lege of Edinburgh University, the
love of letters drove him forth in his early twenties to try his
fortunes in the literary world of London.

Inheriting from his artist ancestry a sense of form and color, a
faculty of constructiveness, and a vivid imagination, his studiousness
and his industry have turned his capacities into abilities. For his
romance of 'The White Company' he read more than two hundred books,
and spent on it more than two years of labor. 'Micah Clarke' and 'The
Great Shadow' involved equal wit and conscience. In his historic
fiction he has described the England of Edward III., of James II., and
of to-day, the Scotland of George III., the France of Edward III., of
Louis XIV., and of Napoleon, and the America of Frontenac; while, in
securing this correctness of historic detail, he has not neglected the
first duty of a story-teller, which is to be interesting.

THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE

From 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.' Copyright 1892, by Harper &
Brothers

I had called upon my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes one day in the autumn
of last year, and found him in deep conversation with a very stout,
florid-faced elderly gentleman, with fiery red hair. With an apology
for my intrusion I was about to withdraw, when Holmes pulled me
abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me.

"You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson,"
he said, cordially.

"I was afraid that you were engaged."

"So I am. Very much so."

"Then I can wait in the next room."

"Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and
helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no doubt that
he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also."

The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of
greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from his small,
fat-encircled eyes.

"Try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his arm-chair and
putting his finger-tips together, as was his custom when in judicial
moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is
bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of every-day
life. You have shown your relish for it by the enthusiasm which has
prompted you to chronicle, and if you will excuse my saying so,
somewhat to embellish so many of my own little adventures."

"Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I
observed.

"You will remember that I remarked the other day, just