1954-03-30 — Page 4

| THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, MARCH

Concluding The Adventure of the TWO WOMEN

There

1954,

was something terrible

in that beautiful face

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR

a

The Duchess of Carringford, widow of the late Undor- Socratory for Foreign Affairs, is being blackmalted on the eve of the marriage of her daughter to Cabinet Ministor. She has been informed that hor late husband made an early and secret marriage in France to a woman who is still alivo—thus making the Duchess's own marriage bigamous and her daughter illegitimate. As the price of silence the blackmailer is demanding copies of stato papers which belonged to the late Duke. Holmes suspects that a society woman, Edith von Lammeroin, is a spy and behind the blackmail. Ho decidos to break the law by ontering Mme von Lammerain's houso in order to exomino the marriago documents. Watson agrees to accompany

him. They got into

T

We

The new exploits oi SHERLOCK

HOLMES

By ADRIAN CONAN DOYLE

"You ruman!" she cried. "Now

They appear to be perfectly lu order, and the signature is the same in both cases."

the name Gladsdale place.

of Henry Corwyn substituted lots

"I have no doubt that, should the need arise, an examination under the microscope would show traces of the erasur. The ink itself is, however, conclusive proof and represents

but an other example that it is on the small easily committed error, rather than on any basic flaw in the conception, that the most intricate plans crash to their ruin as the mighty vessel on the small but fatal point of rock. As for you, madame, when I con- sider the full implications of your scheme against a thefence- less woman, I am hard put to it to recall a more cold-blooded ruthlessness."

"What are you to insult a woman!"

the library and hide behind the window curtains...

HOUGH

beneath were subles, and

her bare shoulders a magnif- enveloped in a dark- neck and

vent gown of black sequins nese smelling faint flashed and shimmered against 1 understand! You are lier saint

ly Grace's dired burglar." Then, ly of calfskin and the darkness.

with a swit movement, she

"Quite so. But the ink?" old leather, I was conscious

For a moment she stood us craned forward, the lamp out-

and, is of a

sense of space about though listening and then, clos- held before her,

There is a shade of blue in friend me. The silence was pro- ing the door behind her, loolted intently at my

she

I saw her expression of fury it. Yes, certainly it is ordinary have surrendered the preroga-

Ink. What found, save for the swept down the great room, her toll, slim shadow tralling behind

change into one of incredulity, blue-block Indigo

then?** measured ticking of 丸

her and the lamp

in her hand A smile, as exultant as it was grandfather clock in the casting a dim special glow menacing, dawned slowly in her

eyes. depth of the room.

along the booklined walls.

came

I do not know whether it was Perhaps five minutes had

the rustle of the curtain that dragged by when there

reached her ears, but, as Holmes # Hound from stepped out into the room, she

within

In an somewhere

the was round

instant and, above her house followed by steps and holding the lamp

hend so that the rays fell in our a soft

murmur of voices. direction, she stood quite still A line of light gleamed for and looked at us. There was not of fear upon her ivory an instant beneath the edge a trace

face but only fury and venom in vanished and, the dark eyes that glared at us of a door. after 赴 pause of some across that great silent chamber. moments, slowly reappear- ed.

I CAUGET The

sound of swift footfalls, the ine of light grew brighter. Then the door Was flung open and a woman, carry- ing a lamp in her hand, entered the room,

erase

Though time tends to the sharp outline of past events, I recall as though it were but yesterday my first view of Edith von Lummerein,

Above the rays of an oll-lamp I beheld an ivory-tinted face with dark sombre eyes and a beautiful scarlet, remorselesa mouth.

Her hair, piled high upon her head end of raven blackness, was pet with a spray of osprey plumes clasped with

WHO are you?" she hissed.

"What do you want?"

"Five minutes of your time, Madame von Lammerain," re-

joined Holmes cofily.

"So you know my name. If you are not burglars, then what is it you seek? It would amuse mo to hear before I raise the house,"

Holmes pointed to her loft hand. "I am here to examme those papers," said he, "and I warn you that I mean to do so, I beg that you will not make it necessary to prevent an outery."

She thrust her hand behind her, her eyes blazing in her face,

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1

"Mr Sherlock breathed.

she

Holmes!" she

There was

mor- a touch of tification in Holmes's manner us he turned away and lit the candies on un ormolu sidetable,

"The possibility of recognition had already occurred to me, Madurne," said he.

earn you

live

**This will years," she cried, with a flash of her while teeth,

"Perhaps. In that case, I mus! The have my

money's worth. documents"

*

Cou

"Do you imagine that you will accomplish anything by stealing

and thom have copies dozen witnesses to their ients," she laughed threality, "I had imagined you to be elever

man," she went on, "Instead, I find a fool, a bungler, a common thief!"

