The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-02-06

) Walks are SOOu uodl ike su0au lu6u
themselves, however-they tell few
tales-and for time 1 was totally with
out anything resembling clew.
q had almost given up my search in
despair when came across a small bow
of bright crimson ribbon that was lying
in the gutter among lot of rubbish not
far from the spot where the deed had
been committed
at was badly soiled, having evidently
been trampled underfoot in a scuff1e,
and while | was unable to invest it with
any special significance at the time l
put it in my pocket along with half
burned cigarette l discovered about the
same time, and went home to do a lit
tie thinking.
"a piece of ribbon, which might have
come there in 100 different ways made
rather dubious clew, considering the
circumstances, and half-burned ciga-
rette was even more so.
Il have curious faculty of being
able to think more quickly and clearly
when have pen or pencil in my
hand, just as some writer's can map out
plots and incidents best when similarly
equipped, and so sat down with a pad
in front of me and began to systematic
| ally go over all had seen and heard,
making a note or a diagram here OF
there and being wonderfully assisted
by the operation.
Il tried in a dozen ways to connect
the supposititious young roysterers,
whom nobody had seen and only one
man had heard, with the ak, the bow
of ribbon, and the cigarette.
at was the only thing could do just
at that juncture and it was the easiest
thing in the world to connect them in
theory, all except the bow of ribbon,
which would hardly be thought of in
connection with man, young or old,
and, of course it wasn't woman who
had done the deed.
This led ME to iguratively hold the
red ornament up against a feminine
background, and l was struck by the
curious thought that if such small and
peculiarly shaped bow had been worn
by female at all it must have adorned
very small girl. I certainly could not
remember ever having seen such a one
about the person of woman, either in
her hair or upon her garments.
"'This is unimportant, however, said
l to myself after revolving the matter
in my mind, for it might really have
been dropped by little girl in the day
time. perhaps from her doll.
yet could not dismiss the matter
wholly from my mind. Having reached
the end of my theory building for the
present, l mechanically took up the
morning paper, partly as duty owed
myself and my country as a good citi-
zen and partly to get moments res
pite from my thoughts.
"One OF the first things my eye fell
upon was an article describing the de-
feat of the Yale baseball team by Harv-
ard the day before and what was
thought about it by the sporting world
l was somewhat interested in it, being
a baseball crank myself, but probably
more on account of the curious fact that
the victory had been with the crimson.
with the crimson!
Like flash the red bow of ribbon
came to me again. 1t fairly flaunted
before my eyes as read farther down
the column about the crazy goings on
of some of the Harvard undergraduates
over the defeat of the hated blue in
Cambridge the night before.
"The hated blue!
another electric shock fairly set me
on fire with excitement as thought of
the second color.
"For the victim of the ak had been
dvGssed in blue suit
Here was the whole plot unfolded
before me in flash.
The boisterous men whom the hard
ware dealer had heard were Harvard
students out celebrating the victory in
their own peculiar Harvard style.
Zone of them, either drunk or made
temporarily insane at the blue suit on
the unknown victim, had snatched the
ak, rushed up to him, and committed
the madman's deed that had sent me
forth upon the trail. In the scuffie the
crimson bow had been detached from
his coat, and here it was now in my
hands.
apparently nothing remained now
but TO find out just what particular
party had struck off through this sec
ton of the town. and the fact that there
were more than two in the crowd made
the ultimate discovery of their identity
almost certain.
my conclusions proved to be exactly
right, for half days work put in be-
tween the spot where the deed was COM
mitted and Craigie's bridge resulted in
a complete description of all the men,
bers of the party-they were four in
cumberland the exact identity of one
of them.
Furthermore, discovered through a
barkeeper whom knew that every one
of the four had crimson bow in his
buttonhole when he left his place.
We'll, after that it was mere child's
play" said the inspector as he glanced
up nervously at the old statehouse clock.
Il had no trouble at all in fastening the
guilt upon the particular member of the
party who had done the cutting. The
arrest was made in the yard, and l can
tell you it was dramatic one. Iwould
give you the details, but l am due on
the next block in just three minutes"
But the murderer" l said. what
was done with him?"
The what! Oh, he was arraigned in
court next day, of course. The evil
dence was conclusive, and he was fined
$50 and costs. The Judge came pretty
near sending him to the island without
the option Of a fine.
Fined $50 for all atrocious, cold
blooded deed like that!" I gasped. "You
must be crazy"
'Not at ALL" replied the inspector
suavely as he stepped off the curb. Il
forgot to tell you in the first place that
the man who was chopped up was a
very life-like dummy that had stood in
front of the furnishing store
THAT doesn't prevent it from being a
f1rst-class detective story, however, does
it? Just give my regards to Sherlock
! Holmes when you see him. - Thomas