The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, May 22, 1913, Image 3
A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA
?
llj Sir A. Cimim Doyle.
w To Sherlock Holmes she is always
the woman. I have seldom heard
him mention her under any other
' name. In his eyes she eclipses and
predominates the whole of her sex.
It was not that he felt any emotion
akin to love for Irene Adler. All >
emotions, and that one particularly,
were abhorrent to his cold, precise
but admirably balanced mind. lie
^ was, 1 take it, the most perfect reasoning
and observing machine that the
world has seen; but as a lover, he
would have played himself in a false
position. He never spoke of the soft
er passions, save with a gi.be and a
sneer. They were admirable things
for the observer?excellent for drawing
the veil from men's motives and
actions. 'Hut for the trained reasonor
to admit such intrusions into his
own delicate and finely adjusted temperament
was to introduce a distracting
factor which might throw a
doubt upon all his mental results.
Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a
crack in one of his own high-power
lenses, would not be more disturbing
than a strong emotion in a nature
such as his. And yet there was but
one woman to him, and that woman
was the late Irene Adler, of dubious
and questionable memory.
1 had seen little of Holmes lately.
My marriage had drifted us away
from each other. My own complete
happiness, and the home-centered interests
which rise up around the man
who first finds himself master of his
own establishment, w'ere sufficient
to absorb all my attention; while
Holmes, who loathed every form of
society with his whole Bohemian soul
remained in our lodgings in Haker
Street, buried among his old books,
and alternating from week to week
between cocaine and ambition, tlie
drowsiness of the drug and the fierce
energy of his own keen nature. He
"was still, as ever, deeply attracted by
the study of crime, and occupied his
Immense faculties and extraordinary
powers of observation in following
out those clews, and clearing up the
mysteries, which had been abandoned
as hopeless by the official police.
From time to time I heard some
vague account of his doings; of his
summons to Odessa in the case of the
Trepoff murder, of his clearing up the
singular tragedy of the Atkinson
brothers at TriiKvomalee, and finally
of the mission which he had accomplished
so delicately and successfully
for the reigning family of Holland.
Beyond these signs of activity, however,
which I merely shared with all
the readers of the dally press, 1 knew
little of my former friend and companion.
One night?it was on the 2 0th of
March, 1888?1 was returning from a
journey to a patient (for I had now
returned to civil practice), when my
way led me through Baker Street.
As I passed the well-remembered
door, which must always be associated
in my mind with my wooing,
and with the dark incidents of the
Study in Scarlet, I was seized with a
keen desire to see Holmes again, and
to know how he was employing his
extraordinary powers. His rooms
were brilliantly lighted, and even as
I looked up, I saw his tall, spare figure
pass twice in a dark silhouette
against the blind. He was pacing the
room swiftly, eagerly, with his head
sunk upon his chest, and his hands
clasped behind him. To me. who
know his every mood and habit, his
attitude and manner told their own
story. He was at work again. He
had risen out of his drug-created
dreams, and was hot upon the scent
of some new problem. I rang the
hell, and was shown up to the chamber
which had formerly been in part
of my own.
His manner was not effusive. It
seldom was; but he was glad, I
think to see me. With hardly a
word spoken, hut with a kindly eye,
ho waved me to an armchair, threw
across his case of cigars, and indicated
a spirit case and a gasogene in
the corner. Then he stood before the
fire, and looked me over in his singular
fashion.
"Wedlock suits you," he remarked.
"I think, Watson, that you have
put on seven and a half pounds since
I saw you."
"Seven," I answered.
"Indeed, I should have thought a
little more. Just a trifle more, I
fancy, Watson. And in practice again,
I oibserve. You did not tell me that
you intended to go into harness."
"Then how do you know?"
"I see it, I deduce it. How do I
know that you have been getting
yourself very wet lately, and that you
have a most clumsy and careless servant
girl?"
"My dear Holmes," said T, "this
is too much. You would certainly
' have been burned had you lived a
few centuries ago. It is true that I
had a country walk on Thursday and
came home in a dreadful mess: but
as I have changed my clothes, I can't
imagine how you deduce it. As to
Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and
my wife has given her notice; hut
there again T fail to see how you
work it out."
He chuckled to himself and rubbed
his long nervous hands tagether.
"It is simplicity itself," said he;
"my eyes tell me that on the inside
y of your left shoe, Just where the firelight
strikes it, the leather is scored
by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously
they have been caused, by someone
who has very carelessly scraped
round the edges of the sole in order
to remove rusted mud from it.
