The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-05-18

\
that the weather was threatening, he
changed his plans and remained in his
room reading until about o'clock. No
one in the house had actually seen him
between 2:30 and o'clock, though two
or three persons were firm in their con-
victions that he had been in his room
during that period. 1t was admitted,
however, that he might have passed
out of the house and returned unob-
served. The police did not believe he
was in any way connected with the
crime, If crime it was, and he was suf-
fered to go and come unmatched by
the authorities.
Such was the information at hand
and such was the status of affairs on
! the Wednesday following the Satur-
day when Miss Dodge met her death.
Up in the office of the city editor of
The Daily Telegraph a group Of men
were gathered that afternoon. The
evening edition had just gone to press,
and there was a lull in the rush that
usually characterized the place. The
city editor had swung round in his
swivel chair and thrown one leg care
lessly over the arm. He picked up
from his desk a piece of yellow paper.
1t was telegram.
Il learned" he said, addressing the
company generally, ''that Sherlock
Holmes was up in Chicago and wired
him asking if he couldn't come down
and assist on this case. / thought it
would be a neat bit of enterprise for
the paper if he could be induced to do
SO. This is his reply: Impossible to
come. Am starting for London to-
city editor tossed the message back to
his desk, with a look of disappointment
on his face.
'By the way, Professor Gilman,
what is your estimate of Mr.. HolmesY'
asked the city editor.
Sherlock Holmes-a mere ignora-
mus!" replied the professor contemptu-
ously. why, sir, his biographer him
self tells us he was ignorant Of the
Copernican theory, familiar to every
schoolboy, and of the composition of
the solar system" [Let it not for a
moment be supposed that the author
Of this article shares Professor Gill
mans opinion of Mr.. Holmes. On the
contrary, he has very lively admira-
tion for that gentleman's remarkable
astuteness. We must remember that
Professor Gilman is eminent in the sci
ence of astronomy. and Mr.. Holmes
ignorance of the theory advanced by
Copernicus, trifiing matter as it might
seem to the average mind, might in the
professors mind stamp him as little
short of idiotic.l
AT this the city editor looked as much
abashed as a city editor may, for,
though he believed Sherlock Holmes to
be one of the greatest of detectives, he
felt an immense respect for Professor
Gilman, not alone for his wide reputa-
tion as keen detective, but for his
wider and far more desirable reputa-
tion in the world of science. He cough
ed got up and walked over to the GUS
pidor and returned to his chair.
Sherlock Holmes was not referred to
again, but the chief of police, who was
present, began to repeat theory re-
garding the death of Miss Dodge
which, though he seemed unconscious
of it, most of those present had heard
him advance before.
''The further | look into this case,"
he said, 1.-THE more | think Porter killed
the Dodge girl. l was talking with him
yesterday and got him tangled up on
two or three statements. For one thing,
he said he and the girl never quarreled,
but we've got letter he wrote to her
not more than ten days ago, and in it
he said he wasn't going to stand her
going round much more with that fell
low Morse. You see, he could have
slipped up into Morse's Office as easy
as nothing and shot the girl, If he'd
wanted to-"
ION what do you base your theory,
aside from the motive of jealousy?" in
quired Professor Gilman.
"Well-er-it would have been an
easy thing to do" the chief answered,
little mistily, and then, Frightening,
added: 'There was the man seen going
up the stairway. That was Porter
probably
mo; don't believe Porter shot her."
broke in the city editor. "In the first
place. he didn't know she was up there.
She usually left at 1 o'clock Saturdays,
and he would suppose she left at the
same hour that day.
81 think she committed suicide In
my opinion, Morse doesn't tell all he