THE SUNDAY GREGORIAN. PORTLAND, OCTOBER 15, 1905.
4:7
IKATTAT ATTITUDE OFEIGflBQRIAG "YOUTH- TOUABD THE VISITOR
LINCOLN BEACHEY, the pioneer air
ship captain, .would probably have
many Interesting tales to tell If ho
were "not so busy with his buoyant boat
It is Hot only in the air that strange
ihlngs are seen, there where the earth
;omcs to appear like a map from the dog
cared geography, but when from windy
buffetlngs he 1b forced to seek shelter in
Borne suburb near Portland he is bound to
meet a most enthusiastic audience, alike
unheedful of appearance and costume. It
Is more interesting than a Are, with fully
as nondescript a crowd; more Interesting
because lacking the element of horror that
loss of life and property witalls. This
crowd is simply curious and In return
they present themselves as curiosities of
the best type, each stripped of conven
tionality, displaying the paramount pecu
liarities of his particular nature.
Such was the Impression, when, recent
ly, as we stood, hand on hip and mouth
a-gapc, watching the yellow bulb above
us,, the captain halloed for assistance and
his ship, to our astonishment sank to
ward tho earth, pitched and careened as
the rope caught and finally settled softly
behind the neighboring trees.
"She exploded!" delightedly screamed a
young hopeful as he saw a sack of "ballast
thrown out,, and he dashed away, sans
hat, sans coat, sans shoes and stockings.
Needless to say, he was shortly followed
by the remainder of the hamlet.
Tho vacant field opposite the old. church
had blossomed into a bustling thorough
fare by the time wc reached It. Over
head loomed the yellow sack of the alr
phip. the fitful breeze cutting dimples In
Its blunt nose. In Its shadow swarmed
a black mass of excited small boys. With
clinging hands .and feet covering ropes
and car, these little to-be-Presidents were
'You'll Never Get Me In One of Them Ships
performing a more Important duty than
h id ever yet come their way. If it was
not for each clinging hand and foot.
tf
HEN AND THE FORTUNE TELLER
HEN wa seated astride a tarp bed
throwing pokor hands. Occasionally
he would pause and look about
utfon the prostrate forms of the rest of
tho outfit and vllllfy us for our Jack of
interest in the great -National night
game. His eagerness to play was more
than evident 'and Tils, scorn for our in
difference unbounded.
"Why arc you so dead set on ropin'' us
into your gamp tonight, Hen?" Dick
asked.
"Oh, I ain't doad set on ropln' nobody
into no game, but 'm Jejjt feelln'. kind
of sociable like, and I Jest thought mebbe
some of you' buckaroos would like to
play."
"That's it. is it?" Dick said. "Excuse
me for kind of thinkln you were after
our Scalps.",
"No harm done," Hon replied, as .he
turned again to his cards. "Well," he
said, after waiting -for someone to Join
him and finding that nobody moved,
"ain't you goin' to'play?"
"Who?" Dick, asked.
"Anybody and everybody." Hen said.
"I ain't pertic'lar. They's room for all."
But nobody accepted his invitation. He
waited a minute more and then slammed
the deck of cards down as hard as he
could. "Well, by grab!" he growled.
"You fellers are the cheapest lot of
broke-down' cayouses I ever seen." Hitch
ing up his chaps and tightening his belt,
he began walking around the fire and
kicking the'unburnt ends of wood into
a blaze.. All the time he continued to
express his contempt for us.
"Now, look here," Dick said finally.
"What in Sam Hill is the matter with
you tonight, anyhow. Hen? You're
scratchin and growlln around here like
a bear with a sore tall, and Just because
we're all tired and don't want to play
poker with you, you turn on us and cuss
us. But last night you didn't want to
play. How do you know who can win
tonight?"
"I don't .know I can," Hen replied,
quickly.
"What makes you think you can,
then?"
t-'Who said I thought I could."
"Nobody; but you've been acting the
part all even In'."
"No, I ain't,'" HenVeplied; "I Jest feel
kind of 8oc "
"Back up, back up," Dick interrupt
ed. "We've all been -weaned. Tell
the truth."
"Jest my luck," Hen muttered, more
to himself than to us. . "Whenever I'm
petti ii' in a "game and get a good hand
everybody else lays down, and when
they stay In I don't get no hand at
all, or maybe jesC enough, to lose with.
And now tonight, when :J'-e got a
straight tip that I ca"n lighten your
Jacks some, not a mother's :so4 of you
will get up off your lazy ; hacks to
play with me. Dad ilrat Itl" :
"Well, ;so long as w.e ain't goin' up
against your,. sure-th'ltjg game. Hen,";
s pose you tell us" 'bout- the straight'
tip." '
"Sure you won't play?" Hen asked
artlessly.
"Course not, after you'ye, told ua
you can't lose." . ; -
"I didn't tell you. I'm.n.o fool." - -
"Well, attor vj5 guessed. -Jt, then."
"I reckon I Oughtn't to be tellln
this to nobody, but we've got to have
some kind 6f a entertainment here,
tonight, an'd'Vou 'fellers ain't got no
nerve. So here goes.
