Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-10-25
CHAPTER Y

much for my weak health. and was
tired out in the afternoon. After
Holiness departure for the concert,
lay down upon the sofa and endeavor-
ed to get 4 couple of hours sleep. 1t
was useless attempt MY mind had
been too much excited by all that had
occurred, and the strangest fancies and
surmises crowded into it. Every time
that | closed my eyes I saw before ME
the distorted, baboon-like countenace
of the murdered man. So sinister, was
the impression which that face had pro-
duced upon me that found it difficult
to feel anything but gratitude for him
who had removed the cwner from the
world If ever human features bespoke
vice of the most malignant type, they
were certainly those of Enoch j. Dreb-
Der. of Cleveland. Still recognized
that justice must be done, and that the
depravity Of the victim was no con-
donement in the eyes of the law.
The more thought of it the more ex-
traordinary did my companions n.y.
pothesi. that the man had been pois-
Oned. appear. 1 remembered how he
had shifted his lips. and had no doubt
that he had detected something which
had given rise to the idea. Then. again
if not poison, what had caused the
mans death, since there was neither
wounds and marks of strangula ton
But. on the other hand. whose blood
was that which lay so thickly upon the
floor? There Were no signs of !; Strug-
gle. nor had the victim any weapon
with which he might have wounded
an antagonist. AS long as all these
questions We're unsolved. l felt that
sleep would be no easy matter. either
for Holmes or myself. His quiet. self
confident manner convinced me that he
had already formed a theory which
explained all the facts. though what it
was l could not for an instant conjec-
tura
He was very late in returning-so
late that l knew that the concert could
not have detained him all the time
Dinner was on the table before he ap-
peared.
ut was magnificent" he said, as be
took his seat DO you -em amber what
Darwin said about music? He claims
that the power of producing md appre-
ciating it existed among the human
race long before the power of speech
was arrived at Perhaps. that is why
we are so subtly influenced by it. There
are vague memories in our souls OF
those misty centuries when the world
was in its childhood"
That's rather broad idea" I re-
marked.
''One's idea must be broad as nature
If they are to interpret nature" he an
sWered. whats the matter? You're
not looking quite yourself. This Brix-
ton Road affair has upset YOU"
ITO tell the truth. it has" l said. II
ought to be more case-hardened after
my Afghan experiences. saw my own
comrades hacked to pieces at Alaiwand
without losing my nerve"
Il can understand. There is a mys
terry about this which stimulates the
imagination; where there is no ill.,
agination there is no horror. Have you
seen the evening paper:
Mo-
st gives fairly good account Of tue
affair. 1t does not mention the fact
that when the man was raised up IL wo-
mars wedding ring fell upon the floor.
1t is just us well that it does not
''Why?"
Look at this advertisement" he an
swered II had one sent to every pa
per this morning Immediately after the
affair"
He threw the paper across at me and
I glanced at the place Indicated. 1t
WAS the first announcement in the
Found" column. I'm Rrixton Road,
this morning, it ran, "a plain gold we'd
ding ring, found in the roadway be.
tween the White Hart Tavern and
Holland Grove. Apply DR.. Watson
221b Baker street. between aud 8 this
evening"
Excuse me using yonr NAME" lie
said. IF I used my own name some
one of those dunderheads would recog-
fair
THAT is all right" / answered. But
suppose any one aplics. l have no
ring"
"Oh, yes, you have" said he, hand
ing me one. This will 10 very we'll
1t is almost facsimile"
and who do you: expect will answer
this advertisement"
why, the man in the brown coat
Our forid friend with the square toes.
II he does not come he will send an
accomplish"
Would he not consider it too dan
gerous."
"Not Mt all. If my view Of the case
is correct, and have every reason to
believe that il is. this man would
rather risk anything than lose this ring
According to my notion he dropped it
while STOPPING over Drebber's body,
and did not miss it at the time. After
leaving the house he discovered his loss.
and hurried back. but found the police
already in possession, owing to his own
folly in leaving the candle burning
He had to pretend to be drunk In order
TO allay the suspicious which might
haze been aroused by his appearance
at the gate. Now, put yourself III that
mans place. On thinking the matter
over, IT must have occurred to him that
twas possible that he had lost the ring
in the road after leaving the house.
What would he do then? He would Gag
erly look out for the evening papers,
In the hope Of seeing 1t among the arti-
cles found. His eyes. of course, would
light upon this. He would be oyerjoy-
ed. Why should he fear trap? There
would be no reason in his eyes why
the finding Of the ring should be con-
nected with the murder. He would