HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1892-11-17, Page 2LEGAL.
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AN INTRICATE CASE,
A TRUE HISTORY OF A RE3/4RE:A.13LE EXPERIENCE.
CHAPTER III.
XX QUEST 01,? SOLUTIOX,
It Wan half -pest five before Holmes re.
tamed. He was bright, eager, aud in ex-
cellent spirits,—a mood which in his ewes
alternated with fits of the blackest depres.
sion.
"There is no greet mystery in this
matter," he said, taking the cup of tea
width I hoel poured out for him, "The
facts appear to admit of only one explana-
tion.'
" Whet you have solved it already ?"
'Well thet would be too much to say.
I have discovered a suggestive fact, that is
alL It is, however, eery suggestive. The
details are still to be added. I have just
fonnil, on consulting the back files of the
l'inte.1, that Major ‘Sholto, of Upper Nor-
wood, late of the 3Ith thmbey Infautry,
died. upon the 2Sth of A.pril, Med."
"1 may be very obtuse, Relines, but I
fail to see what this suggests."
." No? You surprise me. Look at it in
give me your word thee neither of erdter
oompanione ie a police-ollicer."
"I give you my word on, that," she an-
swered.
He gave a shrill whistle, on which a
street Arae led across a four -wheeler and
opened the door. The man who had ad.
dressed us mounted to the box, while w -
took our places inside. We had hardly
done so before the driver whipped up his
hero, and we plunged away at a furious
pace through the foggy streets.
The situation was a melees one. We
were driving to an unknown place, on au
errand. Yet oar invitation was either a
eompleto hoax, —which was an inconceivable
hypothesis,—or else we had good reason
to think that important issues might hang
upon our journey. Miss Morstan's
meaner was as resolute and collected as
ever. I endeavored to cheer and amuse her
by reminiscence* of my adventures in
Afghanistan; but, to tell the truth,. I was
myself so excited at our sitnetion and. so
cumous as to our destination that mysteries
this way, then. Captain Montan disa.p- I were slightly involved. To this cley she
peers. The only person in London whom declares that I told her one moving a aecciote
as to how a musket looked into my taut at
the deed of night, and how fared a, double.
barrelled tier cub at it. At first 1 bed
some Idea as to the direction in which we
were driving; but soon, what with our pew,
the fog, and my own limited knowledge of
Louden, I teat my batwing; and knew
nothing, save that we seemed to be going a
very long way. Sherlock Holmes was never
at fault, however, and he inuteered the
names as the cab rattled through squaree
and in and out by tortuous by -streets.
"Rocheeter Row," said he. "Now Vin-
cent Square. Now we oome out on the
Vauxhall Bridge road. We are making for
the Surrey side, apparently, Yes, I thought
so. Now we are on the bridge. Yon can
catch glimpses of the river.'
We cud indeed get a fleeting view of a
streteli of the Thames with the lamps slim-
ing upon the broad, silent water; but our
cab dashed on, and Was soon involved in a
lebyrinth of etreets upon the other side,
he could have visited is MajorSholto. Maj-
or Sholto denies haviug heard that he was
in London. Four years later Sholto dies.
Withie a week othi$ tloath. Captain Morstan's
daughter receive8 a valuable present, which
is repeated front year to year, and now cul-
minates ta a letter which describes her as a.
wronged woman. What. wtono eau it refer
to except this deprivation °Cher father?
And why should the presents begin inunedit
ately after Sholecis death, unless it is that
Sholto's heir knows somethilig of the mys-
tery and desires to meke compensation ?
Have you any alternative theery which will
meet the facts?"
"But what a, strange compensation 1 And
how strangely made Why, too, should he
write a letter now, rather then six years
ago? Again, the letter speaks of giviug
her justice. What justice ca,n she have?
It is too much to suppose that her tether is
still alive. There is no other injustice in
her case that you know of."
"There are d tfhoulties ; there are certainly ordsworth Road, sant my compen-
difficulties," ateitiSherlock Holmes pensive- en,. " Priory Rout, Lark Hall Lane.
