Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-09-09

A STUDY IN SCARLET

BY A. CONAN DOYLE.

steps at time, and burst into our
my dear fellow" he cried, wringing
Holmes unresponsive hand, "congrat-
ulate me! 1 have made the whole
thing as clear as day."
A shade of anxiety seemed to me to
cross my companions expressive face.
DO you mean that you are on the
right track?" he asked.
'"The right track! Why, sir, we have
the man under lock and key!"
"And his name is?'
arthur Charpentier, sub-lieutenant
in her majesty's navy" cried Gregson,
pompously, rubbing his fat hands and
i'fiating his chest.
Sherlock Holmes gave a sigh of re-
lief and relaxed into smile.
"Take a seat and try one of these
CIGARS" he said. I'VE are anxious to
know how you managed it. VIII you
have some whisky and water?"
Il don't nina if l do" the detective
answered. ''The tremendous exertions
which 1 have gone through during the
last day or two have worn me out.
Not so much bodily exertion, you I'M
derstand, as the strain upon the mind.
You will appreciate that, Mr.. Sher-
workers."
"You do me too much honor" said
Holmes, grave1y. LET us hear how
you arrived at this most gratifying
result"
The detective seated himself in the
armchair and puffed complacently at
his cigar. Then suddenly he slapped
Lis thigh in paroxysm of amuse-
ment
"The fun of it is" he cried, ''that
that fool Lestrade, who thinks him
self so smart, has gone off upon the
wrong track altogether. He is after
The secretary, Stangerson, who had no
more to do with the crime than the
babe unborn. I have no doubt that
he has caught him by this time"
The idea tickled Gregson so much
that he laughted until he choked.
'And how did you get your clue ~
"Ah, I'll tell you all about 1t. OF
course, DR.. Watson. this is strictly be-
tween ourselves. The first difficulty
which we had to contend with was the
finding of thisA 1Araerican's anteced-
ents. Some people would have waited
until their advertisements were an
swered or until parties came forward
and volunteered information. That is
rot Tobias Gregson's way of gong
TO work. You remember the hat be-
side the dead MANI"
"Yes," said Holmes, ''by John I'm
:erwood & Sons, 129 Camberwell
road"
Gregson looked quite crestfallen.
81 had no idea that you noticed
that" he said. "Have you been there?'
mo"
"Ha." cried Gregson, in a relieved
voice, "you should never neglect a
chance, however small it may seem" "
"To a great mind nothing is little" :"
remarked Holmes, sententiously.
"Well, 1 went to Underwood and
asked him if he had sold hat of that
size and description. He looked over
his books and came on it at once. Tie
had sent the hat to Mr.. Drebber, re-
siding at Charpentier's boarding es-
tablishment. Torquay Terrace. Thus
got at his address"
Smart - very smart" murmured
Sherlock Holmes.
81 next called upon Madame Char
pentier," continued the detective. Il
found her very pale and distressed
Her daughter was in the room, too
an uncommonly fine girl she is too:
she was looking red about the eyes,
and her lips trembled as l spoke to
her. That didn't escape my notice.
began to smell a rat. You know the
| feeling, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, when
YOU once come upon the right scent
| 4 kind of thrill in your nerves. Have
YOU heard of the mysterious death OF
| ycur late brother. Mr.. Enoch J. Dreb
| Der. of Cleveland" I asked.
The mother nodded. She didn't
seem to get out word. The daughter
burst into tears. felt more than ever
that these people knew something OF
the matter. -.
AT what o'clock did Mr.. Drebbel
leave your house for the train"
asked.
cat 8 o'clock she said. gulpinG
in her throat to keep down her agita
ton. His secretary, Mr.. Stangerson
said that there were two trains-one
at 9:15 and one at IL. He was to
catch the first
"'And was that the last which you
saw of him.
"a terrible change came over the
woman's face as 1 asked the question
Her features turned perfectly livi0. Il
was some seconds before she could
get out the single word Yes and
when it did come it was in a husky
L
| There was silence for moment
and then the daughter spoke in a
calm, clear voice.
| "'No good can ever come OF false
hood, mother she said. Let us be
frank with the gentleman. We did see
Mr.. Drebber again.
"'God forgive you!' cried Madame
Charpentier, throwing up her hands
and sinking back in her chair. 'Yor
have murdered your brother!'
ARTHUR would rather that We
spoke the truth the girl answered
firmly.
You had best tell me all about il
now,' 1 said. Half condolences are
worse than none. Besides. you do MOI
know how much We know of it.
Ion your head be it. Alice!' cried
her mother; and then, turning to me
L will tell you all, sir. Do not imagine
that my agitation on behalf of my sor
arises from any fear lest he should
have had hand in this terrible affair
He is utterly innocent of it. My dreat
is. however, that in your eyes and il
the eyes of others he may appear tt
be compromised. That, however, i!
surely impossible. His high character
his profession, his antecedents wOulC
all forbid If"