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Show Rf f pi 1 1 O The Adventure of the eturn or jherlock Holmes wQMrtT (Continued from preceding: pago.) caKcrry outside the gate, where the marks of the broupbani'B wheels were still to be Been. A footpath led across lo the lonely cottage. Holmes tied the dog to the hedge, and we hastened onwards. My friend knocked at tho lit tin rustic door, and knocked again without response. And yet the cottage was uoL deserted, de-serted, for a low sound came to our ears a kind of drone of misery and despair, whieh was indescribably melancholy, Holmes paused irresolute, and then he glanced back at. tbo road which he hnd just traversod. A brougham was coming down it, and there conld bo . no mistaking those grey horses. "By Jove, the doctor is cominir backr' cried Holmes. -'That settles if.. Wo aro bound to see what, it means before ho comes," Ho opened the door, and we stepped, into tho nail. The droning sound swelled louder upon our ears until it became ono long, deep wail of dlstroBS. It oajno from upstairs. Hoimos darted up, and I followed him. He pushed opon a half-closed door, and wo both stood appaled at the sight before us. A woman, young and beautiful, was lying dead upon tho bed. Her calm, pale face, with dim, wldo'opened blue eves, looked upwards from amid a great tangle of golden hair. At the foot of tho bed, half sitting, half kneeling, his face buried in the clothes, was a young man. whose frame was racked by his sobs. So "absorbed was he by hl6 bitter grief, that he never looked up until Holmes's hand whs on his shoulder. "Are you Mr. Godfrey Staunton 7" 'Ye, yes-, I nm but you are too late. She is dead." The man was o dazod that ho could not be made to understand that "we wore anything but doctors who hnd been eont to hiis assistance. Holmes was endeavoring endeav-oring to utter a few words of consolation, and to ox-plain ox-plain the nlarm which had been caused to his friends by his sudden disappearance, when there was a step upon thn stairs, and there was tbp heavy, stern, iptes. tionintr fnco of Dr. Armstrong at the door. . "So gentlemen," said he, "you have attained your end and have certainly chosen a particularly delicate momont for your intrusion. I would not brawl in the presonce of death, but I can asBurc you that if I wero a younger mnn yottr monstrous conduct would not pass with impunity' ..... 'Excuse mo, Dr Armstrong f think we are a little at crops-purposes." enid mr friend, with dignity. "If vou could atop downstairs with us, wo may each be able to give fomo light to the other upon tuts miserable miser-able affair." , x , , A minute later, the grim doctor and ourselves were in the sitting-room below. "Well, sir?" faid ho. ... "I wish vou to understand, in the first place, that I am not employed by Lord Mount-James, nnd that niv vmpnthics in this matter arc entirely against that nobleman. When a man is lost it is my duty to ascertain as-certain his fate, but having done so the, matter onds ao far as f am concerned, aud'so long as there is nothing noth-ing criminal, I am much more anxious to hush up private pri-vate scaudals than to give them publicity. If, as f imagine there is no breach of-the law in this matter, you cau absolute! v depend upon my discretion and 'niv co-operation in keeping the facts out of the papers.'' Dr. Axinstrouc took a quick step forward and wrung Holmes by the hand. "You aro a good follow," said he. " had misjudged mis-judged 3ou. I thank heaven that my compunction at leaving poor Staunton all alone in this plight caused me to turn my carriage back, and so to inako your acquaintance. ac-quaintance. Knowing as much us you do, the situation situa-tion is vary easily explained. A year airo Godfrey Staunton lodged in London for a titno, and became pnssionatoly attached to his landlady's daughter, whom he married. She was as good as she way beautiful, beau-tiful, and as intelligent as she was good. No man need be ashamed of such a wife. But Godfrey was the heir to this crabbed old nobleman, and it was quito certain that the news of his marriage would have been tho end of his inheritance, I knew thn lad well, and I loved hint for his mnuy excellent, qualities 1 did all 1 could lo help him to keep things straight Wc did our very best to lreoi; tho thing from overyonc. for. when once such a whisper gets about, it is" not long before everyone hns hoard it TlinnUs to this lonely cottage and his own discretion. Godfrey has up to now succeeded. Their secret, was knowu to no one. save to mo and to one excellent servant, who has at present gone for npaistaiii-o to Truinpingtoii. Hut vt last there came a terrible blow in the shape of dangerous dan-gerous illness to his wife. It. was consumption of the most virulent, kind. The poor boy was hsrtf crazed with grief, and yet ho had lo go to London to plav this match, for he could not got out. of it without explanations ex-planations which would expose his scorn. 1 tried to chenr him up by wire, and ho sent nu one in roplv, imploring nie to do all I. could. This was the telegram which you appear in some inexplicable way i(J have seen, j did not tell him how urgent tho danger was, for .T knew that he could do no good here, but I sent tho truth to tho girl's fnthcr, and he very injudiciously communicated it to Godfrey, Tho result was that he came straight away in a state bordorin-i on frenzy, and ha? romaincd in the same state, ltnoeliug at tfic end of her bed, until this morning death put an end to her sufi'crings. That is all, Mr, llolmcf, and T am sum that 1 can rely upon your discretion and that of vour friend." Holmes craaped the doctor's hand. "Come. Watson, " said he, and wc passed from that house of grief into tho palo sunlight of tho winter day. MText week "The Adventure of Iho Abbey Grange." |