"11,.. our expedition of to -nigh% will solve
• Herber Lane. Our quest does not appeer
Miss Moreton is inside. Are you all ready?, to tate us to very, teehionahie regions,'
Then we hail bettergo dowmfor it is a little I We had, indeed, reached a questionable
past the hour." and forbidding neighborhood. Long lines
....t);ent all Alt here is a, four -wheeler and
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I picked up my hat and my heaviest of dull brick houses wore only relieved by
stick, but I observed that Holmes took his , the coarse glue and tawdry brilliancy of
revolver from his drawer and slipped, itinto ' publichouses at the corner. Then C.I.1110 rows
his pocket. It wee clear that ho thought . of two -storied villas each with a frontingof '
that our night's work might be a. serious
one. miniature garden, end then again intermtn-
able lines ot now staring brick buildinge,—
Miss Morstan was muffled in a dark chtelt, ; the monster tentacles winch the gta.nt city
and her sensitive face was composed, but i was throwing out into thecountry. At last
pale. ;the must breve been more than WOITIall i the cab drew up at the third house in a new
Li she did not feel seine uneasiness at the terrace. None of the other houses were
stran e enterprise upcn which we were em- I inhabited, and that at which we stepped
barking, yet her self-control was perfect, ° Was as dark as its neighbors, save for a
and sho readily answered the few addition- : single glimmer in the kitchen window. On
al questions which Sherlock. Holmes put to , our knoektng, however, the door Wata in.
her. I stantly thown oon b a Mode° serve t
"Major Sholto was a very particular clad in a yellow turbeat, white loose -fitting
friend of papas," she sold. HIS letters clothes, and ay ellow sash. There WAS some -
were fell of anemone to the nuejor. He and , thing stranglyincongrtiout in this Oriental
papa were in commend of thei
troops at the • figure framed n the commonplace door -way
Andeman Islands, so they were thrown a tot a third-rate eublithen dwelling -house.
grew deal together. By the way, a carious 1 "The &hilt awaits you," bad hot and
pe.per was found in papa's desk which no even as he spoke there mune a high ininug
one could understand. I don'tsuppoee that vole° from some inner room. "Show them
it is of the slightest importance, but I in to me, ithittnntger," it cried. "Show
thought you mightcare to see ids° I brought ' them straight in to me."
it with me. It is here."
Holmes unfolded the paper carefully and
smoothed it out upon his knee. He then
very methodically examined it all over with
his double lens.
CHAPTER IV.
TUB STORY OF TUE 11.4.I,D•11B.4.DBD MAX:
We followed the Indian down a sordid
9
friends here, not only as an escort to you, and was admitted by my faithful old Lel
but also witnesses to what I pan about to Chowder, who is now dead. Morstau and I
do and say. The three of etat show a bold •had difference of opinioa as to the division
front to &other Bertholornew. Bat let us of the treasure, and we came to heated
have no outsiders,—no police or effleiale- words. Morstan had speung out of his
We can. settle everything satisfactorily ohair fa a paroxysm of anger, when inc
among oureelves, withone any ititertereuce. suddenly pressed his hand to his
Nothing would arinoy BrotherBartholornew side, his face tamed a desky hue,
more than a.uy publioiter." He set down aud he fell backwards, cutting his
upon a low !settee aucl blinked at ns heed against the oneer of the treasuee-
ingdyirotvrixtlitiylipt zaskt,tiedvaHteoilyinebsl,u
e
"ejheasiever to my horror, that he was dead.