"We shall scc." He held out his hand and, with a sneer and a shrug, she rezigned the docu- ments to him. "I rely on you, Watson," my friend remarked

Across quietly, stepping

to the sidetable, to prevent any col- luston between Madame von Lammerain and the bell-rope."

the

glow of DENEATH the Deandles, he read through the documents and then, holding them up against the light, he Sudied them intently, his lean cadaverous profile cut in black silhouette against the luminous yellow purchraent. Then looked at me and my heart sank at the chagrin in his face,

he

"The watermark is English, Watson," he stated quietly. "But Las paper of this make and quality was imported into France on a large scale fifty years ago, this dora not help us. Alas, I fear the worst."

"Every word in both docu- ments is written in black ink, with the exception of the bride. groom's De and signature. Does not this strike you 38 curious?"

"Curious, perhaps, but by no means inexplicable. Gladsdale Whs probably in the habit of using his own waistcoat inkpot."

Holmes rushed to a writing desk in the window and, after

an instant, rumanaging for

TC

There was not a traca of fear, but only fury and venom II NET dark eyes,

"In scheming to destroy another should she relise, you her husband's secret papers, you lives of a woman," bitterly.

he replied

SHE LOOKED at us with an evil smile on her waxen face. "At least, you shall

pay for it," she promised. "You have broken the law."

"True, and by all means pull the bell," said Sherlock Holmes, "My poor defence will be the provocation of forgery, attempt- blackmail, and -- mark cd the word-espionage.

Indeed, a measure of tribute to your gifts, I shall allow you exactly one week in which to leave this country. After then, the authorl- ties will be warned agnina!

you,"

as

There was a moment of tense atiliness, and then without a word, Edith Von Lammeralo raised her white, shapely arm, and pointed silently towards the door.

was past 11 o'clock next 'tmorning and the breakfast things had not yet been cleared from the table. Sherlock Holmes, who had returned from an early had discarded his excursion, frock coat for an old smoking jacket, and now lounged in

front of the fire cleaning the stems of his pipes with long. thin bodkin that had originally come into his possession under circumstances with which I do

to harrow propose

my

not readers.

"You have seen the Duchess?" I enquired.

"I have, and put her in pos- session of all the facts. Purely

A precautionary casure, she is lodging the documents inscribed with her husband's forged signature, together with my statement of the case, in the hands of the family lawyers. to But she has nothing more Lear from Edith von Lam merain,"

turned with a quill and ink- And I know that he was think-sland in his hand.

"Owing to you, mhy dear ing not of his own unenviable

fellow," I cried warmly. "Would you say that this is position, but

of the anxious the same colour," he asked,

"Well, well, Watson. The case courageous woman in whose.

risked his own dipping the quill and making a was shuple enough and the work he had

mark or two on the edge of the its own reward." document.

rause lucrty.

Mme von Lammorain Indulged in a litle peal of laughter, ""Too much success had gone to your head. Mr Holmes," she jeered. "But this time you have blum dered, as you will find to your cost."

"It is identical," I confirmed, "Quite so. And the ink in this pot is blue-black indigo."

I glanced at him keenly, "You look a bit fire-drawn, Holmes," I remarked, "You should get away into the country for a few days."

"Later on, perhaps. But I Mine van Lammerain, who cannot leave town until Madame had been standing in the back- has departed from these shores, ground, darted suddenly for the for she is a person of singulor bell-rope, but before she had address,"

My friend had spread the papers immediately below the time to pull it Holmes's volce "That is a very fine pearl candle flames and was bending over them again when I saw that rang through the room.

a sudden change had taken "You have my word for it place in his expression. The that if you touch that bell you chagrin and annoyance that had are ruined," he said sternly. clouded his, dace had gone, and She paused with her hand

in their place was a look of upon the rope. Intense concentration.

"What mockerý is this]"; she ancerod. "Are you suggesting

His long nose seemed almost that Henry Gladadale signed his

to smell the paper as he stooped marriage documents at my deskt

which you are wearing in your cravat. I do not remember seeing it before."

wore

Sehen

NEW

NATION

THE BLACK MAN CAN DO NO WRONG!

SOCIALIST TRACTS DEMOCRACY FOR EVERYBODY

VERYTHING

LYTTELTON

AS SEEN BY THE BRITISH 'LEFT'

PORTABL

AS SEEN BY THE BRITISH IN KENYA

WHEAT MAY BECOME

Ꮤ

DRUG ON MARKET

HEAT, the basic of foodstuffs, like becoming a drug market.

By

Ronald Boxall

most which had been stockpiling Government for non-dollar basic wheat began eating into it. currencies to help countries looks

that have defence

pro- on the

grammes.

The running down of stocks coincided with two ́ excellent harvests in nearly In a little over three all producing countries. months' time-the end of the current crop

year.

