American library books ยป Fiction ยป The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (dark academia books to read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซThe Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (dark academia books to read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Arthur Conan Doyle



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 45
Go to page:
follow the return track.โ€

We had not to go far. It ended at the paving of asphalt which led up to the gates of the Mapleton stables. As we approached, a groom ran out from them.

โ€œWe don't want any loiterers about here,โ€ said he.

โ€œI only wished to ask a question,โ€ said Holmes, with his finger and thumb in his waistcoat pocket. โ€œShould I be too early to see your master, Mr. Silas Brown, if I were to call at five o'clock to-morrow morning?โ€

โ€œBless you, sir, if any one is about he will be, for he is always the first stirring. But here he is, sir, to answer your questions for himself. No, sir, no; it is as much as my place is worth to let him see me touch your money. Afterwards, if you like.โ€

As Sherlock Holmes replaced the half-crown which he had drawn from his pocket, a fierce-looking elderly man strode out from the gate with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand.

โ€œWhat's this, Dawson!โ€ he cried. โ€œNo gossiping! Go about your business! And you, what the devil do you want here?โ€

โ€œTen minutes' talk with you, my good sir,โ€ said Holmes in the sweetest of voices.

โ€œI've no time to talk to every gadabout. We want no stranger here. Be off, or you may find a dog at your heels.โ€

Holmes leaned forward and whispered something in the trainer's ear. He started violently and flushed to the temples.

โ€œIt's a lie!โ€ he shouted, โ€œan infernal lie!โ€

โ€œVery good. Shall we argue about it here in public or talk it over in your parlor?โ€

โ€œOh, come in if you wish to.โ€

Holmes smiled. โ€œI shall not keep you more than a few minutes, Watson,โ€ said he. โ€œNow, Mr. Brown, I am quite at your disposal.โ€

It was twenty minutes, and the reds had all faded into grays before Holmes and the trainer reappeared. Never have I seen such a change as had been brought about in Silas Brown in that short time. His face was ashy pale, beads of perspiration shone upon his brow, and his hands shook until the hunting-crop wagged like a branch in the wind. His bullying, overbearing manner was all gone too, and he cringed along at my companion's side like a dog with its master.

โ€œYour instructions will be done. It shall all be done,โ€ said he.

โ€œThere must be no mistake,โ€ said Holmes, looking round at him. The other winced as he read the menace in his eyes.

โ€œOh no, there shall be no mistake. It shall be there. Should I change it first or not?โ€

Holmes thought a little and then burst out laughing. โ€œNo, don't,โ€ said he; โ€œI shall write to you about it. No tricks, now, orโ€”โ€

โ€œOh, you can trust me, you can trust me!โ€

โ€œYes, I think I can. Well, you shall hear from me to-morrow.โ€ He turned upon his heel, disregarding the trembling hand which the other held out to him, and we set off for King's Pyland.

โ€œA more perfect compound of the bully, coward, and sneak than Master Silas Brown I have seldom met with,โ€ remarked Holmes as we trudged along together.

โ€œHe has the horse, then?โ€

โ€œHe tried to bluster out of it, but I described to him so exactly what his actions had been upon that morning that he is convinced that I was watching him. Of course you observed the peculiarly square toes in the impressions, and that his own boots exactly corresponded to them. Again, of course no subordinate would have dared to do such a thing. I described to him how, when according to his custom he was the first down, he perceived a strange horse wandering over the moor. How he went out to it, and his astonishment at recognizing, from the white forehead which has given the favorite its name, that chance had put in his power the only horse which could beat the one upon which he had put his money. Then I described how his first impulse had been to lead him back to King's Pyland, and how the devil had shown him how he could hide the horse until the race was over, and how he had led it back and concealed it at Mapleton. When I told him every detail he gave it up and thought only of saving his own skin.โ€

โ€œBut his stables had been searched?โ€

โ€œOh, an old horse-faker like him has many a dodge.โ€

โ€œBut are you not afraid to leave the horse in his power now, since he has every interest in injuring it?โ€

โ€œMy dear fellow, he will guard it as the apple of his eye. He knows that his only hope of mercy is to produce it safe.โ€

โ€œColonel Ross did not impress me as a man who would be likely to show much mercy in any case.โ€

โ€œThe matter does not rest with Colonel Ross. I follow my own methods, and tell as much or as little as I choose. That is the advantage of being unofficial. I don't know whether you observed it, Watson, but the Colonel's manner has been just a trifle cavalier to me. I am inclined now to have a little amusement at his expense. Say nothing to him about the horse.โ€

โ€œCertainly not without your permission.โ€

โ€œAnd of course this is all quite a minor point compared to the question of who killed John Straker.โ€

โ€œAnd you will devote yourself to that?โ€

โ€œOn the contrary, we both go back to London by the night train.โ€

I was thunderstruck by my friend's words. We had only been a few hours in Devonshire, and that he should give up an investigation which he had begun so brilliantly was quite incomprehensible to me. Not a word more could I draw from him until we were back at the trainer's house. The Colonel and the Inspector were awaiting us in the parlor.

โ€œMy friend and I return to town by the night-express,โ€ said Holmes. โ€œWe have had a charming little breath of your beautiful Dartmoor air.โ€

The Inspector opened his eyes, and the Colonel's lip curled in a sneer.

โ€œSo you despair of arresting the murderer of poor Straker,โ€ said he.