"Last Sumner I went dowiuto Chey
enne to the broncho -bus-tin contest
they held 'down there. You know, I
kind of thought mebbe Tjd go "In and
try tp win the prize. I'd rode a
-whole lo.t of broncs and had good luck,
and I klnd-of.jrot the Idee that I was
Jest as good as any of the busters. T
thought t . could ride -anything that
wore hair 'on fho. .outside. Say, knowln
hlsselt 5s'well"as a feller does, he's
a plumb .fpolto: gejtspstuck -on. hisgelft
now ain't, he? Well, that's what I
done. I got to thinkln I was bpss of
the hern. And the more I thought
'bout It here, -the more of a boss I
wasn't there danger that the ship might
tear itself loose by a shake of its great
head and soar away away maybe to the
moon you don't know or it might fly
into the 'sun . and burn all up! Secretly
each little heart was wishing: "If Mr.
Beachey would only look the other way
now and the Gelatine should give a
mighty shake and shake all the other fel
lers off and then should carry me up in
the air, wouldn't I Just nail up and up
until I was away up with the moon and
the stars, and then and then " and the
eyes grow big with Imagination and the
heart throws up a big sigh to relieve tho
pressure there "and then by that time
I'd know how to run the engine, and Just
when everybody would be thinking I was
dead and u'd be mourning for me, I'd
Just sail back and land on the Govern
ment building and I'd say to the man
'Here's your old airship,' and the man
would be so glad he'd Vnake me an airship
for all my own." !
But tho Gelatine doesn't get away, and
though she plunges and dips, the other
BY HUGH HERDMAX.
thought I was. So one day I up and
written to the feller that was runnin
the contest that I'd ho there and take
the prize. I didn't say Yd try fer it,
or nothln like that, you know, but I
says I'd take it.
"Well, I looks around and sizes
things up. They is a whole herd of
cowboys, ranchers and busters In
town, and things Is pretty lively. It
don't take me long to learn that this
here is goin' to be a mighty big con
test, and that If I'm goin to win that
championship belt I've got to ride
some, better than I ever rode in my
life before. But I was entered into
it, and I wa'n't goin to back out. Fel
lers from Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona.
Texas, everywhere, was there, and the
way folks talked I got to thlnkin'
that mebbe they was somebody else In
the country that could ride besides
me.
"And the more I thought 'bout Jt, the
nervouser I got. I couldn't sleep. 1
couldn't eat, and when I. can't eat"
"Hell must be froze over," cackled
Gunny, as he hung his dlshrag on a stick
near the fire.
-"You bet; when I can't eat, hell must
be froze over," Her replied. "And the
worst of It was that I knew how nervous
I was geUin'. All I could do was to walk
around from one saloon to another and
diminish the supply of nose paint. That
didn't steady my nerves none, as I found
out later, but I thought it did at that
time and kept on bofherin' the barkeep.
"The mornln' of the first day of the
contest come, and I woke up after sleep
in' 'bout a half hour with a taste as
brown as a cinnamon bear In my mouth.
The first thing I did was to make a rush
for the saloon. Comln' out , of there, 1
happened to look up and see a sign 'crost
the street which says. 'Madame Futura.
Spiritual Medium and Fortune Teller.'
All at onct I had a idee. I rushed back
and got another drink and come out agin
where I could see that sign. That second
drink made me see better, and I could
read below that sign another one, which
said somethin' like this: 'Madame Fu-
! tura can tell your past and future, wheth-
er you are lucks" or unlucky, how to
know whether you will win or lose, who
your best friend and -your worst enemy
are. She will read your face, your palm.
and your heart, and tell you all you want
to know,
"I saw so much after that second drink
that I went and had another in hopes
that I could see more. But that was alL
The n.ext minute I was knockin' at
.Madame Futua's door. . Pretty soon It
opened and I walked inside, but I couldn't
see nobody around. I DUt my hand on mv
gun, 'cause I didn't know the game 'I
was up against, and started tov go. Jest
as I reached the door, I heard av woman's
voice sayin', Yes,j piaster, I'm comln'
I back to earth. I've saw the day's future
and can 'now reveal' IL That sounded
spooky and I grabbed the door. Jest then
someone behind me said In a pretty, sweet
voice, 'Don't go. I'm sorry I kept you
waltln', but I was In a trance
" 'In a what?' says I. , .
" 'In a trance." says she, '
r'What's that?" says' I. .
"'Oh,' says she; ltui' down-on a sofa
and motlDnln'. me- to take a chair.
trance Is a state into which mediums
pass.' .
"'Bet It ai.n'tas big as Montana,'
R.1VK.
" No, you1 don't understand- sbVsaya.
Jit Is 31 oecUllar condition' of mini! nnrt
.bd&yln which the soul transcends its Joad
or ciay, mounts upon a loftr eminence
and from there peers -Into the pastind
future and sees all that-has happened and
an tnat will happen."
