Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-02

Of fact, it is quite possible. that the police
nave observed and know as much as do
or more. They don't give everything away
at an inquest. you know-it wouldn't do"
get away7'
Come, we are near home now. Let us
take a look at the back of the house. He
couldn't have left by Foggatt's landing
door, as we know; and as he was there Il
am certain of that. and as the chimney is
OUT OF the question-for there was a good
fre In the grate-he must have gone out
py the window. Only one window is pos
siDle-that with the broken catch-for all
the others were fastened inside. Out Of
mat window, then, he went"
But how? The window is fifty feet up"
Of course 1t Is But why will you per-
slst In assuming that the only way Of
escape by window is downward? See,
now. look up there. The window is at the
top hoor, and it has a very broad sill. Over
the window is nothing but the fiat face of
the gable end; but to the right, and a foot
or Two above the level of the top of the
window, an iron gutter ends Observe, it
Is not OF lead composition, but a strong iron
gutter, supported, just at it's end, by an
iron bracket. If a tall man stood on the
end of the window sill, steadying himself
by the left hand and leaning to the right,
ne could just touch the end of this gutter
with his right hand-the full stretch, toe to
finger, is seven feet three inches; l have
measured 1t. An active gymnast, or a
sailor, could catch the gutter with slight
5pring, and by it draw himself upon
the roof. You will say he would have
to be very active, dexterous and cool. So
he would. And that very fact helps us.
because 1t narrows the field Of inquiry.
We know the sort of man to look for.
Because, being certain Gas / ann that the
man was in the room, 1 know that he left
In the way am telling you. He must have
ieft In some way, and all the other ways
being impossible, this alone remains. diff
a q no foo f.n nf q
shutting the window behind him further
proves his GOODNESS and address at 80 great
a height from the ground"
All this was very plain. but the main
point was still dark.
You say you know that another man was
In the ROOM" I said; how do you know
that?" ~
LAS said. by an obvious inference. Come.
now, you shall guess how 1 arrived at that
inference. You often speak of your interest
In my work. and the attention with which
you follow it. This shall be simple exer-
else for you. You saw everything In the
room as plainly as 7 myself Bring the
scene back to your memory, and think over
the various small objects littering about,
and how they would affect the case. Quick
observation Is the first essential for my
stance?"
Yes There was an evening paper on the
moor. put 1 didn't examine it."
Anything else?'
III Tic ldDle tnero was q WHISKY QeCan-
ter, taken from the tantalus stand on the
sldeboard, and one glass. That blythe
bye" added. looked as though only one
person were present"
SO 1t did. perhaps. although the inference
wouldn't be very strong. Go on"
There was fruit stand on the sfdeboard
with plate beside it, containing a few nut
shells, piece of apple, a pair of nutcrack-
was. Of course. all the ordinary furniture,
but no chair pulled up to the table except
that used by Foggatt himself. That's all I
noticed, ! think Stay-there was an ash
tray on the table. and partly-burned cigar
EXcellent-excellent, indeed, as far as
memory and simple observation go. You
saw everything plainly. and you remember
everything. Surely now you know how I
found out that another man had just left %
mo, don't; unless there were different
kinds Of ash in the ash tray"
That is fairly good suggestion, but
there were not-there was only a single ash,
corresponding in every way to that on the
cigar. Don't you remember anything that I
did as we went downstairs? p"
You returned bottle of oil to the house.
keepers daughter think"
II did. Doesn't that give you a hint?
Come you surely have it now"
81 haven't"
Then shan't tell you: you don't deserve
It, Think, and don't mention the subject
again till you have at least one guess to
you see 1t, you remember it, and yet you
won't see 1t. / won't encourage your SLOW
enliness of thought, my boy by telling you
what you can know for yourself II you like
Good-bye-Im off now. There is a case in
hand I can't neglect"
this. then?'
Hewitt shrugged his shoulders. I'm not
policeman" he said. 1.-THE case Is in very
good hands OF course, If anybody comes
to me to do 1t as matter of business, I'll
take 1t up It's very interesting, but can't
neglect my regular work for 1t. Naturally
In order: Sometimes these things come into
the hands by themselves. as it were: In that
case, OF course l am a loyal citizen, and
ready to help the law; Au revoir."
I am a busy man myself, and thought lit
tie more Of Hewitts conundrum for some
time-indeed. when 1 did think. I saw no
way TO the answer. Aweek after the inquest
TOOK holiday q had written my nightly
leaders regularly every day for the past
hve years.. and saw no more of Hewitt for
six weeks. After my return, with still
few days of leave to run. one evening we
together turned into Luzattis. off Coventry
street. for dinner
Il have been here several times lately"
Hewitt said: they feed you very we'll No.
not that table'-he seized my arm as l
turned to an unoccupied corner-"I fancy
It's draughty." He led the way to a longer
table, where dark, 1.-THE. and (as we'll as
could be seem tall young man already sat,
and took chairs opposite him.
We had scarcely seated ourselves before
Hewitt broke into a torrent of conversation
on the subject of bicycling As our previ-
GUS conversation had been of literary sort
and as / had never known Hewitt at any
other time TO show the slightest interest in
bicycling, this rather surprised me. I had
however. such a general outsiders grasp
OF the subject as is usual in journalist-of-
all-work. and managed to keep the talk
going from my side. AS we went on /
could see the face of the young man oppo-
site brighten with interest He was a rather
fne-looking fellow, with a dark, though
very clear skin, but had a hard, angry look
Of eye, a prominence Of cheek bone. and a
squareness Of jaw that gave him a rather
uninviting aspect. AS Hewitt ratified on.
however, our neighbours expression became
one Of pleasant interest merely.
"Of course" Hewitt said. we've a num-
Der Of very capital men just now, but / be-
lieve a deal In the forgotten riders of five
ten and fifteen years back. Osmond, be-
lieve, was better than any man riding now.
and think 1t would puzzle some of them to
beat Furnival1 as he was at his best But
poor old Cortis-really believe he was as
good as anybody. Nobody ever beat Cortis-
except-let me see-I think somebody beat
Cortis once-who was 1t, now? 1 can't re-
member"
Lilies" said the young man opposite.
looking UP quickly.
"Ah, yes-Liles 1t was; Charley Lilies.
Wasn't 1t a championship"
Mile championship, 1880; Cortis won the
other three. though"
1A