|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 111
"The windows are all dark," remarked the inspector.
"The house seems deserted."
"Our birds are flown and the nest empty," said Holmes.
"Why do you say so?"
"A carriage heavily loaded with luggage has passed out
during the last hour."
The inspector laughed. "I saw the wheel-tracks in the
light of the gate-lamp, but where does the luggage
come in?"
"You may have observed the same wheel-tracks going the
other way. But the outward-bound ones were very much
deeper--so much so that we can say for a certainty
that there was a very considerable weight on the
carriage."
"You get a trifle beyond me there," said the
inspector, shrugging his shoulder. "It will not be an
easy door to force, but we will try if we cannot make
some one hear us."
He hammered loudly at the knocker and pulled at the
bell, but without any success. Holmes had slipped
away, but he came back in a few minutes.
"I have a window open," said he.
"It is a mercy that you are on the side of the force,
and not against it, Mr. Holmes," remarked the
inspector, as he noted the clever way in which my
friend had forced back the catch. "Well, I think that
under the circumstances we may enter without an
invitation."
One after the other we made our way into a large
apartment, which was evidently that in which Mr. Melas
had found himself. The inspector had lit his lantern,
and by its light we could see the two doors, the
curtain, the lamp, and the suit of Japanese mail as he
had described them. On the table lay two glasses, and
empty brandy-bottle, and the remains of a meal.
"What is that?" asked Holmes, suddenly.
We all stood still and listened. A low moaning sound
was coming from somewhere over our heads. Holmes
rushed to the door and out into the hall. The dismal
noise came from upstairs. He dashed up, the inspector
and I at his heels, while his brother Mycroft followed
as quickly as his great bulk would permit.
Three doors faced up upon the second floor, and it was
from the central of these that the sinister sounds
were issuing, sinking sometimes into a dull mumble and
rising again into a shrill whine. It was locked, but
the key had been left on the outside. Holmes flung
open the door and rushed in, but he was out again in
an instant, with his hand to his throat."
"It's charcoal," he cried. "Give it time. It will
clear."
Peering in, we could see that the only light in the
room came from a dull blue flame which flickered from
a small brass tripod in the centre. It threw a livid,
unnatural circle upon the floor, while in the shadows
beyond we saw the vague loom of two figures which
crouched against the wall. From the open door there
reeked a horrible poisonous exhalation which set us
gasping and coughing. Holmes rushed to the top of the
stairs to draw in the fresh air, and then, dashing
into the room, he threw up the window and hurled the
brazen tripod out into the garden.
"We can enter in a minute," he gasped, darting out
again. "Where is a candle? I doubt if we could
strike a match in that atmosphere. Hold the light at
the door and we shall get them out, Mycroft, now!"
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|