The Globe-republican., 1894-05-04
CHAPTER IlI-CoNTINUED.
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.

CHAPTER III-CoSTINUED.
why, that's true, SIR" he said
though how you came to know it
Heaven only knows! Ye see, when
got up to the door, it was so still anG
SO lonesome that thought I'd be none
the worse for some one with me.
amt afeared of anything on this side
of the grave: but thought that maybe
it was him that died o. the typhoid in
specting the drains what killed him
The thought gave me kind q turn
and / walked back to the gate to see il
/ could see Murchers lantern. but there
wasn't 10 sign of him nor Of anyone
else"
'There was no one N the street,"
Not Twin soul, sir, nor asmuch rs
a dog. Then pulled myself together
and w.nt back and pushed the doc-
open. All was quiet inside, so / went
into the room where the light was
Albumin. There was a candle f1ickerin'
ON the inantle-piece-a red wax one
and by its light saw
Yes, know all that you saw. You
walked round the room several times,
and you knelt down by the body, and
then you walked through and tried the
kitchen door. and then
John Rance sprang to his feet with a
frightened face and suspicion in his
eyes. where was you hid to see all
that?" he cried. sit seems to me that
you knows a deal more than you
should"
Holmes laughed, and threw his card
across the table to the constable
Don't get arresting me for the muir
der" he said. Il am one of the hounds
and not the wolf: Mr. Gregson or Mr.
Lestrade will answer for that. Go on,
though. What did you do next?"
Rance resumed his seat. without,
however, losing his mystified express
sion. 81 went back to the gate and
sounded my whistle. That brought
Murcher and two more to the spot"
WAS the street empty then?''
well, it was, as far as anybody that
could be of any good goes"
What do you mean"
The constable's features brOadened
into grin. I've seen many a drunk
chap in my time" he said, but never
anyone so cryin' drunk as that cove.
de was at the gate when came out,
a-leanin' up ag'n the railin's and
a-singin' at the pitch of his lungs
about Columbine's new-fangled ban
ner, or some sucl, stuff. He couldn't
stand, far less help"
what sort of man was hep" asked
Sherlock Holmes.
John Rance appeared to be some
what irritated at this DEPRESSION. He
was an uncommon drunk sort o man."
he said. He'd ha' found hisself in the
station if we hadn't been SO took up"
"His face-his dress-didn't you no.
tice them?" Holmes broke in. impa-
tiently.
II should think l did notice them.
seeing that had to prop him up-me
and Murcher between us. He was a
long chap. with a red face, the lower
part muffisd round
THAT viii do" cried Holmes. what
became of him?"
WED enough to do without lookin'
after him." the policeman said, in an
aggrieved voice. ''I'll wager he found
his way home all right"
'How was he dressed?"
"A brown overcoat."
Had he whip in his hand?"
"A whip-no."
He must have left it behind" NUT
tered my companion. "You didn't hap
pen to see or hear a cab after that?"
"No."
There's half sovereign for YOU"
my companion said. standing up and
taking his hat. Il am afraid, Rance,
that you will never rise in the force.
That head of yours should be for use
as well as ornament. You might have
gained your sergeant's stripes last
night. The man whom you held in
your hands is the man who holds the
clew of this mystery, and whom we
are seeking. There is no use of argu-
ing about it now; l tell you that it is
60. Come along, doctor"
We started off for the cab together,
leaving our informant incredulous, but
obviously uncomfortable.
1.-THE laundering fool!" Holmes said,
bitterly, as we drove back to our lodg-
ingS "Just to think of his having
such an Incompatible bit of good luck,
and not taking advantage of it."
81 am rather in the dark still. 1t is
true that the description of this man
tallies with your idea of the second
party in this mystery. But why
should he come back to the house after
leaving it? This is not the way of
criminals"
The ring, man. the ring: that was
what he came back for. If we have
no other way of catching him we car
always bait our lire with the ring. I
shall have him. doctor. II, lay you two