Oh, I says, "excuse" me. And -you
were lnT0ne of them?"
" 'Yes, she say7 .sinllln' sweet -'and
pretty.
" 'And do you know ajl that's goin' to
jiappen " l as ics.
" 'Why., yes; of course I'do shesays.
" 'Well, jest sail In I says-, 'and tell
me all you know. It won't take yoii but
a minute
"'How dare you' she' riaid. kind of
.mad like. , . ..
'"Dare who?' I says. ' .
'Not who, but -what she says. 'How
dare ydj say It. would' 'take meon!y a
minute to leu an J. Know.-
"-'Aw I says, 'I didn't -mean that,
meant, tell mc all I want to know
" 'Oh Bhe saj-s, smilln again, ""that's
"fellers" refuse to be shook, and the cap
tain keeps a good watch on the captive.
"Well, well, if it had been only a dog
fight, I suppose you'd have been here,"
-said Si to Hank, as they shook hands.
"Oh. h6! Is that what you thought it
was?" retorted Hank. "I wondered what
brought you out." ,
The mesdaxrfes of the neighborhood
were attired lor the most part In Ger
man blue. It Is wonderful what a va
riety of house gowns can be manufac
tured out of this useful material. For
instance, there was the fleshy lady
with the black hair and the bold eyes.
Its gorgeous dots and flowers admira
bly decked her massive form. The left
sleeve, however, had at one time been
torn away, and here the checked apron,
draped a "la Roman toga, across- tho
-shoulders, was supposed to conceal the
mutilated part.
"Who is this In linen dust coat and
scarfed head? The dust cout bespeaks
the visiting Eastern relative. But why
does she hold her head so tightly be
different. And you want me to toll your
fortune, do you?
" 'That's what I come fer I says, 'and
I ain't got none too much time to fool
away, neither. So come a-runnlnV
" 'How do you wan It told? she says.
'Palm, seance or cards?'
" T reckon tho cards '11 do me I says,
cause I'm used to them. I don't take
no stock in that there palm bus'ness, and
I ain't on to that there seance racket. So
saddle up the cards.'
"When she d got the cards all spread
out on a little table, she begun shakln'
her head and sayin' somethin' to herself.
After a while she says to me, she says:
'Your life hasn t been more than usual
eventful."
" 'Hold on. right there I says. 'Never
mind 'bout the past, it's what's comln'
to mo that I m interested In. 1 know all
that's liappened
1 'She monkeyed some more with the
cards and said some more things to her
self and then she says, 'The cards say
you will marry a
" 'Look here. I says, gcttln. mad, 'don t
you give ine none of that there marryln
twaddle, nor none of how old I m goin
to be. nor none of tha kind of stuff.
'Well she says, 'I never! What do
you want to know?
'I want to know how to tell when
Tm goin' to win or. loseI says, 'and I
want you to get out your spyglasses and
take a long look In the future and tell
me whether you can see me a-walkin'
and a-ridln' round wearin' a champeen
shlp broncho-bustin' belt.'
"She leans way back on the cushions.
shuts her blinkers and folds her hands.
For a long time she don't say nothln',
and I was jest 'bout to go, thinkln' she
was asleep, when she begun to talk.
Yes she says -In a far-away, sleepy
tone of voice, 'I see you
' 'Have I got that oclt onr i asKs wna
of anxious-like.
' 'No. I don't see no belt.' she says, 'but
they is so many people round I can't see
very clear
" 'What are they doln'7' I asks.
' 'They seem to be lookln at you she
says.
' 'And what am I doin'?' I asks.
' You're- layin' on the ground.
4 'That settles It I says. 'I knowed I
couldn't win that belt I'll bet I fell off
the first buck-Jump he made:'
"Then I kind of settles back and thinks.
She showed signs of comln to life again.
and I says, quick-like, 'Hold on, don't
come out of It yet. Tell me how' I can
know Whether Til win or lose piayin'
ooker
"That seemed to puzzle her a long time,
but after awhile she says, sort of dreamy
like: 'Thev is only one way to toll
whether you will win, and that Is to throw
yourself a cold hand before you begin,
and If it's a-royal flush you win.
" 'Whew!' I says. 'That's pretty steep
" 'So is poker!' she says.
"Well, knowln that It was a sure thing
I couldn't win that champeenphlp belt
kind of settled my nerves, and by the
time for the contest to begin I was all
right agin- They sure had some outlaws-
for us fellers to ride. I thought I'd saw
some tall buckers and pitchers up here,
but Ihey wran't In it with that bunch.
I was fourth on the list, and I saw my
finish In the way them three fellers ahead
of me got shook up.
"Pretty soon they called my name, and
led out a horse for mo to saddle. Ho was
a big, raw-boned five-year-old, wall-eyed
and some vicious. I had to throw him
to get my saddle on. but when I let him
up he never budged. He was savin his
strength for me. I swung up and he
went after me. Every time he went up I
ducked mv head, afraid i d bump It on the
sky. By grab, but he did buck! I stuck
to him all right, and was Jest thinkln"
that mebbe that fortune-teller was oft
her ranee aod'Td land the prize, anyhow.
when that hump-backed whirlwind made
. a half tura to the right and stopped dead
still. The two of 'em, the turn and the
stop, done the bUB'ncss? I lit all spread
out, and got my wind hack the, next weeK.