chest. 'When I stooped over him I found,
you may choose to say will go no further." d I For a long time I sat half distracted,
I nodded to show my agreement. wondering whet I should do. Aly first int-
" That is well 1 That is well 1" said he. pulse was, of course, to ,call for assistence ;
" May I offer you a. glass of Chianti, Miss but I could not but recognize that there was
Morstan ? Or of Tokay ? I keep no other every alma" that would be aeeused bis
wines Shall I open a flask? ? Well, murder. .tfis death at the moment of a
then, trust that yon have no objection to quarrel, and the gash in his head, wonid be
tobacco -smoke, to the mild balsamic odor of black against me, Agaim an official inquiry
the Eastern tobacco. I ant a littlenervoas. could nobs be made tvithout bringing oue
and I find my hookah ite invaluable sada- some facts about the treasure, which I was
tive." He applied a taper to the great particularly anxious to keep secret.. He
bowl, and, the =eke bubbled merrily Ind told me that no soul upon earth knew
through the rose-water. We eat all three te where he had gone. There seemed to be no
a serrucirele, with our heads advanced, and necessity Why any soul ever should know.
our chins upon our hands, while the " I was still pondering over the matter,
strange, jerky little fellow, with his high, when, looking up, I sew my servant, Lel
shining head, Duffed uneasily in the centre." Chowdar, tee door -way.
communication to you," sand he, I taight saute', he sew. d No one need know that
lie stole in and
" Do not fear,
" When I first determined to make this bQued tee door whine him.
lia,ve given you my address, but I feared you have killed him Let us hide hien away,
that yau might disregard my request and and who is the wiser
bring unpleasant people with you. I took him," said I. Lai Chowder, shooklits heed
"I did not kill
the liberty, therefore, of making an appoint. and smiled. "I heard it all, Sahib," said
mint Mauch a way thab my man Williams he, "I heard you quarrel, aud I heard the
niight be a.ble to see you first. 1 haVe AM, blow, But my lips are sealed. All are
pleto confidence in his discretion, and Inc asleep in the Imes°. Let up put him away
had orders, if Inc were dissatisfied, to pro- together." Tito was enough to decide me,
eeed no further in the utautttel.amYttoulatotIvioll 11
exeuse these precautions, nn itt7e4,1 hso°wIle'aonutiderlilladpentoot makebeija rteg good
somewhat rowing, and I might even. say before twelve fooltsh tradesmen in a jury.
trtenfintligettaisetetsh'eannda there
eiceines elin!thilLighttnvl r Let body that night, and within a few daye the
box? Lal Chowder aud I disposed of the
uatural shrinking from all forms of rough
materialism, eseldom come in contact diseppeerance of Captain Montan You
London papers were full of the ;ny erious
with the rough crowd. I live, as you, see, will see from what I say that lean herdlyin
with some little atmoophere of elegance blamed in the matter. My fault lies in the
the arts.
around me. I may call myselt a Patron a fact that we concealed not only the body,
It is my weakness. The laud- lAt adso the treasure, and that I have clung
soap° is a genuine Ooret, and, though eon. to MOratan's share as Well as to my own.
noisseur might perhaps throw a doubt upon wiall you, therefore, to make restitution.
thee &Avatar Rosa there cannot be the Put your ears dove to my mouth. The
least question about:the gouguereem I am treasure in hidden in—" At this instant
partial. to the modern Freneh sehool." a horrible change came over his expression;
" Yon will excese m,e, Mr. Sholto," said his *veil stared wildly, his jaws dropped,
Miss Morsten, "bub I ant here at your re. and he yelled, ie a vow which I car, never
(vest to 'eerie somethinf which you desire forget, "keep him ant For Christ's sake
to tell nee. It i$ very ate, and I should keep him ont I" We both stared roun 1
deeire the interview to be as short as pqa- at the window behind. us upon which In
ilib`l'eL the best it must take 50100 time,' us out of the darkneas. Wo could see the
, gaze was fixed, A. lace was leioking hi et
he answered ; "for we shall certainly have whitening of the nose where it was pressed
to go to Norwood. and Sea Berthohnnew, against the glass, It was a bearded, hairy
We shall all go and try if we can get the face, with wild.cruel eyes and an expression
better of Brother Bartholomew. Ha is very of concentrated. malevolence. My brother
angry with me for taking the course and I rushed towards the window, but the
Inas seernedrigtit to me. I had quit,e high MAU was gone. When we returned to my
words with lum last nights You cannot father hie heed had dropped and his pulse
imagine what a terrible fellow he is when bad ceased to beat
he is angry." reached. the garden that night, but
" If Wo are to ga to ›,Torwood it would ee,,ad aceeigia ef the intruder save that
perhaps be as well to start at once," I von- just, under t windo a" a singie footmark
tared to remark. was visible in the flower -bed. But forthat
Ho laughed until his ears wore q‘uite red. one trace, we might have thought that our
"That would hardly do," he cried. don't imegination hail conjured up that wild,
know what he would say if I brought you in fierce face. We soon, however, hatianother
that sudden way. No, mot prepe.re yon end a more striking proof that there were
by showing you how we ail stand to each secret agencies et work all round ns. The
other. In the first place, I mivit tell you window of my father's room was fonnd open
that there aro several points in the story of in the morning, his cupboardt and boxes
whi h am myaelf ignorant. I eau only had been rifled, and upon his (sheet was
lay the facts before you es far as I know •fixed a torn piece of paper, with the words
them tnyself, "The sign of the four" scrawled across it.
