The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 19 (1/2)
”My heart had turned to lead 'It is K K K,' said I
”He looked inside the envelope 'So it is,' he cried 'Here are the very letters But what is this written above the over his shoulder
”'What papers? What sundial?' he asked
”'The sundial in the garden There is no other,' said I; 'but the papers ripping hard at his courage 'We are in a civilised land here, and we can't have to co at the postmark
”'Some preposterous practical joke,' said he 'What have I to do with sundials and papers? I shall take no notice of such nonsense'
”'I should certainly speak to the police,' I said
”'And be laughed at forof the sort'
”'Then let me do so?'
”'No, I forbid you I won't have a fuss ue with him, for he was a very obstinate man I went about, however, with a heart which was full of forebodings
”On the third day after the co of the letter my father went from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is in colad that he should go, for it seeer when he ay from home In that, however, I was in error Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegra me to come at once My father had fallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in the neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull I hurried to hi ever recovered his consciousness He had, as it appears, been returning froht, and as the country was unknown to him, and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in bringing in a verdict of 'death from accidental causes'
Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I was unable to find anything which could suggest the idea of ns of violence, no foot been seen upon the roads
And yet I need not tell you that h certain that some foul plot had been woven round him
”In this sinister way I came into my inheritance You will ask me why I did not dispose of it? I answer, because I ell convinced that our troubles were in some way dependent upon an incident inin one house as in another
”It was in January, '85, that htthat tiun to hope that this curse had passed away froeneration I had begun to take co the blow fell in the very shape in which it had coto the table he shook out upon it five little dried orange pips
”This is the envelope,” he continued ”The postmark is London--eastern division Within are the very words which were upon e: 'K K K'; and then 'Put the papers on the sundial'”
”What have you done?” asked Hol?”
”To tell the truth”--he sank his face into his thin, white hands--”I have felt helpless I have felt like one of those poor rabbits when the snake is writhing towards it I seerasp of soht and no precautions can guard against”
”Tut! tut!” cried Sherlock Holy can save you This is no time for despair”
”I have seen the police”
”Ah!”
”But they listened to my story with a smile I am convinced that the inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are all practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with the warnings”