Sherlock Holmes In Montague Street Volume 2 by David Marcum Read Free Book Online Page A

go on behalf of a man she loves. I suppose, by the bye, Miss Garth is not exactly what you would call a ‘strong-minded’ woman?”
    â€œNo, she’s not that. She’d never get on in the world by herself. She’s a good little soul, but nervous - very; and her month of anxiety, grief, and want of sleep seems to have broken her up.”
    â€œMr. Mellis knows of the death, I suppose?”
    â€œI telegraphed to him at his chambers in London the first thing yesterday - Tuesday - morning, as soon as the telegraph office was open. He came here (as I’ve forgotten to tell you as yet) the first thing this morning - before I was over here myself, in fact. He had been staying not far off - at Ockham, I think - and the telegram had been sent on. He saw Miss Garth, but couldn’t stay, having to get back to London. I met him going away as I came, about eleven o’clock. Of course I said nothing about the fact that I couldn’t find the will, but he will probably be down again soon, and may ask questions.”
    â€œYes,” Holmes replied. “And speaking of that matter, you can no doubt talk with Miss Garth on very intimate and familiar terms?”
    â€œOh yes - yes; I’ve told you what old friends we are.”
    â€œI wish you could manage, at some favorable opportunity today, to speak to her alone, and without referring to the will in any way, get to know, as circumspectly and delicately as you can, how she stands in regard to Mr. Mellis. Whether he is an accepted lover, or likely to be one, you know. Whatever answer you may get, you may judge, I expect, by her manner how things really are.”
    â€œVery good - I’ll seize the first chance. Meanwhile what to do?”
    â€œNothing, I’m afraid, except perhaps to examine other pieces of furniture as closely as we have examined this bureau.”
    Other bureaux, desks, tables, and chests were examined fruitlessly. It was not until after dinner that Mr. Crellan saw a favorable opportunity of sounding Miss Garth as he had promised. Half an hour later he came to Holmes in the study, more puzzled than ever.
    â€œThere’s no engagement between them,” he reported, “secret or open, nor ever has been. It seems, from what I can make out, going to work as diplomatically as possible, that Mellis did propose to her, or something very near it, a time ago, and was point-blank refused. Altogether, Miss Garth’s sentiment for him appears to be rather dislike than otherwise.”
    â€œThat rather knocks a hole in the theory of self-sacrifice, doesn’t it?” Holmes remarked. “I shall have to think over this, and sleep on it. It’s possible that it may be necessary tomorrow for you to tax Miss Garth, point-blank, with having taken away the will. Still, I hope not.”
    â€œI hope not, too,” Mr. Crellan said, rather dubious as to the result of such an experiment. “She has been quite upset enough already. And, by the bye, she didn’t seem any the better or more composed after Mellis’ visit this morning.”
    â€œStill, then the will was gone.”
    â€œYes.”
    And so Holmes and Mr. Crellan talked on late into the evening, turning over every apparent possibility and finding reason in none. The household went to bed at ten, and, soon after, Miss Garth came to bid Mr. Crellan good night. It had been settled that both Sherlock Holmes and Mr. Crellan should stay the night at Wedbury Hall.
    Soon all was still, and the ticking of the tall clock in the hall below could be heard as distinctly as though it were in the study, while the rain without dropped from eaves and sills in regular splashes. Twelve o’clock struck, and Mr. Crellan was about to suggest retirement, when the sound of a light footstep startled Holmes’s alert ear. He raised his hand to enjoin silence, and stepped to the door of the room, Mr. Crellan following him.
    There was a light over the