The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 19 (2/2)
Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air ”Incredible imbecility!” he cried
”They have, however, allowed me a policeman, who may reht?”
”No His orders were to stay in the house”
Again Holmes raved in the air
”Why did you come to me,” he cried, ”and, above all, why did you not come at once?”
”I did not know It was only to-day that I spoke to Major Prendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come to you”
”It is really two days since you had the letter We should have acted before this You have no further evidence, I suppose, than that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which ,” said John Openshaw He ru out a piece of discoloured, blue-tinted paper, he laid it out upon the table ”I have some remembrance,”
said he, ”that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I observed that the sins which lay amid the ashes were of this particular colour I found this single sheet upon the floor of his room, and I am inclined to think that it may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out fro the others, and in that way has escaped destruction Beyond the mention of pips, I do not see that it helps us e fro is undoubtedly my uncle's”
Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from a book It was headed, ”March, 1869,” and beneath were the following enigmatical notices:
”4th Hudson came Same old platform
”7th Set the pips on McCauley, Paraustine
”9th McCauley cleared
”10th John Swain cleared
”12th Visited Para up the paper and returning it to our visitor ”And now you must on no account lose another instant We cannot spare tiet home instantly and act”
”What shall I do?”
”There is but one thing to do It must be done at once You must put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass box which you have described You must also put in a note to say that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that this is the only one which remains You must assert that in such words as will carry conviction with the done this, you must at once put the box out upon the sundial, as directed Do you understand?”
”Entirely”
”Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present I think that we ain that by means of the law; but we have our web to weave, while theirs is already woven The first consideration is to reer which threatens you The second is to clear up the uilty parties”
”I thank you,” said the young iven me fresh life and hope I shall certainly do as you advise”
”Do not lose an instant And, above all, take care of yourself in the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that you are threatened by a very real and io back?”