attacked me, From a distance, No serious aim. Upon His Heel, unseen by me, he had been a witness of his friend's death and of my escape. He } Out Of it, for had waited, and then making his way round to the top of the cliff, he had en- Peason that I never was in it.” deavored to succeed where his comraie had failed. swere in it?” ee “I did not take long to thinks about it, Watson. Again I saw that grim face am. T never was in it. My note to you wax absolutely genuine I iook over the cliff, and I knew that it was the precursor of another stone, I that Thad come to the end of my career when TI percetved the scrambled down on to the path, I don't think I could have done it in cold blood. ister figute of the late Prof. Moriarty standing upon the narrow rt was a hundred times more difficult than getting up, But I had no time to y writich led to safety. I read an inexorable purpose in his gray eyes, I 0th think of the danger, for another stone sang past me as I hung by my hands Femaris with him therefore, and obtained his courteous permission from the edge of the ledge, Half way down I slipped, but, by the blessing of Pihe Bhort note which you afterward received, I left It with my cigarette (oq, 1 Janded, torn and bleeding, upon the path, 1 took to my heels, did ten iy stick. and 1 walked along the pathway, Moriarty still at my heels, mies over the mountains in the darkness; and a week liter 1 found myself in ed the end I stood at bay, He drew no weapon, but he rushed at iorence, with the certainty that no one in the world knew what had become his long arins around me. He knew that his own game was up of me, ily anxious to revenge himself upon me, We tottered together upon Hit the fail, 1 have some knowledge, however, of baritsu, or the Jap- —"! ‘ad only one confidant—my brother Mycroft. T owe you many apologies, : of Wrestling. which has more than once been very useful to me, 1 ™Y dear Watson; but it was all Important that it should be thought I was dead, hi hip gripy and he with a horsible scream leleked madly for a few 24 it is quite cortain that you would not have written so convineing an account 5 Glawed ihe air with both hands, But for all hie efforts he could not of MY unhappy end had you not yourself thought it was true, Several times bi nd over he went, With my face over the brink I saw hin fall (Ting the last three years I have taken up my pen to write to you, but always ‘Phen he atruck a rock, bounded off and splashed into the water. I feared lest your affectionade regard for me should tempt you to some indisere- ‘seith amanement to this explanation which Holmen delivered bee ton which would betray my secret, For that reason I turned away from you TA Ma bligarette, this evening when you upset my books, for I was in danger at the time, and any ~ > show of surprise and emotion upon your part might have drawn attention to my See ete) + MAW) with my own eyes, that two qmnt dow! 5.111, and led to the most deplorable and irreparable results. As to Mycroft, 2 “ee “sane tiad to confide in hing In order to obtain the money whieh T needed, The course About in this way, Tho instant that the professor had disappears of eyents in London did not run so well as 1 had hoped; for the trial of the What a really extraordinarily Icky chance fate had placed in my Moriarty yang left two of it9 most langerous members, my own most vindicative that Moriarty was not the only man who had sworn my death, enemies, at liberty. T travelled for two years in Tibet therefore, and amused my- r Het least three others whuse desire for vengeance upon me woul@ self by visiting Lhassa and spending some days with the head Llama, You may ‘¢ d by the death of thelr leader, They wore all most dangerous have read of the remarkable explorations of a Norwegian named Sigerson, but I ther, would certainty rot me. On the other hand, if all the wor!? am sure that it never occurred to you that you were receiving news of your L was Mead thoy would take liberties, these men; they friend, 1 then passed through Persla, looked in at Mecen, and pald a short but Y ) and sooner or later I could destroy them, interesting visit to the Khalifa at Khartum, results of which I havo cqm- f iia nich naa, THE WORLD: SATURDAY EVENING, 3, FEBRUARY 11, 1908 i i : Sherlock Holmes Stood Smiling at Me Over My Study Table, tiunicated to {he foreign uMce. Returning to France, I spent same months in research into the coul-tar derivatives, which I conducted in @ laboratory at Moni- pellier, im the south of France. Having concluded this to my satisfaction, learning that only one of my enemies was now left in London, I waa about ta re- turn, when my movements were hasicned by the news of thia very remarkable Park Lane mystery, which not only appealed to me by its own merits, byt whick seemed to offer some moat peculiar personal opportunitivs. I came over at once to London, called in my own pereon at Baker street, threw Mrs. Hudson in:o violent hysterics, and found that Mycroft had preserved my rooms Ang my papers exactly as they had always been. So tt was, my dear Wateon, that at 3 o'clock to-day I found myself in my 0); armchair in my own ol room, and only wish- ng that I could have seen my old friend Watson in the other chair which he hag 30 often adorned." Such was the remarkable narrative to which I listened on that April evening-- @ narrative which would have been utterly incredible to me had it not been con- firmed by the actual aight of the tall, spare figure and the keen, eager face, which I had never thought to see again. In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement, and his sympathy was shown in his manner rather than In hie words, ‘Work is the best antidote to sorrow, my dear Watson,” aaid he; “and 4 have a piece of work for us both to-night, which, If we can bring It toa eue- cessful conclusion, will In itself justify a man's life on this planet.” In valget begged him to tell me more, “Yun will hear and see enough before morning,” he Answered, “We have three years of tha past to discuss, Let that suffice until half-past nine, when we atart upon the yotadle adventure of the empty house,” It was indeed lke old times when, at that hour, I found myself seated be- side him in a hangom, my revolver in my pocket, and the thrill of adventure in my heart, Holmes wag cold and sicrn and silent, As the gleam of the street lamps fasied upon his austere features, I saw that his brows were drawn down in thought and his thin Lips compressed. 