Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-10-03

coil Of gray smoke swiried down tn
corridor, while the dry straw crackle
and famed.
Now we must see If we can find thi
witness for you, Lcstrade. Night
ask you ali TO join in the cry Of Fire
Now, then-one. two, three"
"Firev we ail yelled.
"Tnank you. l will trouble you ono
again"
"r'.rev'
Just once more. gentlemen. and al
together"
"f.rc..' The shout must have rum
over Norwood.
1t Ia! h.::...y Gied away when al
amazing t.i...y happened. A door sud
deny ilcw; o9en out of what appeared
to be soil wall at the end of the cor
ri,.or ami little wiZened man dartet
out of it like = rabbit out Of its bur
row.
Capital" said Holmes calmly
"Watson, bucket Of water over tn
straw. That will do! Lestrade, ALLOW
me to present you with your principa
missing witness, Mr.. Jonas Oldacre."
The detective stared at the newcom
er with blank amazement. The latte
was blinking in the bright light Of tn
corridor and peering at us and at tn
smoldering fire. 1t was an odiou
face-Crafty, vicious, malignant, will
shifty. light gray eyes and white
lashes.
whats this, then?" said Lestrade a
last. What have you been doing al
this time. eh?"
Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh, shrink
ing back from the furious red face Of
the angry detective.
81 have done no HARM"
"No harm? You have done your best
to get an innocent man hanged. II II
wasn't for this gentleman here an
not sure that you would not have sue
ceeded."
The wretched creature began t.
whimper.
II am sure, sir, 1t was only my prac
tical joke"
"Oh, a joke, was it? You won't find
the laugh on your side, promise you
Take him down and keep him in the
sitting room until come. Mr. Holmes,
he continued when they had gone, 81
could not speak before the conatables
but don't mind saying in the presence
of DR.. Watson that this is the brightest
thing that you have done yet, though 1t
is u mystery to me how you did it. You
have saved an innocent mans life, and
you have prevented very grave scan
dal which would have ruined my repu-
tation in the force"
Holmes smiled and clapped Lestrade
upon the shoulder.
"Instead of being ruined, my good
sir, you will find that your reputation
has been enormously enhanced. Just
make a few alterations in that report
which you were writing and they will
understand how hard it is to throw
dust in the eyes Of Inspector Lestrade." :"
"And you don't want your name to
appear?"
Not at all. The work is its own re-
ward. Perhaps I shall get the credit
also at some distant day, when l per-
NIT my jealous historian to lay out his
foolscap once more-eh, Watson? Well,
now, let us see where this rat has been
lurking"
A lath and plaster partition had been
run across the passage six feet from
the end, with door cunningly conceal
ed in it. 1t was lit within by slits un-
der the caves. A few articles of furni-
ture and a supply Of food and water
were within, together with u number
Of books and papers.
"There's the advantage Of being a
builder" said Holmes as we came out.
"He was able to fix up his own little
hiding place without any confederate,
save, of course, that precious house
keeper of his, whom should lose no
time in adding to your bag, Lestrade."
"I'll take your advice. But how did
you know of this place, Mr.. Holiness"
81 made up my mind that the fellow
was in hiding in the house. When /
paced one corridor and found 1t six
feet shorter than the corresponding
one below it was pretty clear where
he was. | thought he had not the nerve
to lie quiet before an alarm of fire. We
could, Of course. have gone in and TAX
ell him, but it amused me to make him
reveal himself. Besides, l owed you a
little mystification. Lestrade, for your
chaff in the morning"
well, sir, you certainly got equal
with me on that. But how in the world
did you know that he was in the house
ut all!"
1.-The thumb mark. Lestrade. You
said it was final, and SO 1t was in q
very different sense. l knew it had
not been there the day before. pay
q good deal Of attention to matters Of
detail, as you may have observed, and
l had examined the hall and was sure
that the wall was clear. Therefore 1t
had been put on during the night"
But how?"
every simply. When those packets
were sealed up Jonas Oldacre got Nc
Farlanc to secure one Of the seals by
putting his thumb upon the soft wax.
1t would be done so quickly and so
naturally that I dare say the young
man himself has no recollection Of it.
Very likely it just so happened, and
Oldacre had himself no notion Of the
use he would put it to. Brooding over
the case in that den Of his, it suddenly
struck him what absolutely damning
evidence he could make against Nc
Farlane by using that thumb mark.
1t was the simplest thing In the world
for him to take a wax impression from
the seal, to moisten it In as much
blood. as he could get from a pin prick
and to put the mark upon the wall dur
Ing the night either with his own hand
or with that of his housekeeper. II
YOU examine among those documents
which he took with him into his re-
treat 1 will lay you wager that you
find the seal with the thumb mark
upon it."
"Wonderful" said Lestrade. won
derful! It's all aS clear as crystal as
YOU put it. But what is the object Of
this deep deception, Mr.. HOlmes?
It was amusing to me to see how the
detectives overbear!ng manner had