The ground 1b powerful hard In Wyo
ming."
"And how about the cards?" Dick asked
when Hen paused. "Did that come true.
too?"
"Yep. pretty near." Hen replied. "I've
always took,, her advice and throwed
hand before I set In a. game. And every
time that I didn't throw a' royal flush the
first time I lost."
-TK TIT TT k T
AMD THE V I J iLr
tween her hands? Mayhap she fears
that upon the sudden departure of th
ship the head might follow In the cur
rent of upward-rushing- air. Upon
hastening to reassure her. however, we
were relieved to learn that she. was
simply nursing a brotherly and insist
ent toothache.
Then there is the young1 man who is
accounted the village tough. To him
life lias so far held no excitement be
yond breaking windows from vacant
houses, shooting the glassware from
the telephone poles and electric lights
or getting full of "red eye." then go
ing tip and down looking for a fight.
This wonderful flying thing. Is almost
beyond his conception, and he stands
for a time, stricken with a sense of his
own ignorance. Who knows but the
suaaen awancning muy turn mio oci-
ter channels the misguided activity
and put intelligence Into the dulled
brain?
"Here, grandpa, I -got a piece for
"And every time you did throw a royal,
flush?"
"Why, dad drat it. I never throwed a
royal flush till tonight, and when I do
get a chance to wtn, you stingy skin
flints lay thore a-chokin your pocket
books to death, afraid a nickel will get
away from you. You buckaroos ain't got
no sportln blood In you. If I was to cut
ohe of your throats I'd expect to se
water run out."
"Say. Hen." Gunnysack Bill Inquired,
his cracked voice concealing his amuse
ment over poor Hen's simplicity, "how
much did Madame PcVuna "'
"Madame Futura, you screech-owl,"
Hen interrupted angrily.
"Well, Madame Futura, then. How
much did Madamo Futura charge' you for
taking that long look and clvln' you
them sure tips?"
"Only a dollar," Hen .replied, evidently
making a mental, reservation:
Only a dollar," tame In chorus, from
the crowd; "You're a cheap, skate.''
"What did you want- to Tob her for? .
"Did she let you keep yourpocketbook?"
Who did you borrow It all from?
"Well." Hen replied, taking the chaffing
seriously, and meaning to -set himself
f " ' . . uik liiunu ni uiuiuciii, nunc .ucu
right in. .our eyes.v I guess thoy .alht so I Joyed nIa trluraph. The Gunny, appar
many of yoU cheap skates that would I nhii..in ,n rnt nr mi.ri
have paid any .more for her supper than
I did." .
AOh, Heri, did ypu take !ner put to sup-
The; Return : of
, 1 Contlnuefl'Frbm
Exceedingly .so." , .' .
Is there any point to. which you would
wish to draw my attention?"
To the curious incident of the dog lit
the night-time."
"The dog did nothing In the night
time."
"That was the curious Incident," re
marked Sherlock Holmes.
Four days later Holmes and T were
again In the train bound for Winchester
to see the race for the Jvcssex Cup. Col
onel Ross met us by appointment outside
the station, and we drove in his drag
to the course beyond the town. His face
wag grave, and his manner was cold In
tho extreme.
"I have seen nothing of my horse," said
he.
"I suppose that you would know him
when you saw him?" said Holmes.
The Colonel was very angry. "I have ;
been on the turf for 20 years. and never
was asked such a question as that be
fore," said he. "A child would know
Silver Blaze, with his white forehead and
his mottled off foreleg."
"How Is the- betting?"
"Well, that Is the curious part of It.
You could have got 15 to 1 yesterday, but
the price, has become shorter and shorter,
until you can hardly get 3 to 1 now."
"Hum!" said Holmes. "Somebody knows
something, that Is clear."
As the drag drew up in the inclosure
near the grandstand I glanced at the card
to see the entries.
Wcssex Plate (It ran) 50 sov. each h ft.
with 1000 sovs. added for four and five-year-olds.
Second 300. Third. 200.
New course (one mile and five furlongs).
1. Mr. Heath Newton's The Kegro. Red
Cap.. Cinnamon jacket.
1 Colonel Wardlaw's Pugilist. Pink
cap Blue and black Jacket.
3. Lord Backwater's Desborough. Yel
low cap and sleeves.
4. Colonel Ross's Silver Blaae. Black
cap. Red Jacket.
5. Duke of Balmoral's Iris. Yellow and
black stripes.
C Lord SIngleford's Rasper. Purple
cap. Black sleeves.
"We scratched our other one. and put
all hopes on your word." said the Colonel.
"Why, what is that? Silver Blaze favor
ite?" "Flvo to four against Silver Blaze!
roared the ring. "Five to four against
Silver Blaie!, Jive to. IS against-Desborough!
