Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-04

from hlk intention With an air af nonchalanes, which, under the circum- stances. seemed to me to border upon affectation, he lounged up and down | the pavement and gaZed vacantly at the ground, the sky, the opposite houses and the line of railings, Having finished I his scrutiny. he lsToCeeded slowly down the path, or rather down the fringe of grass which fianked the path, keeping his eyes riveted upon the ground. Twice l he stopped, and once I 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 police had been coming and going over it was unable to see how my companion could hope to learn any thing from it. Still I had had such ex- his perceptive faculties that 1 had no doubt that de could see great deal which was hidden from me.
 At the door of the house we were met by tall, white faced, fiaxen haired man, with notebook in his hand who rushed forward and wrung my compan- ions hand with effusion. 1t is in- deed kind of you to come, he said. II have had everything left untouched" "
 Except that" my friend answered. | pointing to the pathway. If herd of buffaloes had passed along, there could not be a greater mess. No doubt, how ever, you had drawn your own conclu- sions. Grcgson, before you permitted this
 II have had So much to do inside the house the detective said evasive- ly. My colleague, Mir. Lestrade, is here had relied upon him to look after this. "
 Holmes glanced at me and raised his l eyebrows sardonicalIy.
 With two such men as yourself and | Lestrade upon the ground there will not be much for third party to find out, " l he said.
 Gregson rubbed his hands in a self satisfied way, II think we have done all that can be done, he answered. Its queer case, though, and knew your taste for such things
 "You did not come here in a cab:" asked Sherlock Holmes.
 No. sir
 Nor Lestr~de:''
 No. sir '"
 Then let uS go and look at the room. " With which inconsequent re- | mark he srrode on into the house, fol lowed by Gre9son, whose features eS- pressed his astonishment.
 \ short passage, bare planked and dusty. led to the kitchen and offices. Two doors opened out of it to the left and to the right One of :aese had ob- ! x-ICy Slx- ,,lDS.,l xxasal-S l The other belonged to the dining room, which Was the apartment in which the mysterious affair had occurred. Holmes walked in. and I followed him with that Subducd feeling at my heart which the presence of death inspires. IL was a large. square room, looking | all the larger for the absence of all fur niture. A vulgar, tiaring paper adorned the wall.. but II was blotched in places l with mildew. and here and there great strips had become detached and hung down, exposing the yellow plaster be peAth. Opposite the door was n showy fireplace, Surmounted by a mantelpiece Of imitation whit marble. On one | corner of this Was stuck the stump of n red wax candle, The solitary window was So dirty that tn" light was hazy and uncertain, giving dull gray tinge to everything. which was intensified by the thick llyer of dust wlr h coated tho whole apartment.
 All these details ob>crN ed afterward. A present my attention was Centered upon the single grim, IHotlonless figure wAich lay stretched upon the boards. with vacant. :,IehtleSs eyes staring up at the di>colored celllng, It was that of a man about 43 or A. years of age, middle sized. broad >houldered, with crisp curling black hair and short, stuhblv heard, He was dressed in q heavy hroadcloth frnck coat and waist. coat, with light colored trousers and immaculate collar and cuffs. A top hat, we'll brushed and trim, was placed upon the floor beside him. His hands were clinched ana his arms thrown abroad. while his lower limbs were interloCked as though his death struggle had been s grievouS one On his rigid face there stood an expression of horror and. as il seemed to me. of hatred such as have never seen upon human features This malignant and terrible contortion, com bined with the low forehead. blunt MoSt and preparations jaw, gave the dead man Singularly simious and apelikt appearance. which was increased hy hi. writhing. unnatural posture. l have seen death in many forms. but never has 1t appeared to me in a more fear some aspect than in that dark. grimy apartment. which looked out upon ont of the main arteries of suburban Lon don.
 Lestrade, lean and ferretlike as ever was standing by the doorway and greet cd my companion and myself.
 This case will make q stir, sir. ht remarked, It beats anything hay, seen. and am no chicken There is no clew?" said Gregson. None at all, chimed in Lestrade
 Sherlock Holmes approached the body and kneeling down examined it intent ly You are sure that there is nt wound:' hs asked, pointing to numerou! gouts and splashes of bleod which lay all around,
 l Positive" cried both detectives. Then of course this blood belongs to n second individual, presumably th' I murderer. if murder has bean commit ted. It reminds me of the circumstance , attendant on ths death of Van JanseI
 in Utrecht in the year 's4. Do you re t member thu case, GregsoR:"
 No. sir. ''
 Read it up ysu really shOnld. Thsr,
 is nothing new under the sun. It ha \ all been done before.
 I AS hs spoke his nimble fingers war, flying here. there and everywhere, feel
 ing. pressing. unbuttoning, examining = while his eyes wore the same farawa, E expression which IhaVe already remark 8 ed upon So swiftly was the examina , l finn nnada that nna 1Ennnld hardl. hn,