Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-09-11
CHAPTER discontinued.


tiers Of vacant, melancholy windows,
which were blank and dreary, save
that here and there a TO Let card
had developed like a cataract upon
the bleared panes.
A small garden sprinkled over with
a scattered eruption of sickly plants
separated each of these houses from
the street, and was traversed by mar
row pathway, yellowish in color, and
consisting apparently of a mixture of
clay and gravel.
The whole place was very sloppy
from the rain which had fallen through
the night. The garden was bounded
by a three-foot brick wall with
fringe of wood rails upon the top, and
against this wall was leaning a stall
wart police constable, surrounded by
a small knot of loafers, who craned
their necks and strained their eyes in
the vain hope of catching some glimpse
of the proceedings within.
l had imagined that Sherlock
Holmes would at once have hurried
into the house and plunged into a
study of the mystery.
Nothing appeared to be further from
his intention. With an air of non
chalance. which under the circum
stances seemed to me to border upon
affectation, he lounged up and down
the pavement, and gazed vacantly at
the ground. the sky, the opposite
houses and the line of ratings.
Having finished his scrutiny, he pro-
ceedly slowly down the path. or rather
down the fringe of grass which flanked
the path, keeping his eyes riveted upon
the ground
Twice he stopped and once I saw
him smile and heard him utter an eX-
clamation of satisfaction. There were
many marks of footsteps upon the wet,
clayey soil, but since the police had
been coming and going over it l was
unable to see how my companion could
hope to learn anything from it.
Still. had had such extraordinary
evidence of the quickness of his per-
ceptive faculties that l had no doubt
he could see a great deal which was
hidden from me.
AT the door of the house We were
met by tall, white-faced. fiaXen-haired
man, with a notebook in his hand, who
rushed forward and wrung my COM
panion's hand with effusion.
at is indeed kind of you to come"
he said. 81 have had everything left
untouched"
Except that" my friend answered.
pointing to the pathway. IF a herd
of buffaloes had passed along, there
could not be a greater mess. No doubt,
however, you had drawn your own con-
clusions, Gregson, before you permit
ted this"
81 have had so much to do inside
the house" the detective said, evas-
lively MY colleague, Mr.. Lestrade, is
here. I had relied upon him to look
after this"
Holmes glanced at me and raised
his eyebrows sardonically.
with two such men as yourself
and Lestrade upon the ground. there
will not be much for third party to
to find out" he said.
satisfied way.
be done" he answered. ITS a queer
case, though, and l knew your taste
for such things"
"You did not come here in a cab?"
asked Sherlock Holmes.
NO sir"
''Nor Lestrade?"
F'No sir"
~Then let us go and look at the
room"
With which inconsequent remark he
strobe on into the house, followed by
Gregson. whose features expressed his
astonishment.
Holmes walked in and I followed
him with that subdued feeling at my
heart which the presence of death in
spires.
It was large, square room, looking
all the larger for the absence of all
furniture.
Opposite the door was a snowy fire.
place. On one corner of this was stuck
the stump of red wax candle.
The solitary window was so dirty
that the light was hazy and uncertain,
giving a dull gray tinge to everything,
which was intensified by the thick
layer of dust which coated the whole
apartment.
All these details I observed after
ward. At present my attention was
centered upon the single grim. mo-
tionless figure which lay stretched
upon the boards, with vacant. sight
less eyes staring up at the discolored
ceiling.
It was that Of a man about forty
three OF forty-four years of age, mid
dle-sized. broad shouldered with crisp,
curling black hair, and short, stubby
beard.
His hands were clenched and his
arms thrown abroad, while his lower
limbs were interlocked as though his
death struggle had been a grievous
one.
On his rigid face there stood an ex-
preston of horror, and, as 1t seemed
to me. of hatred, such as have never
seen upon human features.
Tnis malignant and terrible contor-
ton. combined with the low forehead,
blunt nose, and prognathous jaw, gave
the dead man singularly simious and
ape-lke appearance, which YVES in
creased by his writhing, unnatural pos
ture.
Lestrade, lean and ferret-like as
ever, was standing by the doorway and
greeted my companion and myself.
This case will make stir. sir" he
roma r1xed 'It beats ANYTHING | have