Five to four on the field!"
"There, ar.e numbers'." I -cried. "They
aro all six. tljere. . V
"All six there? Then my horse la run
ning." cried the, Colonel Ja great 'agita
tion. "But I don't see -him. -My colors
have not passed."--.
"Only five have passeM. This, must be
he"
As I spoke a powerful horse swept- out
from the weighing Inclosure and cantered
past us. bearing on Its back tho well
known black.andTed of the Colonel.
"That's not- my horse." cried the owner.
"That beast has not a white hair upon-Its
body. What Is this that you havo done;
Mr. Holmes?" . .. .
"Well, "well, let us see how he gets.onr
TL iTIIlf AlC
Kl M1K IYIV
TRE5KY.
you." "S-sh," said grandpa, as he
reached eagerly for the bit of rope
held up by an urchin at his sldeWIth
bony fingers so tremblingly excited
they almost refuse their task he fur-
tlvely thrusts the piece of cotton Into
his breast pooket. Meanwhile his" eyes
glltter miserly, and he dreams how. he
will sometime dlsnlav this stolen rope
end to admiring friends as a relic from
the first navigable airship.
"Mark my word'. Beucheyil get kilt
sure as I'm alive."
Mr. Bcechey looked' around upon
hearing himself thiis summarily con
signed tp the unknown to where a
knot of .village gossips had withdrawn
from the- crowd to unload their Ideas
anent the-occasion,. "Yes. and I under- j
sianu, resumes mo pin sunnonnei. i
that this Baldwin Intends tew have
flyln' macMnos all over these United
States for people tew ride In just like causeiTcurry to be served In the trainer's
autermoblfes; but you can Just reatJfamny nat night, and It is surely too
assured, th.ey'11 never get me Into one j monstrous a coincidence to" suppose that
of 'em aridme-In my right senses.
"Nor- me, . neither," responds
the"!
black sunbbnnet with white dots,
ruther be " on . terry ftrmy than
'I'd I
sky I
hootin through the clouds In
thing."
that I
m- tht tlm the. hreoze sorVeil more 1
favorably and the gasoline motor be-
. , .
gan to-bnrr anclank. All conversa-
tlon ceased Instantly as we gazed with
bated breath. Suddenly with a pecu-
liar flapping' sound the great, creature
swung sideways and upwards as woula
a monster bird regaining Its .wings,
and having attained a height o 200
feet It Instantly fled nortnward berore
the high wind. 'Its captain, who. seemed
to stick to the framework more like a
fly than a human, creature, busied him-
self wfth ropes and' motor, seemingly
no more concerned than If aboard a
pleasure launch upoiia peaceful river.
We watched, enchanted, until the boat
The Checked Apron Supposed to Cover tho
Mutilated Tart.
became a mere toy in the distance,
then with a sigh returned homeward.
I to dream of our honored guest.
per?" Dick whispered, admiration in his
tone, winking covortly at us.
"Yes, I .did." Hen replied. lowering be
tween pride and shame at the acknowl
edgement.
"A wine supper?" Dick continued
"Yep."
"What kind?"
"I'll bet It was sherry, anyhow,"
squeaked Gunny.
"Yes, that's all you know about how to
feed a lady," Hen rotorted, to Gunny's
great amusement.
"What kind was It, Hen?" Dick asked.
"Champagne," Hen said, eyeing the con
vulsed Gunny.
"No! You don't Bay?" everybody ex
claimed.
"Hen. you're a sport, all right. Shake,"
Dick said, extending his hand, which Hen
seized and shook. "How much did the
supper, cost. Hcn?"
"You fellers wouldn't believe me if I
told you."
' "Oh, yes, we would," everybody af
firmed.
'Forty dollars.'
"Fortv whewl" came a chorus of whls
r.- ,r , .
ties. The silence of surprise hung over
1 r ki1. TTA
j aloud, "Hen. Madame Peruna, supper,
I and cbampa'sne; Til stand pat."
And Hen dldn' know why we laughed.
Shbrlock Holmes
Pago Forty-Five.
gald my friend, Imperturbably. For a few
minutes lie gazed .through my fieldglass.
"Capital! An excellent start!" he cried
suddenly. ''There they are, coming round
ina curve.
From our drag we. had a superb view
as they came. up". .the .straight. Tho six
horses were so close together that a car
pet could have covered them, but half way
up the yellow of the Mapleton stable-
showed to the front. Before they reached
us, however, Desborough's bolt was shot.
and the Colonel's horse, coming away
with a rush, passed the post a good six
iengths berore Its rival, the Duke of Bal-
moral's Iris making a bad third,
"It's my race, anyhow." gasped the Col
onel, passing his hand over his eyes. "I
confess that I can make neither head nor
tall of It. Don't you think that you have
Kept up your mystery long enough, Mr.
Holmes?
"Certainly, Colonel, you shall know
everything. Let us go round and have a
look at the horse together. Here he is,"
he continued, as we made our way Into
the weighing inclosure, where only owners
and their friends find admittance. "You
have only to wash his face and his leg in
spirits of wine, and you will find that he
Is the same old Silver Blaze as ever.
