Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-10-18

as dog. Then I pulled myself togeth:
er and Went back and pushed the door
into the room where the light was
in and the mantel-piece-a red wax
one-and by it's light saw
Yes. know all that you saw. You
and you knelt down by the body, and
then you walked through and tried
the kitchen door, and then 4
John Rance sprang to his feet WITT
q frightened face and suspicion in hns
eyes. "Where was you hid to see ali
that?" he cried. ut seems to me that
you knows a deal more than you
should"
Holmes laughed and threw his card
across the table to the constable. DO
not get arresting ME for the murder 70
he said II am one Of the hounds, and
not the wolf; Mr.. Gregson or Mr.. Les
trade will answer for that. Go on,
though. What did you do next?'
Rance resumed his seat, without,
however. losing his nystified express
ion. Il went back to the gate and
sounded my whistle. That brought
Murcher and two more to the spot"
Was the street empty then?"
well. 1t was. as far as anybody that
could be of any good goes"
''What do you mean?"
The constable's features broadened
into grin. give seen many char
dunk in my time." he said, but never
any one so cryin' drunk as that cove.
He was ut the gate when I came ont.
a-singin' at the pitch o his lungs about
Columbine's New-fangled Banner, OF
some such stuff He couldn't stand,
far less help"
What sort of man was he:" asked
Sherlock Holmes.
John Rance appeared to be somewhat
irritated at this depression. He was
an uncommon drunk sort D man." he
said. He'd ha' found hisself in the
station if we hadn't been so took up"
Ills face-his dress-didn't you no.
tice them:" Holmes broke in, impa-
tiently.
should think did notice them, see
ing that had to prop him up-me and
Murcher between us. He was a long
chap. with Il red face. the lower part
mutfled round
That will do" cried Holmes. .What
became of him:''
Wed enough to do without lookin'
after him." the policeman said in an
agsrieved voice. IN 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 his companion. you didn't han
pen TO see or hear 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 we'll us ornament. You might have
gained your sergeant's stripes last
night. The man whom you held in
your hands is the man who holds a
clew to the mystery. and whom we are
seeking. There is no use of arguing
about it now. l tell you that it is so.
Come along. DOCTOR"
We started of for the cab together
leaving our informant incredulous. but
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,"
Il am rather in the dark still. It ia
true that the description of this man
tallies with your idea of the second
party IN this mystery. But why should
ne come back to the house after leaving
1t: That is not the way of criminalsY"
The ring. man. the ring" that was
what he came back for If we have no
other way of catching him. we can al
ways bait our line with the ring. I
Shall have him. doctor-rn lay you two
to one that have him. 1 must thank
you Tor it all. might not have gone
Out Tor you. and so have missed the fin
est study l ever came across: study
IN scarlet, Ell? Why shouldn't we use
a little jargon? There's the scarlet
thread of murder running through the
colorless skein Of life, and our duty Is
to unravel it and isolate it. and exDose
every inch of it. But now for lunch.
and then for Norman Neruda. Her at
tack and her bowling are splendid.
WHAT'S that little thing of Chopin's she
plays so magnifcently: Tra-la.lo-lira-
lira-lay."
Leaning back in the cab, this anna
teur bloodhound carolled away like a
lark. while meditated upon the many-
sidedness of the human mind
ITO BE COSTINUED.)