Hence, you see. my double deduction
that you had been out in vile weather.
and that you had a particularly
malignant boot-slicking specimen of
tHo London slavey. As to your practice.
it' a gentleman walks into my
rooms, smelling of iodoform., with a
black mark of nitrate of silver upon
his right linger, and a bulge on the
side of his tophat to show where he
has secreted bis stethoscope, I must
be dull indeed if I do not pronounce
him to be an active member of the
medical profession."
1 could not help laughing at the
pfl.RA wttll wfltfftl lio ov?1oln?#l l.l?
? .. .. mm > vit uv VA|/UlIli< U 1 1 1 D I
cess of deduction. "When I hear you
give your reason," 1 remarked, "the
tlii 11 k always appears to me so ridiculously
simple that I could esaily do
it myself, though at each successive
instance of your reasoning 1 am baffled.
until you explain your process.
And yet. I believe that my eyes are
as good as yours."
"Quite so," he answered, lighting
a cigarette, and throwing himself
down into an armchair. "You see,
but you do not observe. The distinction
Is clear. For example, you have
frequently seen the steps which lead
up from the hall to this room."
" Frequently."
"How often?"
"Well, some hundreds of times."
"Then how many are there?"
"How many? 1 don't know."
"Quite so! You have not observed.
And yet you hare seen. That is
;ust my point. Now, 1 know there
are seventeen steps, because T have
both soon and observed. Hv the way,
since you are interested in these little
problems, and since you are good
enough to chronicle one or two of my
4 ..till ?
inning experiences, you may be interested
in this." Ho throw over a
sheet, of thick pink-tinted note-paper
which had been lying open upon the
table. "It came by the last post,"
said lie. "Head it aloud."
The note was undated, and without
either signature or address.
"There will call upon you to-night,
at a quarter to eight o'clock," it
said, "a gentleman who desires to
consult you upon a matter of the very
deepest moment. Your recent services
to one of the royal houses of
Europe have shown that you are one
who may safely be trusted with matters
which are of an importance which
can hardly be exaggerated. This account
of you we have from all quarters
received, lie in your chamber,
then, at that hour, apd do not take it
amiss if your visitc* wears a mask."
"This is indeed a mystery," I remarked.
"What do you imagine that
it means?"
"I have no data yet. It is a capital
mistake to theorize before one has
data. Insensibly one begins to twist
facts to suit theories, instead of theories
to suit facts. But the note itself?what
do you deduce from it?"
I carefully examined the writing,
and the paper upon which it was
written.
"The man who wrote it was presumably
well to do," I remarked, endeavoring
to imitate my companion's
processes. "Such paper could not be
bought under half a crown a packet.
It is peculiarly strong and stiff."
"Peculiar?that is the very word,"
said Holmes. "It is not an English
paper at all. Hold it up to the light."
I did so and saw a large "E" with
a small "g", a "P" and a large "G"
with a small "t" woven into the texture
of the paper.
"What do you make of that?" asked
Holmes.
"The name of the maker, no
J 1 i . v
mmui, or nis monogram, rather."
"Not all. Tho 'G' with the small
't' stands for 'Gesellschaft,' which is
the German for 'Company'. It is a
customary contraction like our 'Co.'
'P,' of course, stands for 'Papier'.
Now for the 'Eg'. Let us glance at
our 'Continental Gazetteer'." He
took down a heavy brown volume
from his shelves. "Kglow, Eglonitz
?here we are, Egrla. It is a German-speaking
country?in TVohemia,
not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable
as being the scene of the death of
Wallenstein, and for its numerous
glass factories and paper mills.' 11a!
ha! my boy, what do you make of
that?" His eyes sparkled, and he
sent up a great blue triumphant
cloud from his cigarette.
"The paper was made in Bohemia,"
I said.
"Precisely. And the man who
wrote the note is a German. I>o you
note tho peculiar construction of the
sentence?'This account of you we
have from all quarters received'? A
Frenchman or Russian could not
have written that? It is the German
who is so uncourteous to his verbs.
It only remains, therefore, to discover
what is wanted by this German
who writes upon Bohemian paper,
and prefers wearing a mask to showing
his face. And here he comes, if
I am not mistaken, to resolve all our
doubts."
As he spoke there was the sharp
sound of horses' hoofs and grating
wheels against the curb, followed by
a sharp pull at the bell. Holmes
whistled.
"A pair, by the sound," said he.
"Yes," ho continued, glancing out of
the window. "A nice little brougham
and n r\t ..11 ? ?
?? ? !' v?i ucauuub, a nundred
and fifty guineas a piece. There's
money in this case, Watson, if there
is nothing else."
"I think I had better go. Holmes."
