The evening world. Newspaper, April 22, 1905, Page 13

btn bp ideo 2 Dr, Leslie Armstrong sprang up from behind b's desk, and his dark face wis crimgon with fury, “T'll trouble you to walk out of my house, sir,” saldhe. “You can tell your employer, Lord Mount-James, that I do not wish to have anything to do either with him or with his agents. No, sir—not another word!” He rang the bell furiously. ‘John, show these gentlemen out.” A pompous butler ushered us severely to the door, and we found ourselves in the street, Holmes burst vut laughing “Dr, Leslie Armstrong {8 certainly a man of energy and character,” sald he, “I have not seen a man who, if he turned his talents that way, was more calculated to fill the gap left by the fllustrious Morlarity, And now, my poor Watson, here we are, stranded and friendless in this inhospitable town, which we cannot leave without abandoning our case, This Httle inn just opposite Armstrong's house is singularly adapted to our needs. If you would engase a front room and purchase the necessaries for the night I might have time to make a few Inquiries.” - These few Inquiries proved, however, to be a more lengthy proceeding than Holmes had imagined, for he did not return to the inn until nearly 9 o’clock. He was pale and dejected, stained with dust, and exhausted with hunger and fatigue. A cold supper was ready upon the table, and when his needs were satisfied and his pipe allght he was ready to take that half comic and wholly philosophic yiew which was natural to him when his af- tairs were going awry. The sound of carriage wheels caused him to rise and glance put of the window. A brougham and pair of grays, under the Slare of a gas-lamp, stood before the doctor's door, “ITU's been out three hours,” sald Holmes; ‘started at half-past 6, and here it is back again. That gives a radius of ten or twelve miles, and 1e does it once, or sometimes twice, a day,” ’ “No unusual thing for a doctor in practice,” “But Armstrong is not really a doctor In practice, He is a lecturer and consultant, but he does not care for general practice, which distracts him from its literary work, Why, then, does he make these long journeys, which must be exceedingly irksome to him, and who is it that he visits?” “His coachman’ “My dear Watson, can you doubt that it was to him that I first applied? I do not know whether it came from his own innate depravity or from the promptings of his master, but he was rude enough to set a dog at me. Neither dog nor man liked the look of my stick, however, and the matter fell through. Relations were strained after that and further inquiries out of the question All that 1 have learned [ got from a friendly native in the yard of our own inn, [t was he who told me of the doctor's habits and of his daily journey, At that instant, to give point to his words, the carriage came yound to the door,” “Could you not foliow it?” “Excellent, Watson! You are scintillating this evening, The idea did eross my mind, There is, as you may have observed, a bleycle shop next to our inn, Into this I rushed, engaged a bicycle, and was able to get started before the carriage was quite ont of sight 1 vapidly overtook it, and then, keeping at « discreet distance of one hundred yards or go, I followed its Ughts until we were clear of the town, We had got well out on the country road, when a sumewhat mortifying incident occurred, The carriage stopped, the doctor alighted, walked swiftly back to where I had also halted, and told mo in an excellont sardonic fasnion that he feared the road was narrow, and that he hoped his carriege did not impede the passage of my bicycle, Nothing could have been more admirable than his way of putting it. JT at once rode past the carriage, ind, keeping to the main road, I went on for a few miles, and then hulted in a convenient place to see if the carriage passed. here was no sign of |i, however, and so it became evident that it had turned down one of several side roads which I had observed. I rode back, but again saw nothing of the carriage, and now, as you perceive, it has returned after ie. Of course, I had at the outset no particular reason to connect these journeys with the disappearance of Godfrey Staunton, and was only inclined to investigate them on the general grounds that every- thing which concerns Dr, Armstrong is at present of interest to us, but, now that I find he keeps so keen 9 look-out upon any one who may follow him on these excursions, the affair appears more important and I ghall not be satisfied until ! have made the matter clear.” “We can follow him to-morrow.” “Can we? It is not 80 easy as you seem to think. You are not familiar with Cambridgeshire scenery, are you? It does not lend itself to conceal- ment. All this country that [ passed over to-night is as flat and clean as the palm of your hand, and the man we are following is no fool, as