Holmes shrugged his shoulders. โ€œThere are certainly grave difficulties in the way,โ€ said he. โ€œI have every hope, however, that your horse will start upon Tuesday, and I beg that you will have your jockey in readiness. Might I ask for a photograph of Mr. John Straker?โ€

The Inspector took one from an envelope and handed it to him.

โ€œMy dear Gregory, you anticipate all my wants. If I might ask you to wait here for an instant, I have a question which I should like to put to the maid.โ€

โ€œI must say that I am rather disappointed in our London consultant,โ€ said Colonel Ross, bluntly, as my friend left the room. โ€œI do not see that we are any further than when he came.โ€

โ€œAt least you have his assurance that your horse will run,โ€ said I.

โ€œYes, I have his assurance,โ€ said the Colonel, with a shrug of his shoulders. โ€œI should prefer to have the horse.โ€

I was about to make some reply in defence of my friend when he entered the room again.

โ€œNow, gentlemen,โ€ said he, โ€œI am quite ready for Tavistock.โ€

As we stepped into the carriage one of the stable-lads held the door open for us. A sudden idea seemed to occur to Holmes, for he leaned forward and touched the lad upon the sleeve.

โ€œYou have a few sheep in the paddock,โ€ he said. โ€œWho attends to them?โ€

โ€œI do, sir.โ€

โ€œHave you noticed anything amiss with them of late?โ€

โ€œWell, sir, not of much account; but three of them have gone lame, sir.โ€

I could see that Holmes was extremely pleased, for he chuckled and rubbed his hands together.

โ€œA long shot, Watson; a very long shot,โ€ said he, pinching my arm. โ€œGregory, let me recommend to your attention this singular epidemic among the sheep. Drive on, coachman!โ€

Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion's ability, but I saw by the Inspector's face that his attention had been keenly aroused.

โ€œYou consider that to be important?โ€ he asked.

โ€œExceedingly so.โ€

โ€œIs there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?โ€

โ€œTo the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.โ€

โ€œThe dog did nothing in the night-time.โ€

โ€œThat was the curious incident,โ€ remarked Sherlock Holmes.

Four days later Holmes and I were again in the train, bound for Winchester to see the race for the Wessex Cup. Colonel Ross met us by appointment outside the station, and we drove in his drag to the course beyond the town. His face was grave, and his manner was cold in the extreme.

โ€œI have seen nothing of my horse,โ€ said he.

โ€œI suppose that you would know him when you saw him?โ€ asked Holmes.

The Colonel was very angry. โ€œI have been on the turf for twenty years, and never was asked such a question as that before,โ€ said he. โ€œA child would know Silver Blaze, with his white forehead and his mottled off-foreleg.โ€

โ€œHow is the betting?โ€

โ€œWell, that is the curious part of it. You could have got fifteen to one yesterday, but the price has become shorter and shorter, until you can hardly get three to one now.โ€

โ€œHum!โ€ said Holmes. โ€œSomebody knows something, that is clear.โ€

As the drag drew up in the enclosure near the grand stand I glanced at the card to see the entries.

Wessex Plate [it ran] 50 sovs each h ft with 1000 sovs added for four and five year olds. Second, L300. Third, L200. New course (one mile and five furlongs). Mr. Heath Newton's The Negro. Red cap. Cinnamon jacket. Colonel Wardlaw's Pugilist. Pink cap. Blue and black jacket. Lord Backwater's Desborough. Yellow cap and sleeves. Colonel Ross's Silver Blaze. Black cap. Red jacket. Duke of Balmoral's Iris. Yellow and black stripes. Lord Singleford's Rasper. Purple cap. Black sleeves.

โ€œWe scratched our other one, and put all hopes on your word,โ€ said the Colonel. โ€œWhy, what is that? Silver Blaze favorite?โ€

โ€œFive to four against Silver Blaze!โ€ roared the ring. โ€œFive to four against Silver Blaze! Five to fifteen against Desborough! Five to four on the field!โ€

โ€œThere are the numbers up,โ€ I cried. โ€œThey are all six there.โ€

โ€œAll six there? Then my horse is running,โ€ cried the Colonel in great agitation. โ€œBut I don't see him. My colors have not passed.โ€

โ€œOnly five have passed. This must be he.โ€

As I spoke a powerful bay horse swept out from the weighing enclosure and cantered past us, bearing on its back the well-known black and red of the Colonel.

โ€œThat's not my horse,โ€ cried the owner. โ€œThat beast has not a white hair upon its body. What is this that you have done, Mr. Holmes?โ€

โ€œWell, well, let us see how he gets on,โ€ said my friend, imperturbably. For a few minutes he gazed through my field-glass. โ€œCapital! An excellent start!โ€ he cried suddenly. โ€œThere they are, coming round the curve!โ€

From our drag we had a superb view as they came up the straight. The six horses were so close together that a carpet 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 lengths before its rival, the Duke of Balmoral's Iris making a bad third.

โ€œIt's my race, anyhow,โ€ gasped the Colonel, passing his hand over his eyes. โ€œI confess that I can make neither head nor tail of it. Don't you think that you have kept up your mystery long enough, Mr. Holmes?โ€

โ€œCertainly, Colonel, you shall know everything. Let us all go round and have a look at the horse together. Here he is,โ€ he continued, as we made our way into the weighing enclosure, where only owners and their friends find admittance. โ€œYou 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.โ€

โ€œYou take my breath away!โ€

โ€œI found him in the hands of a faker, and took the liberty of running

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 45
Go to page:

Free e-book: ยซThe Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (dark academia books to read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป   -   read online now on website american library books (americanlibrarybooks.com)

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment