Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-05
CHAPTER Y

CHAPTER
 Our mCrnlug's cxCrIOu~ H,ia . -,:I foo much fer my weak health a,.t MAS tired out im ;Eo Gfternu1a After EoImps' departure for the coL;pit, lay down upon the sofa and Cndravurcd 10 get a couple of hours sleep. It was a use less attempt My mind had been too much excited by all that had occurred, and the strangest fancies and surmises crowded into it Every time that closed my eyes saw before me the dis torted, balloonlike countenance of the murdered man. So sinister was the ex- pression which that face had produced upon me that found it difficult to feel anything but gratitude for him who had removed its owner from the world If ever human features bespoke vice of the most malignant type, they were certain ly those of Enoch ] Drebber of Glove land. Still recognized that justice must be done, and that the depravity of the victim was no condunemcnt in the eyes of the law
 The moro thought of Ii. the more rx- traOrdirary did my companion s hypoth, esis that the man had been poisoned ap- pear. remembered how he had sniffed his lips and had no doubt that he had detected something which had given rise to the idea Then, again. if not poison, what had caused the man s death, since there was neither wound Dor marks of strangulation But, on the other hand, whose blood was that which lay so thickly upon the floor? There was no signs Uf a struggle, nor had the victim any weapon with which he might have wounded an antagonist As long aS all these questions were un- solved felt that sleep would be no easy matter either for Holmes or myself His Qulet, self confident manner convinced ne that ke lad already formed q theory which explained all the facts, though what 1t was could not for an instant conjecture
 He was very late in returning, so late that 1 knew that the concert could not have detained him all the time Dinner was ou the table before he appeared
 1t was magnificent, he said as he took his Seay Do you remember what Darwin says about music: He claims that the power of producing and appre- clatlng it existed among the human race long before the power of speech was ar rived nj Perhaps that is why We are so subtly influenced by it. There are vague memories in our souls of those misty centuries when the world was in its childhood y
 That's rather a broad idea, ' re- marked.
 ''One's ideas must be as broad as ma ture if they are to interpret nature, " he answered. Whats the matter? You re not looking quite yourself This Erik ton road affair has upset you "
 "To tell the truth, it has, sad II ought to be moro case hardened after my Afghan experiences, saw my own comrades hacked to pieces at Maiwand without losing my nerve.
 II can understand There is a mys- tery about this which stimulates the imagination Where there is no imag- iuation there Is TO horror Have you seen the evening papcr:'
 No
 It gives fairly good account of the affair It does not mention the fact that when the man was raised upa woman $ wedding ring fell upon the floor It's just as well 1t does not. =
 "Wny:"
 Look at this advertl*rment, he all. swercd, II had one sent 10 every paper this morning immediately after the af- fair. ."
 He threw the paper across 10 me, and l glanced at the place indicated. Ii was the first announcement in the Found column. Tn Brixton road this morning, it ran. "a plain gold wed. ding ring. found i'll the roadW ay between the White Hart tavern and Holland p NC. Apply Dr. Watson. 22lb Baker street, between x and this evening"" "
 Excuse my using your name" he sail If 1 used my own, some ono of these dunderh2Ids would recognize it anI want to meddlo 1T the affair
 That 1< all right. I answered. But, supya>,nr any yon" applies. have no li"S
 "Oh, yes. you have. said hc, hand ing lnc ono "Th,S will do very we'll. IL is almost q facsimile.
 And who do you expect will answer this advertiscmont:'
 "Wny. the man III the brown coat, OFT florid friend with the square toes. If he does not cOmo himself. he will send an accomplice,
 Would ho unt consider 1t as too dan gcrons:'
 Not at all If my view of tho case is correct and have every reason 10 be Iirvc that ii Is. this man would rathel risk anything than lose tho ring. Ac curding to my notion, ha dropped i while stocnin@ over Drcbbcr's body ant did rvt miss II at tho tlmo. After leav ing the hoy:sH he discovered his loss ani hurried back, but found the police al ready ill possession, owing to his owl folly in leaving the candle burning. H, had to pretend to te drunk in order [, allay tho suspicious which might hay, been aroused by his appearance at tn gate, Now, put yourself in that man place. On thinking the matter over i must havo occurred 10 him that it wa possible that he had lost the ring in tn road after leaving tho house Wha would he do then: He would eagerl look out for the evening papers in tn hope of seeing it among the article found. His eye. of course, would ligh upon this He would be overjoyed Why should he fear trap? There woul be no reason in his eyes why the find ing of the ring should be connected wit the murder He would come. He vii come. You shall see him within a hour. .'
 And them" l asked.
 "Oh, you can leave me to deal wit him then Have you any arms?"
 II have my old service revolver an few cartridges
 "You had better clean it and load il He will be desperate man, and thong 1 shall take him unawares it is as we to be ready for anything"
 went to my bedroom and followe his adyice When I returned with tn