1 knew not what wild beast we were about to hunt down in the dark jungle of criminal London; but J was well asaure:|, from the bearing of this master hunts, that the adventure Was & most grave one—while the sardonic smile which ocensionally broke through his ascetic gloen, boded little good for the object of our quest, I had imagined that we were bound for Baker street, but Holmen stopped the cab at the corner of Cavendish Square, 1 observed that as he stepped out he gave a most searching glance to right and left, and at every subsequent strvet corner he took the utmost pains to assure (hat he was not followed, Our rouie was certainly a singular one, Holmos's knowledge of the byways of London waa oxtraordinagy, and om this occasion he passed rapidly and with an assured step through a network of mews and stables, the very exlatence of which I had never known, We emerged at last into 9 small road, lined with old gloomy houses, waich led us into. Manchoater sft and to Bhandford street, Here he turned swiftly down a narrow passage, pasied through a wooden gate Into a desert, yard and then opened with a key the back. door of a house, We entered to- gether, and he closed it behind us, ‘Yhe place waa piteh dark, but It was evident to me that It was an empty house. Our feet oreaked and ormekied over the baze planking, and my out- stretched band touehed’a walk from whieh the paper waa hanging In ribbons, Holmes's cold thin fingers closed round my wriet and led mq forward down a Jong b:!!, until 1 dimly saw the murky fanlight over the door, Here Holmes turned suddenly to the righa, and we found ourselves in a large, square, empty room, heavily shadowed In the vorners, but faintly lt In the centre from the light# Of the street doyond There was no lamp near and the window was thick with dust, so that we could only Just diseerm each oth figures within. My companion pat his hand upon my shoulder and his lips close to my «ar, “Do you know where we are?" he whispered “Surely thut is Baker street,’ I answered staring through the dim window. “Bxactly. We are in Camden House, which stands opposite to our own old quarters,” “bub why are we here?” “Becaure it commands so excellent a view of that plotureaque pile, Might I trouble vou, my dear Watson, to draw 9 littlg nearer to the window, taking every Precaution not to shuw yourself, and then to loa’ up at our old roome—the start- ng point of so many of your little fairy talon? We will see if my three years of absence Lave entively taken away. ny power tu surprise you," “L crept forward and looked acrona at the, familiar window. As my eyes fell Upon It, § gave & gaop and a cry vf Amagemunt. The blind was down, strong light waa burning im the room ie sradow of a man who was «vated |n @ chair within war thrown in bavd, black vutline upon the luminous sereen of tha window. There was no mistaking the poise of the head, the squarencss of the shoulders, the sharpness of the featuts, The face was turned half-round, and the effec: wis that of one of those ‘rInck silhouettes which our grandparen!s loved te frame, It was a perfect reproduction of Holmes, So amazed was 1 that | threw out my hand to mase sure thes the man bimaelf was standing beside me, He was quivering with silent laughter, “Well?” said he ‘Good heavens!" I cried. “It is nrarveliou,”* “ET trust that age doth not wither nor custom stale my infinite variety, and a paid +18, and TE recognized in hia voice the joy and pride which the artist takes in his awn creation. “It really is rather like me, is it not?" “hb should be prepared to swear that it was you." “The ewedit of the execution a due to Monsieur Oscar Meunier, of Grenodin, who spent some days in doing the moulling, Ht {s 4 bua in wax, The rest I ur- ranged my sclf during my visit to Baker street this afternoon,” “But way?” “Kecause, my dear Watson, I had the strongest possible reason for wishing ertain people to think that I was (nere when I wag really elsewhere’ “And you thought the rooms wers watched?’ “I knew that they were watched,” “By whom?” “By my old exemies, Watton, By the charming society whose leader lies in the Reichenbach Falls. You must remomber that they knew, and oaly they knew, that 1 was atill alive, Suoner or Mater they believed that I should come back {0 my rooms. They watched them continuously, and thie morping they saw me arrive,” “How do you know?" “Because I recogniaed their sentinel when I glonced out of my window. He is a harmiesa enough fellow, Parker by name, a garroter by trade, an@ a remark: able performer upon the jew's-harp 1 cared nothing for him. But I cared a great deal for the much more formidable person who was behind him, the bosom friend of Moriarty, toe man who dropped the rocks over the cliff, the most cun- wing and dangérous criminal in London, That is the man who is after me lo night, Watson, and that is the man who is quite aware that we are after him.” My friend's plans were gradually revealing themselves. From this convenient retreat the watchers were being watched and the trackers tracked. That angular shadow up yonder was the bait, and we were the hunters. In allence we stood together in Che darkness and watched the hurrying figures who pagsed and re- passed in front of us, Holmes waa ailaps and mothoniess; but I could tell that he “My Collection of ‘M’s le a Fine One,” be *) . reer midboes ‘i i t a 4) | YOO ii SR CCOLT NGAGE ADDONS RUN AUN RA cna etisalat ngs, }