The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-27

wore neither beard nor mustacne, put
made up for their lack by an abnn-
dance of light brown hair, which hung
very nearly 10 his shoulders. He stopped
| In standing, but as soon as he moved.
showed decision and a certain sort of
| pride which caused him TO hold his
| head high and his body more than
usually erect. With all the good points
his appearance was decidedly sinister,
and | did not wonder that Mrs. Holmes
| feared him.
NV next move was 10 accost him.
Pauslng before the doorway in which
| he stood. addressed him some trivial
| question. He answered me with suf-
ficient polteness, hut with grudging
attention which betrayed the hold
which his own thoughts had upon HIM.
He coughed while speaking. and his
eve, which for moment rested on mine,
produced upon me an impression for
which was hardly prepared, great as
was my prejudice against him. There
was such an icy composure in it; the
composure of an envenomed nature con-
scious of it's superiority to all surprise.
AS fingered to study him more closely,
the many dangerous qualities of the
man became more and more apparent
TO me, and convinced me that TO pro-
ceed further without deep and careful
thought, would be to court failure
where triumph would set me up for
life, gave up all present attempt at
enlisting him In conversation. and went
my way in as inquirlng and serious
Z mood as l had ever been thrown into
by any encounter / had ever had with
q suspected criminal.
In fact, my position was n peculiar
one, and the problem had set for my
| self was one of unusual difficulty. Only
| by means of some extraordinary device,
such as Is seldom resorted to by the
| police of this or any other nation, could
hope to arrive at the secret of this
mans conduct, and triumph in mat
ter closed to all appearances from any
human penetration.
But what device? / know of none.
nor did two days and nights Of strenu-
GUS thought serve To yield me the least
light on the subject. Indeed my mind
seemed to grow more and more con-
fused the longer l urged 1t into action.
j failed to get inspiration indoors or
out; and, feeling my health suffer from
the constant irritation of my recurring
disappointment, resolved to take 4
day Off and carry myself and my per-
plexities into the country.
/ did so. Governed by an impulse
which / did not then understand, I
went to small town. in New Jersey
md entered the first house on which
! saw the sign Room to Let" The re-
suit was most fortunate. No sooner
Ind / crossed the threshold of the neat
and homely apartment thrown open to
my use than 1t recalled room in which
j had slept two years before and in
which / had read little book was only
too glad to remember at this instant.
Indeed, IL seemed like an inspiration to
do so, for, though il was a simple child's
story written for moral purposes, il
contained an idea which promised to be
invaluable TO me at this juncture. In
deed, l believed myself in this one mo-
ment of memory to have solved the prob
lem that was puzzling me, and, re-
lieved beyond expression, paid for the
nights lodging l had now determined
10 forego, and returned Immediately
TO New York, having spent just fifteen
minutes In the town where / had re-
ceived this happy inspiration.
My first step on entering the city was
to order dozen steel coils made SIM
liar to the one which / still believed
Gnswerable for James Holmes death.
My next to learn as far as possible all
Of John Graham's haunts and habits.
At weeks end i had the springs aud
knew almost as well as he did him.
self where he was likelv tn hA found
at ali l,liies OF t.,e 49,, Rhu hlgnI
Immediately acted upon this knowl-
edge. Assuming a slight disguise re-
peated my former stroll through Print
ing-house square, looking into each
doorway as / passed. John Graham
was in one of them, staring in his old
way at the passing crowd, but evidently
seeing nothing but the Images formed
by his own disordered brain. A manu-
script roll stuck out of his breast pocket,
and, from the way his nervous fingers
fumbled it, / began TO understand the
restless glitter of his eyes, which were
as full of wretchedness rs any eyes (
have ever seen.
Entering the doorway where he stood,
i dropped at his feet one of the small
steel coils with which ! was provided.
He did not see 1t, but, pausing n step or
two away, l directed his attention to
IT by saying:
Pardon me, but did not see some-
thing drop out of your hand?"
He started, glanced at the seeming
inoffensive toy at which l pointed and
altered SO suddenly and wildly that il
became instantly apparent that the
surprise | had planned for him was
fully as keen and searching one as
i had anticipated. Recoiing sharply
he gave me n quick look. then glanced
down at his feet as If half expecting
to find the object vanished which had
startled him. But, perceiving IL still
lyiuU there he crushed IL viciouSlv lv with