"You tako my breath away!"
"I found him in the hands of a fakir,
and took the liberty of running him Just
as ho was sent over.
"My dear sir, you have done wonders.
The horse looks very fit and well. It never
went better In its -life. I owe you a thou-
sand apologies for having doubted your
ability. You have done me a great ser"-
icexby recovering my horse. You would
do me a greater still It you could lay
your hands on the murderer of John
Straker.'
"I have done so." said Holmes, quietly.
The Colonel and I stared at him in
amazement. "You have got him! Where
Is he, then?
"He is here." '
"Here! Where?"
"In my company at the present mo-
zf ..,
The Colonel flushed angrily. "I quite
you. Mr. Holmes," said he. "but I must
regard what you have Just safd as either
a very bad Joke or an Insult"
Sherlock Holmes laughed. "I assure
you that I have. not associated you with
tne crime, uoionei, - saia ne. - ine real
murderer is standing immediately behind
you.
. He stepped past and laid his hand- upon
the glossy neck of the thoroughbred
The horse!"- cried both the Colonel and
myself.
"Yes. the horse. .And it may lessen his
guilt If I say that It was done In self-
defense, and that John straKerrwas a man
who was entirely unworthy of your con
hfldence. -But-there goes the bell, and as I
stand to win a little pn this next race, I
shall defer a lengthy explanation until a
more fitting time."
We. had the corner pf a Pullman- car
tp. ourselves that evening as we whirled
back .t9 London, and. I fancy that the
Journey "was a short ope to Colonel Ross
as well as to myself, as we listened to
our companion's narrative of the events
which had occurred at the Dartmoor
training stables upon that Monday night.
and the means by which he had unraveled
them.
"I confess," said he. "that any theories
which I had formed from the newspaper
reports were entirely erroneous. And yet
there were indications there, had they not
been overlaid by other details which con
cealed their true Import. I went to Dev
onshire with the, conviction that Fltzroy
Slmpson was the true culprit, although,
of course, I saw that the evidence against
him waaJby no-means complete. It was
while I was In the carriage. Just as we
reached the trainer's house, that the Im-
mense significance of the curried mutton
occurred to me. You may remember
that 2 was distrait, and remained sitting
after"you had all alighted. I was marvel
ing in" my own mind how I could possibly
have overlooked so obvious- a lew."
"I confess," said the Colonel, ''that
even now I cannot see how-It "helps us."
It was the first -link. In mv chain or
reasonlnc- Powdered opium Is -bv no
nienns tasteless. The flavor Is not disa
greeable, bilt It Is perceptible. Were It
mixed with any ordinary dish the eater
woud undoubtedly detect It, arid J would
probably eat no more. A'curryiwas ex-
actly the medium which would disguise
this .taste. Bv no. oosslble suDbosltlon
could this stranger. Fltzroy Simpson, have
he hannencd to come alone with now-
dered onluni unon thi verv nleht when a
dish hannencd to be served which would
disguise the flavor. That Js unthinkable.
Therefore "'Slmnson becomes ollmlnnted
from the case, and our attention centers
UDon Straker and his wife, the onlv two
people who could have chosen curried
mutton for. sypper that night. The opium
was added after the dish was set aside for
tneataD,e bpy ror others had tne
same for supper with no HI effects. Which
of. them, then, had access to that dish
without the maid seeing them?
"Before deciding that question -I had
grasped the significance of the silence of
the dog. for one true Inference Invariably
Busbl,,,s c suiiibuu-hkiuciu
had shown me that a dog was kept in tho
stables, and yet. though someone had
been in and fetched out a horse, he had
not barked enough to arouse the two lads
In the loft. Obviously the midnight vis
itor was some one whom the dog knew
well.
"I was already convinced, or almost
convinced, that Jqhn Straker went down
to the stables in the dead of the night
and took out Silver Blaze. For what pur
pose? For a dishonest one, obviously, or
why should he drug- his own -stable-boy?
And yet I was at a loss to know why.
There have been cases before now where
trainers have made sure of great sums
of money by laying against -their own
horses, through agents, and then: prevent
ing them from winning by fraud. Some
times it Is a pulling Jockey. Sometimes
It Is some surer and subtler mean3. What
was it here? I hoped that the contents of
his pockets would help me to form a con
clusion. And they did so. You cannot have
forgotten the singular knife which
was found in the dead man's hand, a
knife which certainly no sane man
would choose for a weapon. It was, as
Dr. "Watson told us. a form of knife
which is used for the most delicate
operations known in surgery. And It
was to be used for a delicate operation
that' night. You must know, with your
wide experience of turf matters. Colo
nel Ross, that it Is possible to make
a slight nick upon tne tenaons oc a
horse's ham and to do it subcutan
eously, so as to leave absolutely no
Dr. McLoughlin
Continued From
benefit of all the people of Oregon. It
was a cunning scheme.