4` My father was, as you nay ha,ve guess- What the phrase meant, or who our secret
ed, Major John Shale), once of the Indian visitor may have been, we never knew. As
army. He retiret1 setae eleven years age, far as we mut judge, none of iny father's
and memo to live at Poudicherry Lodge In property had been ectuelly stolen, though
Upper Norwood. He had prospered in India, everything had been turned out. My
and brought batik with him a considerable brother and I naturally associated the pe.
sum of money, a large collection of valuable culler incident with the fear whiehlmunted
ourtosities, and a staff of native servants. inv lather during his life ; but it is still a
With these advantages he bought himself a complete mystery to us."
house; and lived. in groat luxury. My twin -
The little man stopped to relight his
"Ib is paper of native Indian inanufac. and common passage, ill lit and worse fur- obhrentaltreernBertholomew and I were the only
hookah and puffed thoughtfully for a tow
been pinned to a board. The diagram upon right, which he threw open. .A blaze of which was caused by the disappearance of
ture," he remarked. "It hose at some time milled, until he mile to a door upon the " I very well remember the aensation
mg to his extraordinary narrative. At the
moments. We had all sat abeorhea, listen -
it appears to be a plan of part of a large yellow light streamed ant upon, us, and in 1 Captain Montan. tVe read the details in short amount of her father's death Miss
building with numerous hone, corridors, the centre of the glare there stood .ft small Moreau had turned deadly white, and for
a moment Hewed thatshe was about to faint.
She rallied, however, ou drinking a glass of
water which I quietly poured out for her
from a Venetian aerate upon tho side -table.
Sherlock Holmes lenient back in his chair
with an abstratted expression and the Ede
drawn low over his glittering eyes. As I
glanced at him I could not but think how on
that very day ho had complained bitterly of
the commonplaceness of life. Here at least
was a problem which would tax hissagacity
to the utmost. Mr. Thaddeus Shone) looked
from one to the other of us with an obvious
pride at the effect which his story had pro-
duced, and then continued between the puffs
of his overgrown pipe.
"My brother and I," said he, "were, as you
may imagine, much excited as to the treasure
whioh my father had spoken of. For we ks
and for months we (legend delved in every
part of the garden, without discovering its
whereabouts. It was maddening to think
that the hiding place was on his very lips at
the moment that he died, We could judge
the splendor of the inissing riches by the
chaplet which he had taken out. Over this
chaplet my brother Bartholomew and 1 bat
some little discussion. The pearls were
evidently of great value, ancl he was averse
Lo part with thorn for, between friends, my
brother was himself a little inclined to my
father's fault. He thouglie, too, thee if we
parted with the chaplet it might give rise
to gossip and finally bring us into troable.
It wee all that I could do to persuade him
to let ma find out M1S3 Morstan's ;Address
ald send her a detached pearl at fixed in-'
tervals, so that at least she might never feel
destitute."
"It was a kindly thought," said our
companion, earnestly. "It was extremely
goTodolfie
YtTl-
heem"an waved his hand deprecat-
ingly. " NVe were you trustees," he said.
