Evening star., 1895-06-08

that at night the Horseshoe Hotel is illu-
minated by two rows of gas lights? Now,
here was my clue at last. Plainly, this
in his mechanical sketching was fol-
lowing a regular train of thought and un-
consciously illustrating it as he went along.
Many people in perfect health and mental
soundness do the same thing if a pen and
a piece of paper be near. The mans train
of thought led him in memory, up Totem
ham Court road and further, to where some
dlsaSreeable recollection upset him. 1t was
my business to trace this train of thought.
Do you remember the feat of Dupin in Poe's
story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue'-
how he walks by his friends side in silence
for some distance and then suddenly breaks
out with divination of his thoughts hav-
ing silently traced them from a fruiterer
with a basket, through paving stones, Epi-
Gurus, DR.. Nichols the constellation Orion
and Latin poem by a cobbler lately turned
actor? Well, it was some such task this
(but definitely simpler. as a matter of facO
that set me. This man begins by
drawing the horseshoe clock Having done
with that, ard with the horseshoe still in
his mind. he starts to draw horseshoe
simply. 1t is a failure, and he scribbles
1t out. His mind at once turns to the Horse
shoe Hotel, which he knows from frequent
ly passing it, and its sign of gas jets. He
sketches that making dots for the gas
lights Once started in Tottenham Court
road, his mind naturally follows his usual
route along it.
He remembers the advertising captive
balloon half way down. and that goes on
road and keeps till he comes to the
very noticeable Highlander outside the
tobacconists. That is sketched Thus
il is plain that familiar route with him
from New oxford street up Totem
ham Court road At the police station
l ventured to guess from this that he lived
somewhere near Seven Dials-perhaps, be-
fore long We shall know if this was right.
But to return TO the sketches. After the
Highlander there is something at first not
very distinct. A little examination how
ever, shows it to be intended for a CHM
ney pot partly covered with basket. Now,
an old basket stuck Sidewise on a chimney
by way of cowl is not uncommon thing
in parts of the country, but 1t Is very
usual in London. Probably, then, it will
be in some by street or alley Next, and
last, there is a horses head, and it
at this that the mans trouble returned to
him! Now, when one goes to place and
finds horse there, that place is not un-
fact, the basket cowl would be much more
likely to be found in use in a range Of
back stabling than anywhere else. Sup
pose, then, after taking the direc ton indi-
Gated in the sketches-the direction of
FitZroy Square, in fact-one were to find a
bile about It? l know my London pretty
well, as you are aware and l could re-
member but two likely stable yards in that
particular part-the two We looked at, in
have noticed just such a basket cowi as
have been speaking of. Well, what we
did you know, and that we found confirma-
tou of my conjecture about the loaves you
also know. 1t was the recollection of the
horse and cart, and what they We're to
transport and what the end of it all had
been that upset Gerard as he drew the
horses head You will notice that the
sketches have not been done in separate
rows, left to right; they have simply fol,