he very cleirly showed to-night. I have wired to Overton to let us know any fresh London developments at this address, and in the mean time we can only concentrate our attention upon Dr. Armstrong, whose name the obliging young lady at the office ailowed me to read upon the counterfoil of Staun- ton’s urgent message. He knows where the young man is—to that I'll swear, and if he knows, then {ft must be our own fault if we cannot manage to know also, At present It must be admitted that the odd trick fs in his possession, and, ab you are aware, Watson, It 1s not my habit to leave the game in that condition,” And yet the next day ‘rought us no nearer to the solution of the mys- MUD aE CHIC He ARE AEH HEH a 9 9 RT MTR a ee 5 De aT, 0 SD PST PH he “RRed- Headed League as he did 60, Suppose I try my luck all respect for your natural acumen, I do not think you are quite a match possibly I can attain our end by some sleepy countryside might excite more Chesterton, Histon, Waterbeach and Oakington have eac! and have each proved disappointing. overlooked in such Sleepy Hollows. ‘The doctor has scored once more, our friend Overton, and {s in answer and then I have no doubt that our scription say: ‘The defeat of the Light saw It glittering in his hund, oy a alia THE WORLD: SATURDAY EVENING: APRIL 22, 1905. tery. A note was handed jn after breakfast, which Holmes passed across to me with a smile, F “gtr,” it ran, “I can assure you that you are wasting your time in dog- ging my movements, I hove, a8 you discovered last night, a window at the back of my brougham, and /f you desire a twenty-mile ride which will lead you to the spot from which you started, you have only to follow me, Mean- while I can inform you that no spying upon me can in any way help Mr. Godfrey Staunton, and I am convinced that the best service you can do that gentleman is to return at once to London and to report to your employer that you are unable to trace him, Your time in Cambridge will certainly ited. Yours faithfully, LESLIE ARMSTRONG.” “An outspoken, hones! antagonist 16 the doctor,” sald Holmes. “Well, ell, he excites my curiosity, and I must really know before I leave him,” Nite , “There he is stepping into it, “His carriage is it his door now,” sald I. 1 saw him glance up at our window upon the bicycle?” “No, no, my dear Watson! With for the worthy doctor, I think that independent explorations of my own, 1 am afraid that I must leave you to your own devices, as the appearance of two inquiring strangers upon a gossip than I care for, No doubt you will find some sights to amuse you in this venerable city, and I hope to bring back a more favorable report to you before evening.” Once more, however, my friend was destined to be disappointed, He came Poe at night weary and uneuccess- ul, “T have had a blank day, Watson, Having got the doctor's general di- rection, I spent the day in visiting all the villages upon that side of Cam- bridge and comparing notes with publicans and other local news agen- cles, I have covered some ground. been explored, The daily appearance of a brougham and pair could hardly have been Is there a telegram for me?” “Yes, I opened it, Here it is: ‘Ask for Pompey from Jeremy Dixon, Trinity College.’ I don't under- stand it,” “Oh, it is clear enough, It is from to a question from me. I'll just send round a note to Mr, Jeremy Dixon, luck will turn, By the way, is there any news of the match?” “Yes, the local evening paper has an excellent account In its last edi- tion, Oxford won by a goal and two tries. The last. sentences of the de- Blues may be entirely attributed to the unfortunate absence of the crack International, Godfrey Staunton, whose want was felt at every instant of the game, The lack of combination In the three-quarter line and their weakness both in attack and defense more than neutralized the efforts of a heavy and hard-working pack.’” “Then our friend Overton's forohodings have been justified,” said Holmes, Personally I am in agreement with Dr. Armstrong, ind football does not come within my horizon, Marly to bed to-night, Watson, for I foresee that to-morrow may be an eventful day.” I was horrified by my first glimpse of Holmes next morning, for he sat by the fire holding his tiry hypodermic syringe, I assoctated that instru. iment with the single weakness of his nature, and I feared the worst when [ He jaughed at my expression of dismay and laid it upon the table. “No, no, my dear fellow, there is no cause for alarm. It {s not upon this occasion the instrument of evil, but it will rather prove to be the key By SIR A. CONAN DOYLE. (COPYRIGHT, 1802, BY HARPER & BROS.) HAD called upon my friend, Mr, Sherlock Holmes, one day in the autumn I of Jast veer and found him in deep conversation with a very stout, florid-feced, elderly gentleman, with flery red hair, With an apology for my intrusion