"That was the view which I toek of it,
bhough Brother Btatitglotnew could not, at-
togethersee it in tli a t lfght. We had plenty
of money ourselves. I desired no more..
Besides, it would have been such bad bete
td have treated a young lady in so scurvy a
fashion. " Le mattvais ;put mans 0.1 coinze.'
The French have a very neat way of putting
these thinga. Our cliff:roue pf opinionon.
this stibjcet went so far that I thought it
best to set up rooms for myself: so Iloft
Pondicherry Lodge, taking the old khitmat-
ger and Williams with wie. Yeeteielay,
however, I learn that an event of extreme
importance limo:marred. The treasure has
quinine -bottle. Even that -I could not bear been discovered. I instantly communicat-
to part veith, althoueh I had got it out with ed with MMtn
iss orstan, and it only reains
the design of sending it to her. You,. ray for us to drive out to Norwood and demand
sons, will give her a fair share of the Agee our share. I explained my views last night
tteasare. But send her nothing—not even to Brother Bartholomew: se we shall be
the chaplet—until I am gone. .After all, expected, if not welcome, visitors.
men have been as bad as this 'and have re. Mr. Theddeus 'Sholto, ceased and sat
covered. e twitching on his Inicurioue settee, We all
" will tell yea how Montan died,' he remained silent; With. our thoughts upon
cantinued. He had eaffered lor years from the new development which the myster.
a weak heart, ,but haconceoled itirom evet y ions business had taken. Holmes was the
one. I alone knew .18. When in India, first to spring to his feet.
he and 1; through remarkable chain of
dreams tanees, came into possession of a con-
siderable treaenre. brought it over to
England, and on ,the night of Morstan's
and passegee. At one point is itsnuell cross man with very high head, a bristle of rad.
done in red ink, and above it is '2.37 from hair all round the fringe of it, and a bald,
left,' in faded pencil -writing. In the loft- shining scalp which shot out from among
hand -comer is a curious literoglyphic like it like a mountainepeak from fir -trees. He happened. Never fot an instant did we
four creases in a line with their arras touch- writhed his hands together as he stood, and saspeet that he had the whole secret hidden
ing. Beside it is written, in very rough his features were inaperpetualjerkolowsmil-
and coarse characters, 'The sign of thefour, ing, now suowling, but never for au instant
—Jonathan Small, Mahomet Singh, Abdul- in repose. Nature had given him apendulous
lah Khan, Dost Akbar." No, confeas that lip, and a too visible line of yellowand irreg.
I do not see how this bears upon the eller teeth, which he strove feebly to conceal
matter. Yet it is evidently a document of • by constantly pessinghishand over tholower
iinportance. It has been kept carefully 1/1 part of his face. In sp:te of his obstrueive
a pocket -book; for the one side is as clean baldnees, he gave the impression of youth.
as the other." I In point of fact lie had just turned his
"It was in his pooket-book that we found thirtieth year.
"Your servant, Miss Morstan," Inc kept
"Preserve it carefully, then, Miss 'Montan repeating, in a thin, high voice. "Your
for it amy prove to be of use to us. I begin servant, gentlemen. Pray step into my
to suspect that this matter may turn out little sanctum. A small place, miss, but
to be much deeper and more subtle than I furnished to my own liking. An orts:s of art
at first supposed. I must reconsider my
ideas." He leaned beek in the cab, and I
could see by his drawn brow and his
vacant eye that he was thinking intently.
Miss Morstan and chatted in an under-
tone about our present expedition and its
possible outcome, but our companion main-
tained his impenetrable reserve until tte
end of our journey.
It was a September evening, and not yet
seven o'clock, but the day had been a
dreary one, and a dense drizzly fog lay low
upon the great city. Mud -colored clouds
drooped sadly over the muddy streets.
Dowu the Strand the lamps were but misty
sploeches of diffused light which threw a
feeble circular glimmer upon the slimy
pavement. The yellow glare from the
shop -windows streamed out into the steamy,
vaporous air, and threw a murky, shifting
radiance across the crowded thoroughfare.
