The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-08-29
CHAPTER V.

too much for my weak health, and |
was tired out in the afternoon.
After Holmes departure for the con-
cert, lay down upon the sofa and en-
deavored to get couple of hours
sleep. 1t was a useless attempt.
My mind had been so much excited
by all that had occurred and the
strangest fancies and surmises crowd
ed into It,
Every time that closed my eyes
saw before me the distorted, baboon-
like countenance of the murdered man.
So sinister was the impression which
that face produced upon me that
found 1t difficult to feel anything but
gratitude for him who had removed its
owner from the world.
II ever human features bespoke vice
of the most malignant type they were
certainly those Of Enoch ]. Drebber, OF
Cleveland.
Still, recognized that justice must
be done, and that the depravity OF the
victim was no condonement in the eyes
of the law.
The more thought of 1t the more
extraordinary did my companions ny
pothesis, that the man had been pol
soned, appear.
remembered how he had shifted his
lips and had no doubt that he had de-
tected something which had given rise
to the idea.
Then, again, II not poison, what had
caused the mans death, since there
was neither wound nor marks of
strangulation?
But. ON the other hand, whose blood
was that which lay so thickly upon the
floor? There were no signs OF strug-
gle. nor had the victim any weapon
with which he might have wounded
an antagonist.
AS long as all these questions were
unsolved I felt that sleep would be no
easy matter, either for Holmes or my
self
His quiet self-confdent manner con-
vinced me that he had already formed
theory which explained all the facts,
though what 1t was could not for an
instant conjecture.
He was very late in returning-so
late that knew that the concert could
not have detained him all the time.
dinner was on the table before he ap-
peared
"It was magnificent" he said, as he
took his seat. do you remember what
Darwin says about music? He claims
that the power of producing and appre-
ciating it existed among the human
race long before the power OF speech
was arrived at. Perhaps that is why
we are so subtly influenced by 1t.
There are vague memories In our
souls of those misty centuries when
the world was in its childhood"
That's rather a broad idea," l re-
marked.
"One's ideas must be as braod as
Nature II they are to interpret Nature, :"
no answered. whats the matter?
You're not looking quite yourself. This
Brixton road affair has upset you"
ITO tell the truth, 1t has" said. Il
ought to be more case-hardened after
my Afghan experiences. saw my own
comrades hacked to pieces at Maiwand
without losing my nerve"
'T can understand. There is a mys-
terry about this which stimulates the
Imagination; where there is no imagi-
nation there is no horror. Have you
seen the evening paper?"
mo"
SIT gives fairly good account of the
affair. 1t does not mention the fact
that when the man was raised up q
woman's wedding ring fell upon the
floor 1t is just as well 1t does not. +"
"Why?"
'Look at this advertisement" he
answered. 81 had one sent to every
paper this morning Immediately after
the affair"
He threw the paper across to me
and | glanced at the place indicated
It was the first advertisement in the
Found" column.
'In Brixton road" It ran, "a plain
gold wedding ring, found in the road
way between the White Hart Taverr
and Holland Grove. Apply DIR. Wat
son, 221B Baker street, between and
this evening""
Excuse my using your name" he
said. "If used my own some Of these
dunderheads would recognize 1t, an(
want to meddle In the affair"
THAT is all right" answered. "But
supposing any one applies, have nj
ring"
"Oh, yes, you have" said he, hand
ing me one. "This will do very well
II is almost facsimile"
"And who do you expect will answer
this advertisement"
''Why, the man In the brown coat
our florid friend with the square toes
II he does not come himself he will
send an accomplice."
would he not consider It as tot
dargerous?"
mot at all. II my view Of the cas-
is correct, and have every reason Il
believe that ii is, this man would rath
er risk anything than lose the ring
According to my notion he dropped I
while STOPPING over Drebber's body
and did not miss II at the time. Afte
leaving the house ne discovered hi
loss and hurried back, but found tn
police already in possession. owing t
his own folly in leaving the candl
burning. He had to pretend to b
drunk in order TO allay the suspicion
which might have been aroused by hi
appearance at the gate. Now put youl
self in that mans place On thinkin
the matter over, II must have occurre
to him that II was possible that h
had lost the ring in the road afte
leaving the house. What would be d
then? He would eagerly look out 70
the evening papers, in the hope of Sc,
ing 1t among the articles found. HI
eve. Of course, would light upon thii
He would be overjoyed. Why shoul
he fear a trap? There would be n
reason, In his eyes. why the findin
of the ring should be connected wit
the murder. He would come. He wi
come. You shall see him within a
hour"
"And them" asked.
'Oh, you can leave me to deal wit
him then. Have you any arms?"
81 have my old service revolver an
a few cartridges"