I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly into the rcom and closed the door behind me, “You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson,” he sala coidially. ‘I was afraid that you were engaged.” “So 1 am; very much so." “Then i can wait in the next room,” “Not at all, This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and help- er in many of my most successful cases, and I have no doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also,” Toe stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of greeting with a quick, little, questioning glance from his small, flat, but circled eyes, “Try the settee,” said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and putting his firger tips together, “You will reaember that I remarked the other day, just before we went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life itself, which is always far more daring than any effort of the imginution,” “A proposition which I took the Siberty of doubting.” “You did, doctor, but none the less you must come round to my view, for otherwise | shall keep on pling fact upon fact on you until! your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to be right. Now, Mr, Jabez Wilson here, has been good enough to call upon me this morning, and to begin 2 narrative which promises to be one of the most singular which | have listened to for some time, You have heard me remark that the strang- est and most unique things are very often connected not with the larger but with the smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime has been committed. As far as I have heard, it 18 Impossible for me to say whether the present case is an in- stance of crime or not, but the course of events Is certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to, Perhaps, Mr, Wilson, you would have the great kindness to recommence your narsutive,” The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some lit- tle pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the inside pocket of his great coat. As he glanced down the advertisement column, with his head *hrust forward and the paper flattened upon his knee I took a good look al ‘he man and endenyored, after the fashion of my companion, to read the indications which might be presented by his dress or appearance, I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor bore every mark of being an average, common-place British tradesman, obese, Pompous and slow, He wore rather baggy gray shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean pinek frock cont, unbuttoned in the front, and a drab watst- goat with a heavy brassy Alberc chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament. A frayed top hat and a faded brown over- coat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save his blazing red head and the expreesion of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features, ierlock Holmes’s quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances, “Beyond the ob- vious facta that he has at some time done manual labor, that ho takes snuff, Pan Mr. Jabez Wilson started vp in his chair, with his forefinger upon the Paper, but his eyes upon my companion. ‘How, in the name of good fortune, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?” he asked, “How did you know, for example, that I did thanual labor? It’s as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's carpenter.” “Your hands, my dear sir, Your right hand is quite a size larger than your left, You have worked with it, and the muscles are more developed,” “Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?” “I won't ‘insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that, espe- yas, rather against the strict rules of your order, you use an arc and compass breastpin,"”’ “Ah, of course, I forgot that. BrY the writing?” “What else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for five inches and the left one with the smooth patch near the elbow where you rest It upon the desk?” 2 “Well but China?” ’ “The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have been done in China, I huve made u small study of tattoo marks, and have even contributed to the literature of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes’ scales a delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When in addition I see a Chinese coin hanging from your watch chain, the matter becomes even more simple.” Mr, Jabez Wilson laughed heavily, “Well, | never!” said he. “I thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see that there was nothing in it, after all.” “IT begin to think, Watson,” said Holmes, “that | make a mistake in explaining. ‘Omne ignotum pro magnifico,’ you know and my poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I am so candid, Can you not find the advertisement, Mr, Wilson?” “Yes, I have got It now,” he answered, with his thick, red