There was, to my mind, something eerie and
ghost-like in the endless procession of faces
which flitted across these narrow bars of
light,—sad faces a,nd. glad, haggard and
merry, Like all human kind, they flitted
from the gloom into the light, and so back
into the gloom once more. I am not sub-
ject to impressions, but the dun, heavy
evening, with the strange business upon
which we were engaged, combined to tnake
me nervous and depreesed. I could see
from Miss Morstan's manner that she was
suffering from the same feeling. Hohnes
alone could rise superior to petty influendes.
He held his open notebook upon his
knee, and [ram time to time he jotted down
figures and memoranda in the light of his
pocket -lantern.
At the Lyceum Theatre the crowds were
already. thick at the aide -entrances. In
f cint continuoes stream of hansoms and
four-wheelers.were rattling up, discharging
their cargoes of shirt -fronted men and be.
shawled, bediamonded women. We had
hardly reached: the third which WAS
our rendezvous, before a, small, dark, brisk
man in the dress of a coachman accosted
" Are you the parties who come with
Miss M.orstan?" he asked. .
"I am Miss Morstan,and these two gentle-
men are my friends," said she.
He bent a pair of wonderfully penetrating
and questioning eyes upon us. , 'You will
excuse me, miss," he said, with a certiten arrival he mato straight over !tete to claim
the ppm, and, knowing that he had been
a friend of our father's, we disauseed the
case freely in his presence. Ho used to join
in our epeoulations as to what could have
in his own breest,—that of all men he alone
knew the fate of Arthur Morstan." We did know, however, that some mys-
tery—some positive danger—overhung our
father. He was very fearful of going out
alone, and he always employed two prize-
fighters to ect as porters at Pondicherry
Lodge. Williems, who drove you b -night,
was one of them. He was once light -weight
champion of England. Oar father would
never tell us what it was he feared, but he
had a most marked aversion to men with
wooden legs. On one oacasion he actually
fired his revolverath wooden -logged rna.n , who
proved to be a harmless tradesman canvass -
in the howling desert, of South London." ing for orders. We had to pty a large sum
We were all astonished by the appearance to hush the matter up. My brother and I
of the apartment into which he invited us. used to think this a mere whim of my
In that sorry house it looked as out of place father's, but events have since :led us to
as a diamond of the first water in a setting change our opinion.
of brass. The richest and glossiest of "Early in 1.852 my father received a
curtains and tapestries draped the walls letter from India which was a great shock
looped back here and there to expose some to him. He nearly fainted at the breakfast -
richly -mounted painting or Oriental vase. table when he opened it, and from that day
The carpet was of anther -and -black, so soft he sickened to his death. What was in the
and so thick that the foot sank pleasantly letter we could n '
ever discover, but I could
into it, as into a bed of moss. Two groat see as he held it that it was shorb and writ -
titer -skins thrown athwart it increased the ten in 0 scrawling hand. He had suffered
suggestion of Eastern luxury, as did a huge for years from an enlarged spleen, but he
hookah which stood upon a mat in the now bebame rapidly worse, and towards the
corner. A lamp in the fashion of a silver end of April we were informed that he was
dove was hung from an almest invisible beyond all hope, and that he wished to make
golden wire in the centre of the room. As a last communication to us.
it burned it filled the air with a subtle and " When wo entered his room Ile was
aromatic odor. proppei up with pillows and breathing
" Mr. Thaddeus Sholto," said the little heavily.. He besought us to lock Inc door
man, still jerking and smiling. "That is and to come upon either side of the bed.
my namM
e. You are Miss orsta,n, of course. Then, grasping our hands, he made a re -
And these gentlemen --" markable statement to us, in a voice which
"This is Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and this was broken as much by emotion as by pain.
Dr. Watson." I shall try and give it to you in his own
" A doctor, eh ?" cried he, much excited. very words.