"Not a bit, doctor. Stay where
you are. I am lost without my Boswell.
And this promises to be inter
esting. It would bo a pity to miss it."
"Hut your client "
"Never mind him. I want your
help, and so may ho. Hero ho comes.
Sit down in that armchair, doctor,
and give us your best attention."
A slow and heavy step, which had
been upon the stairs and in the passago,
paused Immediately outside the
door. Then there was a loud and
authoritative tap.
"Come in!" said Holmes.
A man entered who could hardly
have been less than six feet six inches
in height, with the chest and limbs of
a Hercules. His dress was rich with
a richness which would, in England,
)\i\ lnnl/ml in\A?? o #? ? ?? < ^ ? A * i ?
I/V lvvnru ii I'V/il <10 cirvill IU U(UI U191U.
Heavy bands of astrakham were slashed
across tlie sleeves and front of his
double-breasted coat, while the deep
blue cloak which was thrown ovtr his
shoulders was lined with flame-colored
silk, and secured at the neck with
a brooch which consisted of a singlo
flaming beryl, lloots which extended
half-way up his calves, and which
were trimmed at the tops with rich
brown fur, completed the impression
of barbaric opulence which was suggested
by his whole appearance. He
carried a broad-brimmed bat in bi<
hand, while he wore across the upper
part of his face, extending down past
the cheekbones, a biaek visard-mask,
which ho had apparently adjusted
that very moment, for his hand was
still raised to it as he entered. From
the lower part of the face he appeared
to be a man of strong character,
with a thick, hanging lip, and a long,
straight chin, suggestive of resolution
pushed to the length of obstinacy.
"You had my note?" he asked,
with a deep, harsh voice and a strongly
marked German accent. "I told
you that I would call." He looked
from one to the other of us, as if uncertain
which to address.
"Pray take a set," said Holmes.
"This is my friend and colleague.
Doctor Watson, who is occasionally
good enough to help me in my cases.
Whom have I the honor to address?"
"You may address me as the Count
von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman.
i understand that this gentleman,
your friend, is a man of honor and
discretion, whom 1 may trust with a
matter of the most extreme importance.
If not, I should much prefer to
communicate with you alone."
I rose to go, but Holmes caught me
by the wrist and pushed me back into
my chair. "It is both, or none," said
he. "You may say before this gentleman
anything which you may say to
me."
The count shrugged his broad
shoulders. "Then 1 must begin,"
said he, "by binding you both to absolute
secrecy for two years, at the
end of that time the matter will he of
no importance. At present it is not
too much to say that it is of such
weight that it may have an influence
upon European history."
"I promise," said Holmes.
"And I."
"You will excuse this mask," continued
our strange visitor. "The august
person who employs me wishes
his agent to be unknown to you, and
I may confess at once that the title
by which I have just called myself is
not exactly my own."
"I was aware of it," said Holmes,
dryly.
"The circumstances are of great
delicacy, and every precaution has to
be taken to quench what might grow
to be an immense scandal, and seriously
compromise one of the reigning
families of Europe. To speak plainly,
the matter implicates the great
House of Ormstein, hereditary kings
of Hohemia."
"I was also aware of that," murmured
Holmes, settling himself
down in his armchair, and closing his
eyes.
Our visitor danced wHVi or, **
r . - CJJ,
parent surprise at the languid, lounging
figure of the man who had been,
no doubt, depicted to him as the most
incisive reasoner and most energetic
agent in Europe. Holmes slowly reopened
his eyes and looked impatiently
at his gigantic client.
"If your majesty would condescend
to state your case," he remarked, "I
would be better able to advise you."
The man sprung from his chair,
and paced up and down the room in
uncontrollable agitation. Then, with
a gesture of desperation, he tore the
mask from his face and hurled it upon
the ground.
"You are right," he cried, "I am
the king. Why should I attempt to
conceal it?"
"Why, Indeed?" murmured
Holmes. "Your majesty had not
spoken before I was aware that I was
addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond
vom Ormstein, Grand Duke of
Cassel-Folstoin, and hereditary King
of Bohemia."
"Rut you can understand," said
our strange visitor, sitting down once
more and passing his hand over his
high, white forehead, "you can understand
that I am not accustomed to doing
such business in my person. Yet
the matter was so delicate that I
could not confide it to an agent without
putting myself in his power. 1
have come incognito from Prague for
the purpose of consulting you."
"Then, pray consult," said Holmes,
shutting his eyes once more.
"The facts are briefly these: Some
five years ago, during a lengthy visit
to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance
of the well-known adventuress Irene
Adler. The name is no dou'bt familiar
to you."