finger. planted half way down the column, “Here it is, This is what began it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." I took the paper from him, and read as follows: To the Red-Headed League—On account of the bequest of the late Hze- kiah Hopkins of Lebanon, Pa,, U. 8, A., there 1s now another vacancy open which entitles a member of the league to a salary of £4 a week for purely nominal services. All red-headed@ men who are sound in boy and mind, and above the age of twenty-one years, are eligible. Apply in person on Monday at 11 o'clock to Duncan Ross at the offices of the league No. 7 Pope's Court, Fleet street.” . “What on earth does this mean?” I ejaculated after | had twice read over the extraordinary announcement. Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair as was his habit when in high spirits. “It's a Httle off the beaten track, isn't it?’ said he, “And how, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch, and tell us all about yourself, your household and the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes, You will please make a note, doctor, of the paper anu the date.” “It is the Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months ag “Very good. Now, Mr, Wilson?” ‘Well it ja just as I have been telling you, Mr, Sherlock Holmes," said Jabes Wilson, mopping his forehead. ‘I have a small pawnbroker’s business at Coburg Square, near the city. It's not a very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than just give me a living, I used to be able to keep two assistants, but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to +him, but that he wills to come for half wages, eo as to learn the bus- MRR Prayer Dr. Leslie Armstrong. which will unlock our mystery, On this syringe I base all my hopes, I have just returned from a small scouting expedition, Watson, for I propose to get upon Dr. Armstrong's trail to-day, and once on It I will not stop for rest or food until I run him to his burrow.” “In that case,” sald I, “we had best carry our breakfast with us, for he Is making an early start. Ills sarriage is at the door.” “Never mind, Let him go. Ue will be clever if he can drive where T cannot follow him, When you hive finished come downstairs with me and I will introduce you to a detective who {s a very eminent specialist in the work that les before us.” When we descended I follownd Holmes into the stable yard, where he opened the door of a loose-box and let out a squat, lop-eared, white-and-tan dog, something beiw 4 beagle and a foxhound, “Let me introduce you to Pompey,” said he, “Pompey is the pride of the local draghounds—no very great flier, as his build will show, but a stanch hound on a scent. Well, Pom- pey, you may not be fast, but | expect you will be too fast for a couple of middle-aged London gentlemen, so | will take the liberty of fastening this leather leash to your collar, Now, boy, come along and show what you can do.” He led him across to the doctor's door, The dog sniffed round for an instant, and then with ‘a shrill whine of excitement started off down the street, tugging at his leash in his efforts to go faster, In half an hour we were clear of the town and has- tening down a country road “What have you done, Holmer asked, “A threadbare and vice, but useful upon walked Into the docta morning and shot my sy aniseed over the hind venerable de- oc! ie wheels. draghound will follow aniseed from {heye to John o' Groat's, and our friend Armstrong would ‘have to drive through the Cam before he would shake Pompey off his trail. Oh, the cunning rascal! This is how he gave me the slip the other night.” The dog had suddenly turned out of the main road into a grass-grown lane, Half & mile further this opened into another broad road, and the trail tirned hard to the right in the direction of the town we had just quitted, The road took a sweep to the south of the town and continued in the opposite direction to that in which we atarted. “This detour has been entirely for our benefit, then?" said Holmes. “No wonder that my inquiries among those villages led to nothing. The doctor has certainly played the game for all it is worth, and one would like to know the reason for such elaborate deception, This should be the village of Trumpington to the right of us, And, by Jove! here is the brougham coming around the corner, Quick, Watson—quick, or we are done!" He sprang through a gate into a fleld, dragging the reluctant Pompey ater him, We had hardly gol under the shelter of the hedge when the car- vinge rattled past. I caught a glimpse of Dr. Armstrong within, his shoul- ders bowed, his head sunk on hig hands, the very image of disi I could tell by my companion's graver face that he also had seen, “T fear there is some dark ending to our quest,” said he, “lt eannot be long before we know it. Com, Pompey! Ah, it {3 the cottage In the