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

4QW4 ttANN"INA W NIA OANNAA-oN 49,
morning.
"Gol Whore too"
''To DartmoOr-tO Kings Pyland."
was not surprised. Indeed, my only
wonder was that he had not already
been mixed up In this extraordinary case
which was the one topic or converse
tiOn through the length AID breadth OF
England. For whole day my com
paniOn had rambled about the room
with his chin upon his chest and his
brOws knitted, charging and re-charg-
Ing his pipe with the strongest black
tobacco, and absolutely dear TO
any OF my questions or re-
marks. Fresh editions Of every paper
had been sent Up by our agents, only
to be glanced over and tossed down in
to q corner. Yet, silent as he was,
knew perfectly well what II was over
which be was broOding. There was
but one problem before the public
which could challenge his powers Of an
alysis, and that was the singular disap-
pearance of the favOrlte for the WesSex
Gun and the tragic murder OF its trainer.
When, therefore, be suddenly announced
his intention OF setting out for the
scene OF the drama, it was only what /
had both expected and hoped for.
II should be most happy 20 60 down
With you II l should not be in the way,
said /.
"My dear Watson, you would confer
a great favor upon me by coming. And
I think that your time will not be mis-
spent, for there are points about this
case which promise 70 make It an aoso-
lutely unique one. We have, L think,
Just time 70 catch our train as Padding
ton, and / will go further into the mat
ter upon our journey. You would OBJ
llge me by bringing with you your very
excellent feld-glasS."
And so II happened that an hour or
so later / found myself Ia the corner OF
a irst-class carriage, flying along en-
route for Exeter, while Sherlock Homes,
with his sharp, eager face framed In
his earnapped travelling cap, dipped
RAPIDLY into the bund le Of fresh papers
which be had procured at PaddingtOn.
We had left Reading Far behind us be-
fore he thrust the last of them under
the seat, and offered me his cigar case.
"We are going well" said he, looking
out Of the window, aud glancing az MS
watch, "Our rate at present Is nifty
three and a half miles an hour.
az have not observed the quarter
mile posts" said l.
"NOr have /. But the telegraph
posts on this line are sixty yards apart,
and the calculation is simple one. 1
presume that you have already looked
into this matter of the murder Of John
Straker and the disappearance OF Sill
yer Blaze?"
81 have seen what the telegraph and
the Chronicle have TO say"
sit is one OF those eases where the
art Of the reaSoner should be used
rather for the sitting OF details than for
the acquiring of fresh evidence. The
tragedy has been so uncommon, so
complete, and OF such personal import
ance to so many people that we are
suffering from a plethora OF Surmise,
conjecture aud hypothesis. The din
Guilty is 10 detach the framework Of fact
of absolute, undeniable iact,-frOm
the embellishments OF theorists and re-
Dorters. Then, having established our
selves upon this sound basis, u is our
duty to see what differences may be
drawn, and which are the special points
upon which the whole mystery turns.
On Tuesday evening I received teie-
grams. both from Col. Ross, the owner
Of the horse, and from Inspector Greg
ory, who IS looking after the case, In
wiling my cooperation.
Tuesday evening" / exclaimed.
'And this is Thursday morning. Why
did you not 20 down yesterday
because I made blunder, my dear
Watson-WhiCh IS, i am afraid, more
common occurrence than anyone would
think who only knew me through your
memoirs. The fact is that l could not
believe il possible that the most re-
markable horse in England could long
remain concealed, especially 10 so
sparsely Inhabited a place as the north
Of DartmOOr. From hour 20 hour yes
terdav l expected 20 hear that he had
beep found, and that his abductor was
the murderer OF John Straker. When,
however, another morning had come
and that, beyond the arrest OF young
Fitzroy Simpson, nothing had been
done. ] felt 70 was time for me 70 take
action. Yet ia some ways I feel that
Yesterday has not been wasted"
"You have formed a theory, thenP"
cat last have got a grip OF the es-
sential facts Of the case. ] shall emu
merate them TO you, for nothing clears
M a case so much as stating 10 70 an
other person, and I can hardly expect
vour cooperation II 1 do not show you
the position from which we start"
Hay back against the cushions, puff
fng at my cigar, while Holmes, leaning
forward, with his long thin iOrehnger
checking of the points on the palms or
his left hand, gave me sketch OF the
events which had led 70 our journey.
"Silver Blaze" said he. "is from the
Isonomy stock, and holds as brilliant
record as his famous ancestor. lie Is
now in his fifth year and mas brought
in turn each OF the prizes of the turf 70
Col. Ross, his fortunate owner. I'D 70
the time Of the catastrophe he was the
first favorite for the Wessex Cup, the
betting being three 90 one. He has
always, however, been a prime tavOrlte
with the racing public, and has never
vet disappointed them, so that even az
those odds enormous sums of money
have been laid upon him. lt Is obvious,
therefore, that there were many people
Who had the strongest interest in pre-
venting Silver Blaze from being there
At the fan OF the flag next Tuesday.
"This fact was, Of course, sp-
preciated az Kings Pylaud, where
the Coloners training stable is situated.
Every precaution was taken TO guard
the favorite. The trainer, John Stra-
ker, is q retired jockey, who rode in
Col. Ross colors before he became too
heavy for the weighing chair. He has
served the Colonel for FIVE years as a
Jockey, and for seven as trainer, and
Lt--ro1F - ho L