The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-06

buttoned only in the two lower buttons
out of five, and the other at the first, third
and fifth. Now, when you see that a
young lady. otherwise neatly dressed, has
come away from home with odd boots, half
buttoned, it is no great deduction to say
that she came away in hurry"
"And what else?" l asked, keenly inter-
ested. as always was, by my friends in
cisive reasoning.
Il noted, in passing that she had written
note before leaving home, but after being
fully dressed. You observed that her right
glove was torn at the foretinger, but you
did not apparently see that both glove
and finger were stained with violet ink.
She had written in a hurry and dipped
her pen too deep. 1t must have been this
morning, or the mark would not remain
clear upon the finger All this is amusing,
though rather elementary, but must go
back to business, Watson. Would you
mind reading the advertised description of
Mr.. Hosmer Angelo
| held the little printed slip to the light.
missing" it said, ION the morning of the
l4th, gentleman named Hosmer Angel
About feet inches in height strongly
built. sallow complexion, black hair, a
little bald in the center bushy, black side
whlskers and mustache; tinted glasses,
slight infirmity of speech. Was dressed
when last seen in black frock coat faced
with silk. black waistcoat, gold Albert
chain and gray Harris tweed trousers,
with brown CATERS over elastic-sided boots.
Known TO have been employed in an office
In Leadenhall street. Anybody bring
ing" etc.
"That will do" said Holmes. GAS to
the letters" he continued, gancing over
them, they are very commonplace. Abb
soluteiy no clue In them TO Mr.. Angel.
save that he quotes Balzac once. There is
one remarkable point. however, which
will no doubt strike YOU"
They are typewriter" | remarked.
Not only that, but the signature is
typewriter. Look at the neat little
'Hosmer Angel at the bottom There is
date, you see, but no superscription except
Leadenhali street. which is rather vague.
The point about the signature is very sug
gestive-in fact, we may call it conclu-
sive."
"Of what?''
My dear fellow, is it possible you do
not see how strongly it bears upon the
case?"
II cannot say that do, unless it were
that he wished to be able TO deny his sig
nature If an action for breach of promise
were instituted"
No, that was not the point. However,
shall write two letters which should
city, the other ls to the young lady's step
father, Mr.. Windibank, asking him
whether he could meet US here at O'Clock
tomorrow evening. 1t Is just as well that
we should do business with the male rela-
tiyes. And now, doctor, We can do moth
ing until the answers to those letters come,
so We may put our little problem upon the
shelf for the interim
had had so many reasons TO believe in
my friend subtle powers OF reasoning and
extraordinary energy in action, that | felt
that ne must have some solid grounds for
the assured and easy demeanor with which
he treated the singular mystery which he
had been called upon TO fathom- Once
only had | known him 10 fail-in the case
OF the king of Bohemia and OF the Irene
Adler photograph. but when looked back
TO the weird business of the Sign of Four,
and the extraordinary circumstances con-
nected with the Study in Scarlet, | felt
that II would be strange tangle indeed
which he could not unravel. | left him,
then, still putting at his black clay pipe,
with the conviction that when | came
again on the next evening l would find
that he held in his hands all the clews
which would lead up 70 the identity of the
disappearing bridegroom OF Miss Mary
Sutherland
A professional case of great gravity was
engaging my own attention at the time.
and the whole of the next day | was busy
at the bedside of the sufferer. 1t was not
until close upon O'Clock that found N.Y.
self free, and was able TO spring into a
hanson and drive 10 Baker street, half
afraid that l might be too late 10 assist at
the denouement of the little mystery. l
found Sherlock Holmes alone, however,
half asleep, with mis- long thin form curled
up in the recesses Of his armchair A
formidable array of bottles and test tubes,
with the pungent cleanly smell OF HYDRO
chloric acid told me that he had spent his
day in the chemical work which was so
dear TO him.
Well, have you solved it?' asked as
entered.
Yes. II was the bisulphate of baryta. +"
No. no, the mystery" cried
'Oh, that! / thought of the salt that
have been working upon. There was
never any mystery in the matter. though
as said yesterday, some of the details are
OF interest. The only drawback Is that