fleld!” There could be no doubt that we had reached the end of our journey, Pompey rin about and whined eagerly oviside the gate, where the marks of the brougham’s wheels were still to be seen, A footpath led across to the lonely cottage. Holmes tied the dog to the hedge, and we hastened onward, My friend knocked at the little rustle door, and knocked again without re- sponse, And yet the cottage was not deserted, for a low sound came to our ears--a kind of drone of misery and despair, which was indeseripably mel- ancholy, Holmes paused Irresolnte, and then he glanced back at the road which he had just traversed. A brougham was coming down it. and there aT 25 94H aE ae 2 9s 2 SES He HE HR RR a “What is the name of this obliging youth?” asked Sherlock Holmes. “His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, either. It's hard to say his age, I should not wish a smarter assistant, Mr. 1olmes; and IT know very well that he could better himself and earn twice what I am able to give him, But after all, if he is satisfied, why should T put ideas in his head?” “The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. Spaulding, he came down into the office Just this day eight weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says: ““T wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that [ was a ved-headed man.’ “Why that?’ I asks, ““Why,' says he, ‘here's another vacancy ou the League of the Red- Headed Men, It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who gets it, and T understand that there are more vaeancies than there are men, so that the trustees are at thelr wits’ end what to do with the money If ainy hair would only chinge color, here’s a nice little crib ail ready for me to step into,’ “Why, what is it, then?’ T asked, “Have you never heard of the League of the Red-Headed Men?’ he asked, with his eves open, “ ‘Never,’ “Why, T wonder at that, vacancies,’ “‘And what are they worth?’ 1 asked, “Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, and it need not interfere very much with one's other ovcupations.” “Well, you can easily think that that made me prick up my cars® for the business has not been r-good for some years, and an extra couple of hun- dred would have been very handy. “Pell me all bout it,’ said 1. “Well, said he, showing me the advertisement, ‘you can see for your= self that the league has a vacancy, and there 18 the address where you should apply for particulars, As far as T con make out, the league was founded by ean American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his way, He was himself red-headed, and he had a great sympathy for all red- headed men; so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous fortune in*the hands of trustees, with Instructions to apply the interest to the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of that color. rom all I hear it is splendid pay, and very little to do.” ‘But,’ sald I, ‘there would be millions of red-beaded inen who would apply.’ e “Not so many as you might think,’ he answered, ‘You see, it Is real y confined to Londoners and to grown men, This Amoyicun had started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the oll town a good turn, Then, again, I have heard it is no use your applying if your ‘air ts light red, or dark red, or anything but real bright, blazing flery red Now, if you eared to npply, Mr. Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a few hundred pounds.’ ‘Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, that my hair Is of a very full and rich tint, so that it seemed to me that, If there was to be uny competition in the matter, | stood as good a chance as any man vhat T had ever met. Vincent Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might prove useful, so [ just ordere? him to put up the shutters for the day, and to come right away with me, He was very willing have a holiday, so we shut the business up, and started off for the ad- ress that was given us in the advertisement, “IT never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr, Holmes, From north, south, east and west every man who had a shade of red in his hair had tramped into the city to answer the advertisement, Fleet street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought there were so many in the whole coun- try as were brought together by that single advertisement.” “Your experience has been a most entertaining one,” remarked Holmes us his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge pinch of snuff, “Pray continue your very Interesting statement,” There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs and a deal table, behind which sat a small man, with a head that was even redder than mine, He sald a few words to each candidate as he came up, and then he slways managed to find some fault in them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not