The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-13

4 wefs duiteNS 10 ptosIrA. Ny whole exanineton
served to turn my conjecture into . certainty.
Circumstantial evidence 10 occasionally very
convincing, as whom you hnd trout In the
milk. to quote Thoreau's example,
but have heard sil that you have hoard
without. however. the knowledge Of pre-.
existing cases which serves me % we'll. There
| was a parallel instance In Aberdeen some
years back. and something on very much the
same limos at Munich the year after tho Franco
Prussian war. It IL one OF those casss-but
hullo. hero is Lestradel Good afternoon. Le-
stradei You will find tho extra tumbler upon
the sideboard. and there are cigars In tho
box" ..
The little detective was attired In pea-
Jacket and crayst, which gave him decidedly
/ nautical appearance. and he carried black
canvas bag In his hand. With short greet
ing he seated himself and lit the cigar which
| he had been offered.
What's up. then 2" said Holmes. with .
twinkle in his eye "Yonlook dissatisfied"
And feel dissatisfied. tits this Internal
st. Simon marriage case. can make neither
head nor tail OF the business"
| Reallyi You surprise me-
who ever heard OF such mixed affair.
Every clue seems to slip through my fingers.
| have been at work upon It oil day" =
And very wet It seems to have made you"
said Holmes. laying his hand upon the arm OF
the pea Jacket.
IL have been dragging the serpentine." "a
| I'm heavens name. what for"
| I'm search OF Lady Robert St Simon"
| Sherlock Holmes leaned back In his chair
! and laughed heartily Have you dragged the
basin OF the Trafalgar square iountain?" he
asked. '-'..
| why: what do you mean" 80
| Because you have just as good . chance
| Of finding this lady In the one as In the other"
Lestrade shot an angry glance at my COM
panion. II suppose you know oil about It."
he snarled.
well. have only just heard the facts. but
my mind Is made up"
| "Oh. indeed! Then you think that the Ser
| pentine plays no part In the matterP'
| Il think 1t very unlikely"
| Then perhaps you will kindly explain how
It is that We found this in it7" He opened his
bug as he spoke and tumbled onto tho door q
wedding dress OF watered silk. pair Of white
satin shoes. and brides wreath and veil. all
discolored and soaked in water. There"
said he putting now wedding ring upon tho
top OF the pile. is little nut for you to crack.
| Master Holmea"
rings into the air. "You dragged them from
the serpentine1
| mo: they were found floating near tho mar
gin by a park keeper. They have been identi-
fed as her clothes, and Il seemed to mo that II
the clothes were there. the body would not DO
far Of"
by the same brilliant reasoning every mans
body is to be found In the neighborhood OF his
wardrobe. And. pray. what did you hope to
arrive at through this p
| AT some evidence duplicating Flora Miller
in tho disappearance"
lam afraid that you will ind II difficult."
Are you indeed now" cried Lestrade with
some bitterness II m afraid. Holmes that
you are not very practical with your deduc-
| tons and your differences. You have made
two blunders in as many minutes. This dress
does implicate Miss Flora Miller"
And how?"
| I'm the dress Is a pocket In the pocket is .
card case. In the card case is . note. And here
is the very note" He slapped 1t down on tho
| table in front OF him. Listen to this: You
will see me whom all is ready. Come at once-
+. H. NJ Now. my theory all along has been
that Lady Robert was decoyed away by
| Flora Miller. and that she. with confederates.
no doubt. was responsible for her disappear
ance. Here. signed with her initials, Is the
note which was no doubt quietly slipped into
| her hand at the door which lured her within
| their reach"
Very good Lestrade." said Holmes. laugh
ing. you really are very ane indeed. Let me
| oSoN. hO SOOA ny Tic p0p0I IA a ubt1obo W6ys
but his attention instantly became riveted.
and he gave little cry OF satisfaction. This
Is indeed important" said he.
"Hs, you find It so /"
Extremely 50. Congratulate you warmly"
Lestrade rose In his triumph and bent his
head to look. Why" he shrieked. you're
looking at the wrong side"
ION the contrary. this Is the right side"
THE right side You're mad Here Is tho
| note. written in pencil over here"
| And over here is what appears to be the
fragment OF an hotel bill. which interests me
deeply"
There's nothing in It. Hooked at It before"
said Lestradc. "'Oct 4. rooms eight shillin9s.
breakfast two and six. cocktail shilling. lunch
two and SIX glass sherry eightpence.' ! see
nothing In that"
Very likely not. 1t Is most important. all
the same. As to the note. 1t Is important also.
or at least the initials are. SO I congratulate
| you again."
I've wasted time enough" said Lestrade.
rising. II believe in hard work. and not in
sitting by the fire spinning fine theories.
Good day. Mr. Holmes. and We shall soc which
gets to the bottom OF the matter first" He
gathered up the garments thrust them into
the bag. and made for the door.
Just one hint to you. Lestrade." drawled
Holmes. before his rival vanished. Twill tell
you the true solution Of the matter Lady
Robert is a myth There is not. and there
never has been. any such person"
Lestrade looked sadly at my companion.
Then he turned to me. tapped his forehead
three times. shook his head solemnly. and hur-
ried away He hud hardly shut the door be-
hind him when Holmes rose and put on his
overcoat. There is something In what the
fellow says about outdoor work" he re-
marked. 80 think. Watson. that l must
leave you to your papers for a little WHILE"
| 1t was after 5 o'clock whom Sherlock Holmes
| LEFT me. but had no time to be lonely. for
within an hour there arrived u conteetioner's
packed with the helm Of n. youth whom he had
brought with him. and presently. to my
cold supper began to be laid out upon our
humble lodging house mahogany. There
pheasant, u pate de ,foie ern.. with q group
OF ancient and cobwebby bottles Having laid