"Have you your stethoscope? IVIight I ask " I have only one thing.' he said,
you—would you have the kindness? I have which weigbs upon my mind at this su-
doubts as to my tnitral valve, if you would preme moment. it is my treatment of poor
be so very good. The aortic I may rely upon Morstan's orphan. The cursed greed which
but I should value your opinion upon the has been my 'besetting 'sin through life luts
mitrel." withheld trona her the treasure, half at least
I listened to his heart, as requested, but of which should have been hers. And yet I
was unable to find anything amiss, save have made no uee of it myself, ---so blind- and
indeed that he was in an eestaay of fear, for foolish a thing is avarice. The mere feeling of
he shivered from head to foot. e' It a,p. possession has .been so dear to me that I
pears to he normal," I said. "You have no could not bear to share it with another. See
Cause for uneasiness." that chaplet tipped with pearls besides the
"You will excuse my anxiety, Miss
Morstan,' he remarked, I tuna
great sufferer, and I have long had suspic-
ions as to that valve. I am delighted to
hear that they are unwarranted. Had your
father; Mies Morata,n refrained from throw-
ing a strain upon his'lleart, Inc might have
-been alive now."
I could have struck the man across the
face, so hob was 1 at this callous and off-
hand reference to so delicate a.matter. Miss
Montan set down, and her face grew white
to the lips. ".1 knew in my heart that he
was dead," said she. -
"I can give you every information," said
he, "and what is more, I can do you justice;
and I will, too, whatever Brother Bertholo.
dogged manner, "hut .1 was te ask you to mew may say. I am eo glad to have your Ws share. He walked over from the station,
You have done well, sie, frotn first to
hot," said he. "It is possible that we may
be ab e to make you some small return by
throwing some light upon that which is
still dark to you. But, as Miss Moisten re-
marked just now, it is late, and we had
facorporated1887, with Gan Capital °IVACO°
vitEpweA,
ra
ht
FAT.AUG•16.
/re
-
•••••••••••.*
acme Bill
AND APPLIANCIA CO.
49 KING ST. W., TORONTO, ONT.
G. 0. PATTERSON, Mgr. tor Canada,
Electricity, as applied by the
Owen, Electric Belt,
Ts now recognized as the greatest boon offered
to suifering humanity. It is fast taking the
pbtee of drugs in all nervous and rheumatic
troubles, hod will effect cures in seemingly
le:metes:teases where every other known means
has failed. It is natitee's remedy, and by its
stea4,soothing:,current that is readily fele,
POSITIVELY CURES
Rheumatism,
Sciatica,
Genera/. Debility,
Lumbago,
Nervou4 1118e5808,
Dyspepsia,
Varteoceie,
Sexual Weakness.
Female Complaint.%
Impotency,
Itiney Diseases.
Liver Complaint,
Lame Beek,
Drinary Diseases,
RHEUMATISM
It Is a well known fact that mittent science
has utterly failed to adore relief la rheumatic
ceses. We venture the assertion that although
Eleotricity luta tally been In Maus a remedial
(agent for a few yaws, It lies cured more cases
Ithetneatisre then all other eneans come
blued, Some et our leading physicians, recog-
nizing this fact, are availing themselves of this
most poteet or nature's forces,
TO RESTORE MANHOOD
Thoustuoi of people suffer from, a variety of
nervous diseases, such es Seminal Weakness,
Impotency, Lost Manhood, Weak Ilietk, oto,
.that dm old modes of treatment full to cure.
There is it loss of nerve force or power that
cannot be restored by medical treatment, aud
uny ;looter Who wOOld try to accomplish this
tboymP0oYtItgadrOiLatruyst PrIrltoeptelfilytlgirea adtaeudgerous
THESH DISEASES 311 BE CURED
Electricity. as applied by the Owen Electric
Belt and Suspensory. will most assuredly do
so. Itis the only known eentedial agent that
will supply what Is lacking, namely, nerve
force or power, impart tono and vigor to the
noregravnoussAllydstergiU.80 to healthy action the whole
BEWARE OF IMITATIONS
And the worthless, cheap. smealledi Electric
Belts advertised by some concerns awl peddled
through the (*nary. They are eicetrio in
name only, worthless as a curative power, rued
dear at any price.