"Knly look her up in my Index,
doctor," murmured Holmes, without
opening his eyes. For many years he
had adopted a system for docketing
H M iliilf
I
JJSTkiV CJt MONT ENEQTS INS INTC
CJCUIAkl
II I
Some of the first photographs brought
to America of the fall of Sc utari, which
was captures! at so great a loss hy King
Nicholas of Mooter <>, arc shown
above. The formality of the actual
surrender, will h is pictured, took p'a< e
in tho old Yeiieii..n ? i;.i '.el. (in the
| richt is Prince li.ii'ilo <>f M*>nteMe;.'ro
, uu ilit? icfi i^>.ui I aclia, \s 1m co.n
1 tn.iuihd I lie Turkish tro ,ps ai';er the
iiimkIi'I' of llassiMi I'i a lie v. The other
I>i lure shows (lie l'ori.rd e i.r of the
>i >nieiie^rhis in S utari. I'liey :i?c
in:ir< hiug over the hritlce \\ h 'i s'vins
file Ihiyauu iiiu! eoiiiHv4sTarn bosh with
the buKimr. The bullilhiM '' "e buck?
givmul was used as a h spit.il.
!** -WteWKiiM.MmnuMttMrjtiOfcCijw
1
Jsli figm j
and loved ones should he pro
aches and pains by always ha
NOAH'S LINIMENT?the B
NOAH'S LINIMENT is fc
external application. Absolut
made ifi a modern laboratory z
as a physician's prescription.
NOAH'S LINIMENT doe;
ammonia, alcohol, naptha, ben
is an excellent remedy for rheu
backache, neuralgia, strains, spra
and side, sore feet, etc. Peuetr
rn hhi lur
NOAH'S LINIMENT Is one
throat, coughs, colds, colic and ci
sugar will usually relievo those
toothache there Is nothing bottorapplied
externally.
Look for Noah's Ark?tradeago;
beware of substitutes.
NOAH'S LINIMENT Is sold
tlxe cities and out in the country.
$1.00 a bottle. Send for booklet
Noah Remedy Co., Inc., Rlcl
all paragraphs concerning men and
things, so that it, was difficult to I
name a subject or a person on which
he could not at once furnish information.
In this case I found her biography
sandwiched in between that of a ']
Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff- 1
commander who had written a mono- 1
graph upon the deep-sea fishes. ?
"Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! *
Horn in New Jersey in the year 1858.
Contralto?hum! La Scala?hum!
Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw?yes!
Retired from operatic I
stage?ha! Living in London?quite
so! Your majesty, as I understand, 1
became entangled with this your person,
wrote her some compromising I
letters, and is now desirous of getting
those letters back."
"Precisely so. Hut how "
"Was there a secret marriage?"
"None." ^
"No legal papers or certificates?" *
"None."
"Then I fail to follow your rnajes- c
ty. If this young person should pro
..w. iuucid iur mat-miianing or
otlier purposes, how is she to prove '
their authenticity?" P
"There is the writing-"
"Pooh-pooh! Forgery." t
"My private note-paper." (
"Stolen."
"My own seal."
"Imitated." v
"My photograph." ()
"Thought." n
"We were both in the photograph."
"Oh, dear! That is very had. Your n
majesty has indeed committe<l an indiscretion."
v
"T was mad?insane.'
"You have compromised yourself
seriously."
"I was only crown prince then. I w
was young. I am but thirty now." b
"It must be recovered." T
"We have tried and failed."
SCUTARI AND ENTI
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1' e <
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v rOi^MALI TY Oh 1Mb AC I U/
KVMMMitt/MWIMMMMaMMMmMHMMBnimBB
iliHl 4wl^^ "S^i
.ESKisisI
tected from the every-day
ving on hand a bottle of
est i'ain Remedy. **
>r internal uses as well as for
ely pure and clean to use,
md compounded as carefully
> not contain any chloroform,
zinc or poisonous drugs.
Liniment
imatism, lameness, stiff Joints,
ins, cuts, bruises, pains in chest
ates and requires very little
of the host remedies for sore
ramps. A few drops on a little
i troubles Immediately. For
?a little on cotton in cavity and
mark-?on every genuine packby
all dealers In medicines In
In three sizes, at 25c, 50c and
s and testimonials,
kmond, Va.
iSfb aflB
"Your majesty must pay. It m
>e bought."
"She will not sell."
"Stolen, then."
"Five attempts have been ma
Twice burglars in my pay ransacl
ior house. Once we diverted 1
uggage when she traveled. Tw
die lias been waylaid. There 1
>eeii no result."
"No sign of it?"
"Absolutely none."
