Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-03-07
CHAPTER v.


CHAPTER V.
Our mornings exertions had been too
much for my weak health, and ! was
tired out in tho afternoon. After Holmes
departure for the concert, I lay down
upon the sofa and endeavored to get a
couple Of hours sleep. 1t was 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 l saw before me the dis
torted, balloonlike countenance of the
murdered man. So sinister was the ex-
preston 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. II
ever human features bespoke vice of the
most malignant type, they were certain
ly those of Enoch ]. Drebber Of Cleve-
land. Still 1 recognized that Justice must
be done, and that the depravity Of the
victim was no condonement in the eyes
of the law.
The moro thought Of it. the more ex-
traordinary did my companions hypoth-
esis that the man had been poisoned ap-
pear. remembered how he had shifted
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 mans
death, since there was neither wound
nor marks of strangulation. But, on
the other hand, whose blood was that
which lay so thickly upon the floor
There was no signs Of struggle, moi
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
quiet, self confident manner convinced
me that he had already formed theory
which explained all the facts, though
what it was l could not for an instant
| conjecture.
He was very late in returning, SO late
that I knew that tho concert could moi
have detained him all the time. Dinner
was on the table before he appeared.
"It was magnificent, he said as hi
took his seat. 'Do you remember what
Darwin says about music? He claim!
that the power of producing and appre
ciating it existed among the human race
long before the power of speech was ar
rived at. Perhaps that is why we arr
so subtly influenced by it. There arr
vague memories in our souls Of thos'
misty centuries when the world was il
it's childhood. "
"That's rather broad idea," l re
marked.
cones ideas must be as broad as ma
ture if they are to interpret nature" h
answered. "What's the matterP You r.
not looking quite yourself. This Brix
ton road affair has upset you
"To tell the truth, it has, " said. I"
ought to be more case hardened after m.
Afghan experiences, l saw my owl
comrades hacked to pieces at Maiwan
WluuOut luSlHB luy HerNe.
II can understand. There is mys
terry about this which stimulates tn
imagination. Where there is no imag
ination there is no horror. Have yo
seen the evening paper?"
| "No"
SIT gives a fairly good account of tn
affair. It does not mention the fact tina
when the man was raised up woman
| wedding ring fell upon the floor. It.
just as we'll it does not"
"Why?"
'Look at this advertisement, he an
swered. II had one sent to every pape
this morning Immediately after the al
fair"
He threw the paper across to me, an
I glanced at the place indicated
was the first announcement in th
Found" column. "In Brixton road thi
morning." 1t ran, "a plain gold wed
ding ring, found in the roadway betwee
the White Hart tavern and Hollan
grove. Apply DR.. Watson, 291b Bake
street, between 8 and this evening. !"
Excuse my using your name" h
said. "If / used my own, some one o
these dunderheads would recognize
and want to meddle in the affair"
"That is all right" I answered
"But. supposing any one applies, I hav
no ring"
| ooh. yes, you have," said he, hand
ing me one. "This will do very well
It is almost facsimile"
"And who do you expect will answe
this advertisements"
"Why, the man In the brown coat
our fiorid friend with the square toes
If he does not come himself, he will SEN
an accomplice. "
"Would he not consider it as too dan
gerous?'
"Nos at all. If my view Of the Gas
is correct, and have every reason to'be
lieve that it is, this man would rathe
risk anything than lose the ring. Ae
cording to my notion he dropped
while Shopping over Drebber's body an
did not miss it at the time. After lBay
ing the house he discovered his loss an
hurried back, but found the police a.
ready in possession, owing to his ow
folly in leaving the candle burning. H
had to pretend to be drunk in order
allay the suspicious which might hav
been aroused by his appearance at th
gate. Now, put yourselfin that man
place. On thinking the matter over
! must have occurred to him that 1T WI
possible that he had lost the ring in I'll
road after leaving the house. VIII;
would he do then? He would eager
!. r look out for the evening papers in IL
9 hope Of seeing it among the articl
: found. His eye. of course, would ligl
n upon this. He would be overjoye
+ Why should he fear trap? There wou
D be no reason in his eyes why the fin