Wo Challenge. the World to 'bow an
Electric Belt where the eurrent is under con-
trol of the patient as eopteletely as thls.
Our errndo Nark xqi • portrait of Dr.
Owen eiabesse3 in 401u upcit. every Belt awl
appliance mearafeateeed 1»lit
Send for CP.aloge—Mailee (Sealed) Free.
THE OWEP ELEOIRIt BELT 00.,
49 King St W., Toronto.
Mention this Dauer.
beat pat the matter through without;
d°11sYr.'
0new acquaintance very deliberately
coiled up the tubs of his holkali, and pro.
aimed from behind a curtain it very Joao he
frogged topcoat with Astrakhan oollartand
cull's, Tina he buttoned tightly up, in
spite of the extreme closeness of the night,
and fluished his attire by. putting on a rab-
biaskin cap with hengutg leppets which
coverea the oars, so that 110 pert of hint
was visible save his mobilo and peaky face.
"My health is somewhat fragile," he re-
marked, mile led the way down the pas-
sage. "I am compelled to be in videtudi-
narian."
Our (tab wee awaiting us outside; and our
programme was evidently prearranged, for
the driver started off at once at a rapid
pace. Thaddeus Sholto talked incessantly,
in a voice which rose high above the rattle
of the wheels.
"Bartholomew is a 'clever fellow," said
he. "How do you think Ile found out
where the treasure was? He had come to
the conclusion that it was some where,out of
doors: so Inc worked out all the cubic space
of the houss, ana made mee.suretnents
everywhere. so that net one inch should be
unaccounted for. Among other things, he
found that the height of the building was
seventy -foul feec, but on adding together
the heights of all the .separate rooms, and
making every allowance for the space be-
tween, which he ascertained by borings, he
could not bring the total to more than
seventy Thee There were four foot acemmt-
ed for. These could only be at the top of
the building. He knockecl a hole, there-
fore, in the lath -and -plaster ceiling of the
highest room, and there, sure enough, he
came upon another little garret above it,
which hied been sealed up and was known
to no one. In the centre stood the treas.
ure-chest, resting upon two rafters. He
lowered it throueli the holo, and there it
lies. He computes the value of jewels at
not less than hall a million sterling."'
At the mention of this gigautic sum we
all stared at one another open-eyed. Miss
Morstan, could we secure her rights, would
change from a needy governess to the rich-
est heiress in England. Surely it was the
place of a loyal friend to rejoice at, such
news yet I am ashamed to say that selfish -
lies took me by the soul, and that deiheart
turned as heavy 118 lead within me. I stam-
mered out soine few halting words of con-
gratulation, and then sat downriaat, -with my
head drooped, deaf to the babble of our new
acquaintance. He was clearly a confirmed
hypochondriac,and I was dretanily conscious
that he was pouring forte interminable
treins of symptoms, and imploring informa-
tion as to the composition and aotion of in- •
numerable quack nostrums, souls oi which
he bore about in a leather 0580 111 his pocket,.
I trust that he may not immember any of the • -
answers which I gave him that night.
Holmes declares that he overheard me cau-
tion him against the great danger of taking
more than two drops of castor oil, while I
recommended strychnine in large 'loses as a
sedative. However that may be, I was cer•
:minty relieved when oar cab pulled up 'with
a,jerk and the coachman sprang down to ,
open the door.
" This Miss Morstan, is Pondicherry
Lodge," said Mr. Thaddeus Sholto, as -he .
handed her out.
(To • no ocarrittueo.)
To tree wrong clone, and , keep silence, is
tecitly to be implicated.
Most men like to see themseleee in print,
bub women don't; they prefer eilk or satin.
"Will your daughter -take Latin this
year?" Mother—" I guess there is no
dauger of it; .we had her vaccinated before
sito left
e.in ma, Geordiee,
re s' allowed a,
m.
quarter an' he's chokin' 1" Clie.rdie's Mem.
ma—" 011, my child, why did you do' 1t1
Xotir I haven t enough fel Attk Arc."