Canadá

increased

Another way of disposing of surplus stocks is to give its the wheat away to needy

there will be more than 40 yields by leaps and bounds, cases. This has been done by million metric tons of it in In the ten years from 1989 the United States and also Canada-the latter store in the chief pro- to 1948, an acre yielded 17.4 by ducing countries.

bushels. By 1952, this had through the Colombo Plan, grown to 26.5 bushels. Thus, With this, the world ex- although the acreage of land But, useful though these port trade in wheat could under wheat has remained methods are, they won't carry on at its present rate virtually unchanged, since solve the long-range problem. without Interruption

difficulty for 1985, Canadian crops have

The long-range another two years even if increased more than twofold, takes another form. Looking

the United

perhaps tenor States, Canada, Australia The first steps have twenty years, the signs are to that the world will have, not

farmers in

ahead,

and Argentina did not pro. already been taken wheat surplus, but n

duce a single grain.

remedy the surplus,

Fall In Prices.

巋

serious shortage.

It could satisfy all the

In the first place, we cannot import demands of Britain

be sure that recent favourable and the Colonies for eight

climatic conditions. la North years. Or it could supply

In the United States, the America, will continue inde- Britain's total needs for five area sown with wheat this finitely. There have been bad years,

year is 62 million acres, crops in the past, and there will What piled up this against 78 million acres last be again. When that happens, enormous surplus? Like so season. Control has been im- the world will need big stocks.

to fall back upon. many other current econo- posed over the amount MY FRIEND pick-mic problems, this takes us farmer is allowed to market from each acre of his land. back to the Korean war. ed.up two letters

The farmers chose this restriction rather than Even without crop failures, it accept a reduction in the will prove difficult to satisfy, the minimum price guaranteed needs of countries like India. When that war broke out to them by their Govern- Two years ago, India had 362 in the summer of 1950, the ment... United States was cutting

from the mantel- picce and tossed them across to mo. "They arrived while

absent

over it. When he straightened Why, you fool, everybody uses round," said he

you himself at last, I caught a gleam

of excitement frem, ils deep-set eyes,

"What do you make of this, Watson?” sold ke as I hastened

ink of that description."

a

Q#

your

The * address of

ran thus:

one, which bore

Carringford, House,

tho

Cutting Back

back Its wheat production Naturally, there has been after several years of all- a fall in prices. The baslo out effort to satisfy the type has dropped from $2.18 the huge, post-world war (Canadian) per bushel last bo demand for more food. February to $1.79 dollars.

"Lergely true. But there docu- 12, 1848." ments are

"Well, what of

To your chivalry, to your "I fear that you have boon

amall

a woman owls her error, Modame courage. to his side. He pointed to the Bully of writing that inscribed the details von Lammerain. The black ink all, and such a debt is beyond

contains Indigo was not roward. Let this pearl, on both documents,

invented until 1938.

ancient symbol of Faith, There was something terrible the token of the life that you in the beautiful face that glared have given back to me. at us across the circle of candie- shall not forget.”

The other, which had neither ""You llo!"" she hiszed,

address nor signature, ran

"It is a very legible hand,"

I paid.

"

The lok, man, the ink!" he light. cried impatiently.

"Well, it is black ink," i remarked, leaning over his shoulder. "But I fear that there is little to, halp us in that, I can show you a dozen old letters from: To father willten in a

similar medium.* (*

"We shall meet again, Mr

Sherlock Holmes. I shall not forget."

Hot

Adequate Diet

million people; seven ve years hence, it will have 410 million; ten years later, 460. million.

A famous Indian economist estimated that, by 1901, India will need an wdditional 19 million tons of food... Even If its present agricultural" pró-

The Korean threat to In such a situation, some Jects are completed on schedule, World peace forced the experts believe that the im- they will provider only another 5 million tons. That will teave American Government to porting countries should 10 million tone to be imported reverse this policy. Result reduce prices guaranteed to pa was that, by 1952, the US, their own farmers. was again growing wheat at the all-out rate.

"It le all in the point of view FOLMES

chuckled Holmes, "and 1 havo shrugged. The varieut amateur chemist can yet to meet the two women who

Meanwhile other nations prove it," said he as he picked look from the same angiç, Magg

up Holmes chuckled and rubbed up the papers and placed them Then, throwing himself into were also building

his chair,-he, reached. out lazily carefully in his cape pocket for his, most obnoxious pipe. his hands together. Excellent, The are

and offer Watson, excellent he defeatly genuine marriage

of course

marriage docu “Now, kindly examine the name

World Copyright Reserved And the Faignature of fearments Corwyswah

"Another:

mer's estim

popy

India i no the "only country,ywhere, populations' in' outstripping There is plainly room for

the such a reduction ( In some come food protaction. countries. Italy, for example,

nadian strain guarantees Its $3.29. bushel, with a prica:equiy

muarantee

(armers

that hally the worki's

· hasn't enough to Plat

did; need: another - half

Tel: 31131.

the pics, from: ENVIO

Valence ~ Church föredra