Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-08-26

A STUDY IN SCARLET.

BY A. CONAN DOYLE.

edy occurred. I've told you all [ know
Ilyself. now for the rest is mere sur
mise and conjecture. We have good
working basis, however, on which 20
start. We must hurry up, for I want
to go to Halle's concert to hear Nor
man Neruda this afternoon.
This conversation had occurred
while our cab had been threading its
way through a long succession OF
dingy streets and dreary by-ways.
In the dingiest and dreariest of them
our driver suddenly came to stand.
That's Audley Court in there, he
said pointing to narrow slit IL the
line of dead-colored brick. YouH
find me here when you come back.
Audley Court was not an attractive
locality. The narrow passage led us
into quadrangle paved with, flags and
lined by sordid dwellings.
We picked our way among groups OF
dirty children and through lines of dis
colored linen until we came to No. 46.
the door of which was decorated with
a small slip of brass, on which the
name Rance was engraved.
On inquiry we found that the Con-
stable was in bed. and we were shown
into a little front parlor to await his
coming.
He appeared presently. looking lit
ii irritable at bing disturbed in his
s1Mmbers.
II made my report at the Office"
he said.
Holmes took a half sovereign from
his pocket, and played with 1t pen
sively.
1--WE thought that we should like to
- Ill Inns ~ he
said.
"I shall be most happy to tell you
| anything I can," the constable an
swered, with his eyes upon the little
golden disk.
| "Just let us hear it all in your own
way. as it occurred"
Rance sat down on the horsehair
sofa and knitted his brows, as though
determined not to omit anything in
his narrative"
'Tll tell it ye from the beginning"
he said. "My time is from eight at
night to six in the morning. At eleven
| there was a fight at the White Hart;
but. bar that. all was quiet enough on
the beat. At one O'Clock it began to
rain, and I met Harry Murcher-him
who has the Holland Grove beat--and
we stood together at the corner of
Henrietta street a-ta1kin'.. Presently
maybe about two. or 4ittle after-I
thought I would take look round and
see that all was right down the Brix-
ton road. It was precious dirty and
lonely. Not a soul did I meet all
the way down though a cab or two
went past me- I was a-strOllin' down,
thinkin' between ourselves how un-
common handy four of gin hot would
be- when suddenly a CLINT of light
caught my eye in the window of that
same house. Now, I knew that them
two houses in Lauriston Gardens was
empty on account of him that owns
them. who wont have the drains seed
TO. though the very last tenant that
lived in one O. them died o tynhoid
fever I was knocked all in heap,
therefore. at seeing light in the win
dow, and I susnected as something g
was wrong. When we got to the
door"
"You stopped and then walked back
TO the garden gate" my companion in.
terrupted. What did you do that
for?"
Rance gave a violent jump and
stared at Sherlock Holmes with the ut
most amazement upon his features.
"Whv, that's true. sir" he said
though how you come to know it
Heaven only knowsi You see, when
got up to the door. it was so still and
so lonesome that thought I'd be meme
the worse for some one with me.
amt afeared of nothing on this side
O. the grave; but thought maybe il
, was him that died O. typhoid inspect
ing the drains what killed him. The
, THOUGHT gave me a kind g turn, anC
I walked back to the gate to see if
could see Murcher's lantern. but there
, wasn't no sign of him nor any one
{ else?"
There was no one in the street,"
mot a livin' soul, sir, nor as mucf
2 as a dog. Then I pulled myself to
. gether and went back and pushed thu
. door open. All was quiet inside, so
l went into the room where the ligh
: was a-burnin'. There was ca~dl'
A flickerin' on the mantel-piece-a RET
n wax one-and by its light I saw
/ Eyes. know all that you saw. Yol
S walked round the room sew .ral times
!, and you knelt down by the body, an
= then you walked through and tried tn
|. kitchen door, and then
S John Rance sprang to his feet wit
Y a frightened face and suspicion in hi
v eyes.
o Where was you hid to see al
a that?" he cried. 1T seems to me tina
g you know deal more than yo
u should"
u Holmes laughed and threw his car
N across the table to the constable.
d Don't get arresting me for the mu1
d der" he said, 'sI am one of the hounds
l. and not the wolf: Mr.. Gregson or NJ
j. Lestrade will answer for that. Go OIL
though. What did you do next?"
/: Rance resumed his seat, wfthou
lr however, losing his mystified expre
'e sion.
81 went back to the gate and sount
s. ed my whistle. That brought Mu
" cher and two more to the spot.
l. ''Was the street empty, them" 2
H. "Well. it was. so far as anybody ths
rt could be of any good goes"
What do you mean?"
le The constable's features broadene
'e into a grin.
" i've seen many a drunk chap in m
Is time" he said, "but never any one s
IN cryin' drunk as that cove. He was /
lie the gate when came out. a-leanfn' u
- agin the railin's and a-singin' at II
Il. pitch of his lungs about Columbine
ID New-fangled Banner, or some sue
ia strff He cOuldn't stand far lie: