Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-02-12

ceiue that the ground has been tram
pied up a good deal. No doubt many
| feet have been there since Monday
night"
"a piece of mating has been laid
here at the side, and we have all stood
upon that"
Excellent"
SIN this bag have one of the boots
which Straker wore, one OF Fitzroy
! Simpsons shoes, and cast horseshoe OF
! Silver Blaze"
"My dear Inspector, you surpass
yourselfr' Holmes took the bag. and
descending into the hollow ne pushed
the mating into more central POSI-
ton. Then stretching himself upon his
face and leaning his chin upon his
hands he made o careful study OF the
trampled mud in front or him.
"Halloa!" said he, suddenly, whats
this?'
1t was wax vesta, half burned,
which was so coated NTH mud that 1t
looked at first like little chip OF wood.
81 cannot think how came to over
look it," said the Inspector, with an ex-
preston OF annoyance.
at was invisible, buried In the mud.
only saw it because l was looking for
IT,"
"WhatP You expected to find it9"
81 thought 1t was not unlikely" He
took the boots from the bag and COM
pared the impressions of each OF them
with marks upon the ground. Then he
clambered up to the rim OF the hollow
and crawled about among the ferns and
bushes.
81 am afraid that there are no more
tracks," said the Inspector. II have
examined the ground very carefully for
a hundred yards in each direction"
'Indeedm said Holmes, rising, II
should not have the impertinence
to do it again after what
you say. But I would like to
take little walk over the moor before
it grows dark, that l may know my
ground tomorrow, and | think shall
put this horseshoe into my pocket for
luck"
Col. Ross, who had shown some signs
of Impotence at my companions quiet
and systematic method of work, glanced
at his watch.
81 wish you could come back
with me, Inspector" said he. There
are several points on which / should
like your advice, and especially as to
whether we do not owe it to the public
to remove our horses name from the en-
tries for the cup"
Certainly not" cried Holmes, with
decision; 81 should let the name
stand"
The Colonel bowed. 81 am very glad
to have had your opinion, sir, said he.
"You will find US at poor Straker's
house when you have finished your
walk, and we can drive together into
Tavistock."
de turned back with the Inspector,
while Holmes and l walked slowly
across the moor. The sun was begin
ming to sink behind the stables OF Ma
pleton, and the long, sloping plain in
front of US tinged with gold, deepening
into rich, rudy bro vn where the shad-
ed ferns and brambles caught the eve
ming light. But the glories OF the land
scape were all wasted upon my com
panion, who was sunk in the deepest
thought.
Its this way Watson" he said at
last. "We may leave the question Of
who killed John Straker for the instant,
and confne ourselves TO finding out
what has become OF the horse.
Now, supposlng that he broke
away during or after the tragedy,
where could he have gone to? The
horse is q very gregarious creature. II
left to himself his instincts would have
been either to return TO Kings Pyland
or 90 over to Mapleton. Why should
he run wild upon the moor? He would
surely have been seen by now. And
why should gypsies capture him? These
people always clear out when they hear
OF trouble, for they do not wish 10 be
pestered by the police. They could not
hope TO sell such horse. They would
run great risk and gain nothing by
taking him. Surely that is clear"
"Where is he, then?"
81 have already stated that he must
have gone TO Kings Pyland or TO Maple
ton. He is not at Kings Pyland, there
fore he is at Mapleton. Let us take
that as working hypothesis and see
what IL leads US to. This part OF the
moor, as the Inspector remarked, is
very hard and dry. But 1t falls away
towards Mapleton, and you can see
from here that there is long hollow
over yonder, which must have been
very wet on Monday night. IL our
supposition is correct, then the horse
must have crossed that, and there is
the point where we should look for his
tracks"
We had been walking briskly during
this conversation, and few more min
utes brought US 10 the hollow In ques-
tion. At Holmes request | walked
down the bank to the right and he to
the left, but l had not taken dfty PAGES
before | heard him give a shout, and
saw hir waving his hand to me. The
track of the horse was plainly outlined
in the soft earth in front Of him, and
the shoe which he took from his pocket
exactly fitted the impression.
'See the value OF imagination" said
Holmes. at is the one quality which
Gregory lacks. We imagined what
might have happened, acted upon the
supposition, and find ourselves justified.
Let US proceed.
We crossed the narshy bottom and
passed over quarter Of a mile OF dry,
hard turf. Again the ground sloped,
and again we came on the tracks. Then
we lost them for half a mile. but only
to pick them up again quite close TO
Mapleton. 1t was Holmes who saw
them first, and he stood pointing with a
look Of triumph upon his face. A mans
track was visible beside the horses.
1.-THE horse was alone before" l
cried.
"Qute so. It was alone before.
Halloa, what is lhis?"
The double track turned sharp of
and took the direction Of Kings Pyland.
Holmes whistled, and we both followed