sem to be such a very easy matter after all, However, when oy turn came the little man was much more favorable to me than to any of the 8, and he closed the door as we entered, so that for you are eligible yourself ior one of the PLM RRTON TS ORIEN ALTE gre RIVE PS IOVIRURRTE TPRNRT RUTRN ER REE could he no mistaking those gray | fy eee “By Jove, the doctor is coming hack!” cried Holmes, We are bound to see what it means before he comes.’” He opened the door and we sty {nto the hall. The dronti swelled louder upon our ears until {t became one long, deep wall of It came from upstairs. Holmes darted up, and I followed him. Hi open a half-closed door, and we both stocd appalled at the sight befor A woman, young and beautiful, was lying dead upon the bed. Her paie face, with dim, wide-opened blue eyes, looked upward from an great tangle of golden fair, At the foot of the bed, half sitting, half kn ing, his face buried in the clothes, was a young man, whose frame vacked by sobs, So absorbed was he iby his bitter grief that he never up until Holmes’s hand was on his shoulder. Are you Mr. Godfrey Staunton?’ e | Any—but you are too hite. She is de re ‘The man Was so dazed that he could not be made to understand that we were anything but doctors who had been sent to his assistance, Holmes was endeavoring to utter a few words of consolation and to explain the alirm which had been caused to his friends by his sudden disappearance when th was a step upon the stairs, and there was the heavy, stern, ques- tion ice of Dr, Armstrong at the door. , gentlemen,” said he, “vou have attained your end, and haye cer, tainly chosen a particularly delicate moment for your intrusion, I would, hot brawl in the presence of death, liut I can assure you that if T were a younger mit your monstrous conduct would not pass with impunity.” “Excuse me, Dr, Armstrong, I think we are a little at cross-purposes,” suid my friend, with dignity, “If you could step downstairs with us we may i each be eble to give some light, to the other upon this miserable affair,” A minute later the grim doctor and ourselves were in the sitting-room below, “Well, sir?” sald he, “T wish yon to undorstand, in ihe lirst place, that Tam not employed by Lom Mount-James, and that my sympathies in this matter are entirely aguinst that nobleman, When a man is lost it Is my duty to ascertain his fute, but having done so the matter ends so far as T am concerned, and, 80 long as there is nothing erlminal, Iam much more anxious to hush up pri vate scandals thin to give them publicity. If, as T imagine, there is no breach of the law in this matter, you can absolutely depend upon my dis+ cretion and my co-operation in kceping the frets out of the papers.” Dr. Armstrons took a quick atep forward and wrung Holnies by the hand, "You are a good fellow,” sata he. ‘I had misjudged you, T thank Heaven that my compunction at leaving poor Staunton all alone in this plight caused ine to turn my earriage back, and so to make your aequaint+ ance, Knowing as much as you do, the situation is very easily explained, A year ago Godfrey Staunton lodged in London for a time, and became pas- sionately attached to his landlady's dauglter, whom he married. She was as good as sho was beautiful, and intelligent as she was good, No man need be ashiumed of such a wile, Put Godfrey was the heir to this crabbed old nobleman, aid it was quite certain that the news of his marriage would have been the end of his inheritance, T knew the Jad well, and T loved him for his many excellent qualities. Laid all T could to help him to keep things stvalght. We did our very best to keep the thing from every one, for when once such a whisper gets about it is not long before every one has heard it. Thanks to this lonely cottage and his own discretion, Godfrey has up to now succeeded, ‘Their secret was known to no one, save to me and to one excel- lent gervant, Who has at present gone for assistance to Trumpington, But at last there came a terrible blow in the shape of a dangerous iliness to his wife. It was consumption of the most virulent kind, The poor boy! was half crazed with grief, and yet be had to go to London to play this match, for he could not get out of it without explanations which would expose his secret, T tried to cheer him up by wire, and he sent me one in reply, implor- ing me to do all I could, ‘This was the telegram which you appear in some inexpleable way to have seen, I did not,tell him how urgent tle danger was, for I knew that ho could da no good here, but I sent the truth to the vitl's father, and he very injudiciously communicated it to Godfrey. The result was that he came straight away in a state bordering on frenzy, and has remained in the same state, kneeling at the end of her bed, until this morning death put an end to her sufferings. That is all, Mr, Holmes, and Tam sure that T can rely npon your discretion and that of your friend.” Holmes grasped the doctor’s hand. “Come, Watson,” sald he, and we passed from that house of grief into the pale sunlight of the winter day, (THE END.) Any This is the Eleventh Story of the Series of New} Sherlock Holmes Stories. The Twelfth—‘'The Mystery of the Abbey Grange’'—will he published in a Special Color Supplement with THE EVE- \NING WORLD of next Saturday, April 29, YHOO I HUIS GHC NPE BEA HI HI 9 he might have a private word with us. “This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,’ said iny assistant, ‘and he is willing to fill a vacnney in the league.’ “And he is admirably suited for it,’ the other answered. ‘He has every requirement. 1 cannot recall when | have seen anything so fine,’ He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side and gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful, Then suddenly he plunged forward, wrung my hand und congratulated me warmly on my success, “It would be injustice to hesitate,’ said he, ‘You will, however, | am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution,’ With that he seized my hair in both his hands and tugged until I yelled with the pain, ‘There !s water In your eyes, dhe ashe roleased me, ‘I perceive that all {s at it should be, But we ye to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and once by paint, I could tell you tales of cobbler’s wax which would disgust you with human nature.’ He stepped over to the window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the vacancy was filled, A groan of disuppointment came up from below, and the folk all trooped awy in different directions until there was not a red head to be seen except my own and that of the manager, i “My name,’ said he, 'is Mr, Duncan Ross, and I am niyself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor,’ “What would be (he hours?’ [ asked, n to 2,’ \ ‘Now, a puwnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, Mr, Ilolmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just before pay- i so it would suit me very well to earn a little In the mornings. Key I knew that my assistant was a good man, and that he would see \o anything that turned up.’ That would suit me very well,’ said I. “'Ts 4 a week,” “And the work?’ “Is to copy out the “Encyclopedia Britannica,” There is the first yolume of it in that press, You must find your own ink, pens and blotting paper, but we provide this table and chair, Will you be ready to-morrow?’ Certainly,’ | answered, ' ‘Then good-by, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate you once more on the important pesition which you have been fortunate enovgh to gain.’ “Well, [ thought over the matter all day, and by evening | was in low spirits again; for I had quite persnaded myself that the whole affair must be some great hoax or fraud, though what its object might be I could not imagine, It seemed altogether past belief that any one could make such 4@ will, or that they would pay such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the ‘Sneyelopedia Britannica” Victor Spaulding did what he could to cheer me up, but by bedtime | had reasoned myself out of the whole thing, However, in the morning [ determined to have a look at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a quill-pen and seven sheets oi foolsecan paper T started off for Pope’s Court, “This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and os Saturday the manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week after, Kvery morning | was there at ten, and every afternoon 1 left at two, By dexrees Mr, )uncan Ross took to coming in only once of & morning, and then, after atime, he did not come in at all. SUll, of course, I’ never dared to leave the room for an instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the lillet was such a good one, and stilted me so well, that T would not risk the loss of it. “Right weeks passed away like this, and I had written about Abbote and Archery and Armor and Architecture and Attica, and hoped with dill gence that I might get on to the B's before very long. It cost me some» thing in foolseap, and I had pretty nearly filled a shelf with my writings, And then suddenly the whole business came to an end.” ‘o an end?" “yes, sir. And no later than this morning. [ went te my work a usual at 10 o'clock, but the door was shut and locked, with a little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the panel with a tack. Here it is, and you can read for yourself,’’ He held up a plece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet of notes paper, It read in this fashion: “THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE Is ‘And the pay?’ DISSOLVED Oetober, 9, 1890." nwis Sunday World Magazine. (To be concluded in to- Oe The conclusion of this story will be published in to-morrow’s SUNDAY WORLD MAGAZINE,