The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-04-20
now that there were no criminals


why" l cried, as 1 cast my eye
over it, this is terrible!''
sit does seem to be little out of
the common" he remarked, calmly.
Would you mind reading it to me
aloud?"
This is the letter which read to
him:
has been a bad business during the night at
Lauriston gardens, of the Brixton road Our
man on the beat saw light there about two in
the morning, and, as the house was an
empty one, suspected that something was
amiss. He found the door open. and
in the front room, which Is bare OF
furniture, discovered the body of a gentleman,
well dressed and having cards in his pocket
bearing the name Of 'Enoch J. Drebber, Cleve-
land, O., u. s A. There had been no rob-
berry, nor Is there any evidence as TO how the
man met his death. There are marks of blood
In the room, but there Is no wound upon his
person We are at loss as to how he came
into the empty house; indeed, the whole affair
is puZzler. II you can come round to the
house any time before twelve, you will find me
there 1have left everything in statu quo until
hear from you II you are unable TO come
shall give you fuller details and would esteem
il a great kindness IL you would favor me with
your opinion.
Yours faithfully, TOBIAS ERICSSON"
"Gregson is the smartest of the Scot
land Yarders," my friend remarked;
che and Lestrade are the pick of a bad
lot. They are both quick and ener-
getic, but conventional-shoc so.
They have their knives into one
another, too. They are as jealous as
s.2ir of professional beauties. There
will be some fun over this case if they
are both put upon the scent"
| was amazed at the calm way in
which he rippled on. surely there is
not a moment to be lost" | cried.
"Shall go and order you cab?"
Il am not sure about whether | shall
go. am the most incurably lazy
devil that ever stood in shoe leather
that is, when the fit is on me, for can
be spry enough at times"
"Why, it is just such chance as you
have been longing for"
My dear fellow, what does it mat
ter to me? Surprising | unravel the
whole matter, you may be sure that
Gregson, Lestrade & Co. will pocket
all the credit. That comes of being an
unofficial parsonage"
But he begs you to help him"
''Yes. lie knows that | am his SUI
perior, and acknowledges it to me;
but he would cut his tongue ont before
he would own it to any third person.
However, we may as well go and have
a look. | shall work it out or my own
hook. may have laugh at them, if
/ have nothing else. Come on!'
He hustled on his overeoat, and
hustled about in way that showed
that an energetic fit had superseded
the apathetic one.
''Get your hat" he said.
"Eou wish me to Gomez"
Eyes, if YOU have nothing better to
do" minute later we were both in
a hanson, driving furiously for the
Brixton road.
1t was very foggy, cloudy morning,
and a dun-colored veil hung over the
house tops, looking like the reflection
of the mud-colored streets beneath
My companion was in the best of spir-
its, and prattled away about Cremona
fiddles, and the difference between a
Stradivarius and an Amati. AS for
myself, / was silent, for the dull
weather and the melancholy business
upon which we were engaged depressed
my spirits.
you don't seem to give much
thought to the matter in hand" said
at last, interrupting Holmes musical
disquisition.
mo data yet" he answered. 'It is
a capital mistake to theorize before
you have all the evidence. 1t bases
the Judgment"
"You will have your data soon,"
remarked, pointing with my finger;
''this is the Brixton road, and that is
the house, if l am not very much mis-
taken"
80 it is. Stop, driver, stop" We
were still a hundred yards or so from
it, but he insisted upon our alighting,
and we finished our journey upon foot.
No. 3 Lauriston gardens wore an ILL
omened and minatory lool-. 1t was
one of four which stood back some lit
tie way from the street, two being oc-
cupied and two empty. The latter
looked out with three tiers of vacant,
melancholy windows, which were
blank and dreary, save that here and
there To Let card had developed
like a cataract upon the bleared panes.
A small garden sprinlled over with q
scattered eruption of sickly plants sep
arated each of these houses from the
street, and was traversed by narrow
pathway. yellowish in color, and con-
sisting apparently of a mixture of clay
and of gravel. The whole place was
very sloppy from the rain which had
fallen through the night. The garden
was bounded by 4 threefoot brick wall
with q fringe of wood rails upon the top,
and against this wall was leaning a
stalwart police constable, surrounded
by small knot of loafers, who craned
their necks and strained their eyes in
the vain hope of catching some glimpse
of the proceedings within.
had imagined that Sherlock Holmes
would at once have hurried into the
house and plunged into a study of the
mystery. Nothing appeared to be far
Their from his intention. With an air
of nonchalance which, under the cir
cumstances, seemed to me to border
upon affectation. he lounged up and
down the pavement, and gazed va
cantly at the ground. the sky, the OPP
posite houses. and the line of ratings.
Having finished his scrutiny, he pro-
ceeded slowly down the path, or rather
down the fringe of grass which flanked
the path, keeping his eyes riveted upon
the ground. Twice he stopped. and
once saw him smile and heard him
utter an exclamation of satisfaction.
There were many marks of footsteps
upon the wet, clayey soil, but since the