And Thurston, his share and profit of
the rascally transaction, and his bribe,
was a re-election as delegate to Congress.
All the conspirators, except Thurston, got
their share; Thurston s share, so far- as
I know, was prospective, which he did not
get.
There was great rejoicing In Oregon at
first on the passage of the donation land"
law. Every settler except Dr. McLough
lin, could now have his land claim, for
the title of which he had waited so long.
A great university was to be built out
of the spoils without cost to any one ex
T- -rT A.mklln nnil Vila Vinlrc TVlla
I ' . " .... . . ....
i was long Deiore me aiscussion aouut un
,nf. m0nPv
It the assigns of the Milling Company
were entitled to Abernethy Island, why
should not the courts have settled the
matter according to law and justice, as
other contested claims were settled?
Protests Against Thurston's Actions.
There were pioneers who at once pro
tested. Before the law passed, when the
Intended action of Thurston became
known, in relation to said section 11, on
September 19, 1S50, a meeting was held In
Oregon City. Resolutions were passed
declaring the selection of the Oregon City
claim for a university reservation was
uncalled for by any considerable portion
of the citizens of the territory. and was
Invidious and unjust to Dr. McLoughlin;
and that the gratitude of multitudes of
people in Oregon was due to him for as
sistance rendered them. At the same
time, a memorial io Congress was signed
J by 55 persons, which set forth that Dr.
j McLoughlin had taken up the Oregon City
I claim and It had been held by him in nc
cordance with, the provisional and terri
torial governments of Oregon; that tho
memorialists considered it as fully en
titled to protection as any claim, no In
timation to the contrary ever having
been made up to that time; that under
this Impression both before and since
Marth 4, 1S49, large portions of it had
been purchased from Dr. McLoughlin in
good faith by many citizens of Orecon,
who had erected buildings thereon. In
the expectation of having a complete and
sufficient title when Congress should
grant a title to Dr. McLoughlin; that
since March 4, 1S49, he had donated Tor
county, educational, charitable and relig
ious purposes more than 200 lots. They,
therefore, prayed that the bill might not
pass In its present form, believing that It
would work a "severe, inequitable, un-
necessary and Irremediable Injustice.
There 'wefp'-no telegraph lines In Oregon
or Calirorhlaln th6se' days. -And the bill
was a law eight days .thereafter. '
To protect the reputations of Thurston
and the other conspirators itwas" neces-
sary to defeat all actions by thVOregon
Lecigiatlve Assembly in favor of Dr. lie-
Loughln, If that body made any petitions
to congress or passea any, resolution in
favor of Dr. McLoughl!nT.it would show
that he was entjtled' tor. his land claim,
the Injustice of section -eleven of the do
the injustice of section eleven of the do-
nation land law", and 'that Thurston was
guilty r of malicious untruths In Jils 'let-
j ter to and his speech before Congress.
I am happy to say that among those
who took art ,n the proceedings and
signed this memorial were my father,
James D. Holman, an immigrant of 1&16.
and my uncle, Woodford C. Holman, an
Immigrant of 1845.,
Not long after this, a meeting; was held
at Salem, then tlie seat of ,ttie' Methodist
Mission, for the purpose of expressing
disapproval of the resolutions passed at
the Oregon City meeting.
To tho honor of the overwhelming majority-
of the pioneers, be it said that they
took no part In these actions against Dr.
McLoughlin, nor did they Indorse or
sympathise with such actions. The in
dignation of the best, the honest, the
good pioneers, from the first, was- against
Thurston's actions and those of his co
conspirators. The feeling" soon became
intense against Thurston. The news
papers were filled with letters against
his actions in robbing Dr. McLoughlin.
Thurston's party papers began to men
tion or advocate other available men for
J Thurston's position as delegate. I doubt
trace. A horse so treated would de
velop a slight lameness, which would
be put down to a strain in exerciso or
a touch of rheumatism, but never to
foul play."
"Villain! Scoundrel!" cried tha
Colonel.
"We have here the explanation oC
why John Straker wished to take tha
horse out onto the moor. So spirited,
a creature would certainly have roused
the soundest of sleepers when it felt
the prick of the knife. It was abso
lutely necossary to do It In tho open,
air."
"I have been blind!" cried the Colo
nel. "Of course that was why he
needed the candle, and struck the
match."
"Undoubtedly. But In examining his
belongings I was fortunate enough to
discover not only the method of the
crime, but even its motivos. As a,
man of the world, Colonel, you know
that men do not carry other people's
bills about In their pockets. We have
most of us quite enough to do to settlo
our own. 1 at once concluded that
Straker was leading a double life and
keeping a second establishment. The
nature of the bill showed that there
was a lady In the case, and one who
had expensive tastes. Liberal as you
are with your servants, one can hardly
expect that they can buy 20-gulnea,
walking dresses for their ladles. I
questioned Mrs. Straker as to the
dress without her knowing It. and hav
ing satisfied myself that it had never
reached hor, I mado a ne'e of the mll
Hner'3 address, and felt that by calling
there with Straker's- photograph I
could easily dispose of the mythical
Derbyshire.
