Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-03-14

| some Otner Interpretation. u the two
pills in that box one was the most dead
ly poison, and the other was entirely
harmless. ] ought TO have known that
before ever saw the box at all. I"
This last .atement appeared 10 me to
be so startling that / could hardly be-
lieve that he was in his sober senses.
There was the dead dog, however, to
prove that his conjecture had been cor
rect. 1t seened to me that the mists in
my own min. were gradually clearing
away, and began to have q dim, vague
perception Of the truth.
"All this seems strange TO you, )" con-
tinued Holm"s, because you failed at
the beginning Of the inquiry to grasp
the importance of the single real clew
which was presented to you. ! had the
good fortune to seize upon that, and ev-
erything which has occurred since then
has served to confirm my original sup
position and indeed was the logical Sc
quence of it. Hence things which have
perplexed you and made the case more
obscure have served to enlighten me and
to strengthen my conclusions. 1t is a
mistake 50 confound strangeness with
mystery. The most commonplace crime
is often the most mysterious because it
presents no new or special features from
which deductions may be drawn. This
murder would have been infinitely more
difficult to unravel had the body of the
victim been simply found lying in the
roadway without any of those outre and
sensational accompaniments which have
rendered it remarkable. These strange
details, far from making the case more
difficult, have really had the effect Of
making it less So"
Mr.. Gregson, who had listened to this
address with considerable impatience,
could contain himself no longer. Look
here, Mr.. Sherlock Holiness" he said.
Eve are all ready to acknowledge that
you are smart man, and that you have
your own methods Of working. We
want something more than mere theory
and preaching now, though. 1t is case
Of taking the man. have made my
case out, and it seems I was wrong.
Young Charpentier could not have been
engaged in this second affair. Lestrade
went after his man, Stangerson, and it
appears that he was wrong too. You
have thrown out hints here and hints
there and seem to know more than we
| do, but the time has come when we feel
that we have right to ask you straight
how much you do know Of the business.
Can yCu name the man who did it?"
81 cannot help feeling that Gregson
is right, sir, remarked Lestrade. "We
have both tried, and we have both failed.
You have remarked more than once since
I have been in the room that you had
all the evidence which you require.
Surely you will not withhold it any Ion
ger"
"Any delay in arresting the assassin"
I observed, might give him time to
perpetrate some fresh atrocity."
Thus pressed by US all, Holmes showed
signs of irresolution. He continued to
walk up and down the room with his
head sunk on his chest and his brows
drawn down, as was his habit when lost
in thought.
"There will be no more murders" he
said at last, stopping abruptly and facing
us. "You can put that consideration out
of the question. You have asked me if
know the name Of the assassin. do.
The mere knowing of his name is a
small thing, however, compared with
the power Of laying our hands upon
him. This expect very shortly to do.
I have good hopes of managing it
through my own arrangements, but it is
a thing which needs delicate handling,
for we have shrewd and desperate man
to deal with, who is supported, as l have
had occasion to prove, by another, who
is as clever as himself As long as this
man has no idea that any one can have
clew there is some chance Of securing
him, but if he had the slightest suspicion
he would change his name and vanish
in an instant among the 1900. 900 in
habitants of this great city. Without
meaning to hurt either Of your feelings
I am bound to say that I consider these
men to be more than match for the
official force, and that is why have not
asked your assistance. If I fail, shall of
course incur all the blame due to this
omission, but that I am prepared for.
At present am ready to promise that
the instant that can communicate with
you without endangering my own COM
binations shall do so.
Gregson and Lestrade seemed to be
| C.. Nv hi or
by the depreeiating allusion to the de-
tective police. The former had flushed
up to the roots of his flaxen hair, while
the others beady eyes glistened with Gu
riosity and resentment. Neither of them
had time to speak, however, before thel e
was tap at the door and the spokesman
of the street arabs, young Virgins, in
troduced his insignificant and unsavory
person.
"Please, SIR" he said, touching his
forelock, IT have the cab down stairs. T"
"Good boy" said Holmes blandly.
"Why don't you introduce this pattern
at Scotland Yard?' he continued, taking
pair of steel handouts from drawer.
"See how beautifully the springs works.
They fasten in an instant"
"The old pattern is good enough, )" re-
marked Lestrade, eff we can find the
man to put them on"
"Very good, very good" said Holmes,
smiling. "The cabman may as well
help me with my boxes. Just ask him
to step up Virgins. "
was surprised to find my companion
speaking as though he were about to sci
out on journey, since he had not sale
anything to me about it. There was &
small pormanteau in the room, and this
he pulled out and began to strap. He ewa'
busily engaged at it when the cabma1
entered the room.
"Just give me help with this buckle
cabman," he said, kneeling over hi