The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 35 (2/2)
”But what harm can there be in that?”
”Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates A ventilator is , and a lady who sleeps in the bed dies Does not that strike you?”
”I cannot as yet see any connection”
”Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?”
”No”
”It was clamped to the floor Did you ever see a bed fastened like that before?”
”I cannot say that I have”
”The lady could not move her bed It must always be in the same relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull”
”Hol at
We are only just in time to prevent soh and horrible enough When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of crie
Pal the heads of their profession
This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall be able to strike deeper still But we shall have horrors enough before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet pipe and turn ourthe trees was extinguished, and all was dark in the direction of the Manor House Two hours passed sloay, and then, suddenly, just at the stroke of eleven, a single bright light shone out right in front of us
”That is our signal,” said Hol to his feet; ”it comes froed a feords with the landlord, explaining that ere going on a late visit to an acquaintance, and that it was possible that we ht there A mo in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us through the gloouide us on our so the grounds, for unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall Making our way a the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about to enter through the hen out from a clump of laurel bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted child, who threw itself upon the grass rithing limbs and then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness
”My God!” I whispered; ”did you see it?”
Holmes was for the moment as startled as I His hand closed like a vice upon h and put his lips to my ear
”It is a nice household,” he otten the strange pets which the doctor affected There was a cheetah, too; perhaps we ht find it upon our shoulders at any moment I confess that I felt easier inoff my shoes, I found myself inside the bedroom My companion noiselessly closed the shutters, moved the lamp onto the table, and cast his eyes round the roo up toa truently that it was all that I could do to distinguish the words:
”The least sound would be fatal to our plans”
I nodded to show that I had heard
”We h the ventilator”
I nodded again
”Do not go asleep; your very life may depend upon it Have your pistol ready in case we should need it I will sit on the side of the bed, and you in that chair”