"From that time on all was plain.
Straker had led out the horse t u.
hollow where his light would be invis
ible. Simpson in his flight had drop
ped his cravat, and Straker had plekai
it up with some Idea, perhaps, that
he might use it In securing the horse's
leg. Once In the hollow, he had got
behind the horse and had struck a
light: but the creature, frightened at
the sudden glare and with the strange
Instinct of animals feelings that some
mischief was intended, had lashed out.
and the steel shoo had' struck Straker
full on the forehead. He had already
ln spite of the rain, taken oft his over
coat in order to do his delicate task,
and so, as he fell, his knife gushed his
thigh. Do I make It clear?"
"Wonderful!" cried the ColoneL
"Wonderful! You might have been
there?"
"My final shot was, I confess, a very
long one. It struck me that so astute
a man as Straker would not undertake
this delicate tendon-nicking without a
little practice. What could he prac
tice on? My eyes fell upon the sheep,
and I asked a question which, rather
to my surprise, showed that my sur
mise was correct.
"When I returned to London I called
upon the milliner, who hud reeognized
Straker as an excellent customor of
tho name of Derbyshire, who had a
very dashing wife, with a strong par
tiality for expensive dresses. I hae
no doubt that this woman hud plunged
him over head and ears In debt, and so
led him into this miserable plot."
"You have explulned all but ons
thing." cried the Colonel. "Where was
the horse?"
"Ah. It bolted, and was cared for by
one of your neighbors. We must have
an amnesty In that direction. I think.
This is Clapham Junction. If I am not
mistaken, and we shall be In Victoria
in less than ten minutes, if you car
to smoke a cigar in our rooms. Colonel.
I shall be happy to give you any other
details which might Interest you."
Father of Oregon
Pnge Forty-One.
not that had he run for Congress aguln
he would have been badly defeated.
Death of Thurston.
Even had the mission party been strong
enough politically to have elected Thurs
ton the next time his political career was
ended. No man could long prevail after
such perfidy. Death saved him from fu
ture humiliation. He died at sea. April
9. 1851, while returning to Oregon, aged
25 years.
And the other conspirators. Abernethy.
Bryant, Waller, et a!., what of them?
They are dead and buried somewhere, but
their praises are unsung.
The Methodist Episcopal Church.
I have no attack to make on religion, or
on the Methodist Episcopal Church, or its
true and decent missionaries, clerical or
lay. I respect all true sects and denomi
nations of the great Christian' church. I
respect all the world's great religions, in
cluding those of the Jews, of Buddha, and
of Confucius, for the good that Is In them.
The Methodist Episcopal Church has
been one of the great civilizing agencies'
m the United States, particularly in the
newer parts of the country. In its earlier
days, and until the great growth of the
country In the past 40 or 50 years. It
reached a class of people which no other
denomination could reach or Influence, and
made better people of them. All churches
and denominations are subject to condi
tions and to evolution. And the Metho
dist Episcopal Church Is today one of the
great and Influential churches In the Uni
ted States. There always have been and
there always will be men who make use
of religion for sinister purposes. These
unworthy missionaries who were parties
to the robbery of Dr. McLoughlin arc not
entitled to escape criticism, or to hava
their damnable acts passed over because
of their religious pretensions. They are
subject all the more to severe condemna
tion. Good members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church condemn these base acts
of Its missionaries as honest Oregon pio
neers condemn the actions of those pio
neers who abused or cheated Dr. Mc
Loughlin. But these dastardly actions were not
sustained or concurred In by all the Meth
odist missionaries. I shall shortly give
excerpts to show the high opinions some
of the early Methodist missionaries and
ministers In Oregon had of Dr. Mc
Loughlin. (To be continued Sunday next)
There AVns an Old Woman, Etc.
Indianapolis Starx
A stout little woman oh an East Wash
ington street car looked around 'anxiously
for 'seats for the .children fwho were with
he'r.-Twoof the older' girls, had babies In
their 'arms. People', on the car 'did not
know whether it -was an orphans' home
plcni'c or a Sunday school convention.
' "Beg pardon, lady," said the conductor,
"but -you .have given me only eight ttek
ctc." "Didn't know you changed for babes in
i arms." "said the little woman, as she kept
her ey. on all members of her parfy".
"But there are nine without them' said
the conductor, apologetically. Perhaps he
really thought the woman had .only eight
tickets.
"Stand up, children commanded the
little woman. She was imperious in her
command and Immediately after her or
der to stand up. they all arose to their
feet
Counting them, one by one. she present
ly came to a UCtle boy of about eight
years and, pointing her fingeij at him, she
said:
"Sammy. I thought you stayed at home
with the rest of the children''
Only the Main Thing Lacking.
"Yes," said the enthusiastic promot
er, "we have enormous mineral de
posits on this land, all we need for its
development is a little money."
"My friend." answered Colonel Still
well, "you remind mo of a neighbor
out my way who used to think he al
most had a julep because he was In
possession of. a mint bed and a spring."
Washington Star.