Holmes laughed. "It is quite
>retty little problem," said he.
"But a very serious one to me,"
urned the king, reproachfully.
"Very, indeed. And what does i
iropose to do with the photograpl
"To ruin me."
"Hut how?"
"I am about to be married."
"So I have heard."
"To Clotilde Both man von Sa
delningen, second daughter of i
<ing of Scandinavia. You may kn
ho strict principles of her fami
>he is herself the very soul of d<
acy. A shadow of a doubt as to
onduct would bring the matter to
n d."
"And Irene Adler?"
"Threatens to send them the pi
ograph. And she will do it. I kn
hat she will do it. You do not km
ler, but she has a soul of steel. S
ias the face of the most beautiful
.omen and the mind of the most r<
lute of men. Rather than I slioi
larry another woman, there are
mgths to which sho would not go
one."
"You are sure she has not sent
et?"
"I am sure."
"And why?"
"Recause she has said that s
-ould send it on the day when t
etrothal was publicly proclaimc
hat will be next Monday."
"Oh, then we have three days yet
fly OF THE VICTORS. 1
i
. . ".K'J
BUI
- ';- 1. '; i . ",. '. V,
" '?? ? #< ?#! %'' *<# ;W/
T * ?'* 'tV* V ''f*f * < / /
, - y. * *** ^ y
\ * > , < - /
\t~liuftw nut to (ji scuta: ; i
i ?n i in m m im ii??|
\
l''or Itkru mallum ?ud Iniralol*
?"1 havu be*.*ii using Noah s uiiiiiient
for morn than a > < ?u\ and
tind It the b? st 1 havn ever trb-d
for rheumatism, neuralgia and at)
ucht a and pains of any kind."?
Mrs. A M I>oyl0t Bivhmund, va
For told* n it d llimrni-uoiKtr
"Noah'a Lininu m (illicitly relieves
colds and hoarseness, and I hav<
carried a boll It* with me for yearo
In travnllri' T. Burton. W11
huii, N. C. %
loi Uacki. .?? nn?l slllt .loinla. "1
have used Noah's Liniment for
backache and stiff joints and pains,
and find It to bo the best liniment
1 ever used."?Mrs. Sanic I'ounn.
Ldgar, Va.
I<'ur rain Following t'hill*.? "My
little Kin was suffering with chills
and for the pain following I us d
Noah's Liniment, and it gave Instant
relief."?A. 11. Clrecu wood.
Richmond, Va. 1
For Sore Feet.?"Suffering; for
a month with rheumatism in my
ankle, Instep and toes, I commenced
to use Noah's Liniment,
and my foot has Improved wonderfully,
and can now walk with
v. r> little inconvenience."?C. A.
dames, Portsmouth, Va.
For I'nln In the flack.? "1 suffered
dreadfully for ten years with
ta I us In back. Iauis than half a ?.
ottle of Noah's Uniment made ft
perfect cure."?Mra J. U Bll 11 ii
ley. Point Bias tern, Va.
jl. ^ r I
KMHb JBBBHL JB33W |
u st said Holmes, with a yawn. "That is
very fortunate, as I have one or two
matters of importance to look into
just at present. Your majesty will,
(le. of course, stay in London for tho
ced present?"
her | "Certainly. You will find me at
ice the Langham, under the name of tho
nas Count von Kramm."
"Then I shall drop you a line to let
you know how we progress."
"Pray do so; I shall be all anxiety."
? a "Then, as to money?"
"You have carte blanche."
re- "Absolutely?"
"I tell you that I would give one of
she the provinces of my kingdom to have
l?" that photograph."
"And for present expenses?"
The king took a heavy chamois
leather hag from under his cloaH, and
laid it on the table,
xe- "There are three hundred pounds .
the | in gold and seven hundred in notes,"
ow he said.
Ily. Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a
sM- sheet of his note-book, and handed it
my j to him.
an | "And mademoiselle's address?" ho
' asked.
"Is Hrlony Ixulge, Serpetine Av^
1o- nue. St. John's Wood."
ow Holmes took a note of it. "Ono
ow other question." said he. thoughtful
ue ly. vv as tne photograph a cabinet?"
of "It was."
ps- "Then, good-night, your majesty,
lid and I trust that we shall soon havo
no ! some good news for you. And gooU?-J
night, Watson," he added, as tho
i wheels of the royal brougham rolled,
it' down the street. "If you will be good
I enough to call to-morrow afternoon,
< at three o'clock, I should like to chat
j this little matter over with you."
he (To .bo continued.)
he ?
id. Senator LaFollette seems to be a
hypocrite when it comes to tariff reform.
i
.j