Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-10-09

two" said Holmes, and drawing his
penknife he suited the action 70 the
word. One half We return into the
box for future purposes. The other haE
] VIII place in this wine glass. in which
is a tesspoontul OF water. You per.
ce.ve that Cur friend. the doctor, Is
right. and that il readily dissolves."
This may he very interesting" said
Lestrade. in the injured tone OF one
who suspects that he is being laughed
at I can not see. however. what Il
has 70 DO with the death OF Mr.. Joseph
StarEe-son."
Patience. my friend. patience. You
will find IN time that is has everything
20 DO with II. shall now add q little
milk 70 make the mixture palatahle.
and on presenting IL 10 the dog you will
find that he laps il up readily enough"
AS he spoke he turned the contents
OF the wine glass into a saucer and
placed II in front OF the TERROR. who
speedily licked It dry.
Sherlock Holmes earnest demeano-
had so far convinced us that we all sat
in silence. watching the animal intent
y and expecting some startling effect.
None such appeared. however. The
dog continued 70 lie stretched upon the
cushion. breathing in a labored way.
hut apparently neither the better nor
the worse for its traught.
Holmes had taken out his watch. and
as minute followed minnie without re-
suit. an expression Of the utmost cha
grin and disappointment appeared up
or his features.
He gnawed his lip. drunmed his An
gers upon the table and showed every
other symptom OF acute impaIience.
So great was his emotion that I felt
sincerely sOrry for him. while the two
detectives smiled derisively. by no
means disDleased ct this check which
he had met.
1T can't be coincidence" he cried
at last. sp-inging from his chair and
pacing wildly M and down the room:
"it is impossible that is should be
mere coincidence. The very pills
which I suspected in the case OF D-uh-
her are actually found after the death
OF StanEerson. And vet they are inert
What can il mean Surely my whole
chain or reasoning cannot have been
false. II is impossible And vet this
wrerchei dog is none the worse. All
I have il. 7 have it."
With a perfect shrek OF delight
he rushed 10 the boy. cut the other pill
in two dissolved t. added milk. and
presented II 10 the terrier.
The unfortunate creatures tongue
hardly seemed 10 have been moiste-ed
in II before II gave q convulsive shiver
in every limb. and Law as rigid and life
less as If II had been struck by light
ming.
Sherlock Holmes drew a long breath
and wiped the perspiration from his
forehead.
az should have more faith" he said:
~ ought TO know by this time that
when a fact apDears 70 be opposed &c
q long train Of deductions il invariably
proves 20 be capable OF bearing some
other Interpretation. OF the two pills
in that box one was the most deadly
roison and the other was entirely
harmless. ought 10 have known that
before ever / saw the box al all"
This last statement appeared TO me
70 be so startling thai 7 could hardly
believe that he was in his sober senses.
There was the dead dog. however. 10
prove luGL lis NO4-.TN---N : A-oe bE-- ~o-
rect
7 seemed 10 me that the mists In
ny own mind were gradually clearing
away. and I began TO have dim.
vague perception OF the truth.
"All this seems strange to you" con
tirueT Holmes. "hecause you failed AT
the beginning OF the inquiry 10 grasp
the importance Of the single real clew
which was presented 10 you. had
the good fortune 20 seize upon that.
and everything which has occurred
since then has served to confirm my
original suDpOsi-ion. and. indeed was
the logical sequence OF K. Hence.
things which have perplexed you and
made the case more obscure have
served 10 enlichten me and 70 strength.
en- my conclusions. Il is mistake 70
confound st-angeness with mystery.
The most commonplace crime is often
the most mysterious because II pre-
snn+s 10 new or special features from
which deductions may be drawn. This
murder would have been infinitely
more difficult to un-avel had the body
OF the victim been simply found living
IN the roadway without any Of those
orter and sensational accomDanimeuts
which have rendered II remarkable.
These strange details far from max
ing the case more diF7cult. have really
had the effect Of making it less So"