The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-01-24

mistaken. Full Of the one idea, | set
myself to find out what had become OF
the secretary. They had been seen
together at Euston station about half
past eight on the evening Of the third.
At two in the morning Drebber had
question which confronted me was to
find ont how Stangerson had been en-
ployed between half-past eight and the
time of the crime, and what had be-
come of him afterward. / telegraphed
to Liverpool giving q description Of
the man, and warning them to keep q
watch upon the American boats l
then set to work calling upon all the
hotel and lodging houses in the vicin-
ity of Euston. You see, argued that
if Drebber and his companion had be-
,ome separated, the natural course
for the latter would be to put up some
where in the vicinity for the night and
then to hang about the station again
next morning"
They would be likely to agree on
some meeting place beforehand" re-
marked Holmes.
so it proved. spent the whole of
yesterday evening in making inquiries
entirely without avail. This morning
began very early, and at eight o'clock
Preached Halliday's private hotel, in
Little George street. On my inquiry
as to whether a Mr.. Stangerson was
living there, they at once answered me
in the affirmative.
"'No doubt you are the gentleman
he was expecting they said. He has
been waiting for a gentleman for two
days
"Where is he now?' 1 asked.
"'He is upstairs in bed. He wished
to be called at nine
ut seemed to ne that my sudden
appearance might shake his nerves and
lead him to say something unguarded.
The Boots volunteered to show me the
room; it was on the second floor, and
there was a small corridor leading up
to it. The Boots pointed out the door
to me-, and was about to go downstairs
again, when | saw something that
made me feel sickish, in spite of my
twenty years experience. From under
the door there curled little red rib
bon Of blood, which had meandered
across the passage and formed a
little pool along the sl,irting at
tho other side. gave a cry, which
brought the Boots back, He nearly
tainted when he sawit. The door was
locked on the inside, but we put our
shoulders to it, and knocked it in. The
window of the room was open, and be-
side the window, all, huddled up, lay
the body of man in his night-dress.
He was quite dead, and had been for
some time, for his limbs were rigid
and cold. When we turned him over
the Boots recognized him at once as
being the same gentleman who had en-
gagged the room under the name of JOS
eph Stangerson. The cause of death
was deep stab in the left side, which
must have penetrated the heart. And
now comes the strangest part of the
affair. What do you suppose was above
the murdered man?"
felt creeping of flesh, and pre-.
sentiment of coming horror, even be-
fore Sherlock Holmes answered.
"The word 'rache, written in'letteri
Of blood" he said.
"1hat was it," said Lestrade, in ar
awe-struck voice. and we were all 81
lent for awhile,
There was something so methodica'
and so incomprehensible about the
deeds of this unknown assassin, tha
it impaired fresh ghastliness to hi.
crimes. Ny nerves, which were steady
enough on the field of battle, tinglet
as thought of it.
"The man was seen,' continued Les
trade. "A milk-boy, passing on hi
way to the dairy, happened to walk
down the lane which leads from
the news at the back of the hotel
He noticed that ladder, which usu
ally lay there, was raised against one
of the windows of the second floor
which was wide open After passing
he looked back and saw a man de
scend the ladder He caufe down 81
quietly and openly that the boy i'm
agined him to be some carpenter OF
joiner at work in the hotel. He tool