The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-12


~ lru-.,h ter caused MIR. Sherlock
ET@TSNAV Holmes aud myself TO
Sse9uoze spend some weeks in one
Of our great university
towns. and It was during this time that
the small but instructive adventure
which / am about to relate befell us.
It VIII be obvious that any details
which would help the reader to exact
~ identify the college or the criminal
would be injudicious and offensive. So
painful a scandal may well be allowed
TO die out. With due discretion the in
cident itself may, however, be describ-
ed, since it serves to Illustrate some OF
thc1e qualities for which my friend
was remarkable. / will endeavor in
my statement TO avoid such terms as
would serve to limit the events to any
particular place or give a clew as TO
tie people concerned.
We were residing az tile time in fur
nishcd lodgings close to a library where
Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some
laborious researches In early English
charters-researche which led to re-
suits so striking that they may be the
subject OF one OF my future narratives.
Here it was that one evening we re-
ceived visit from an acquaintance,
Mr.. Hilton Soames, tutor and lecturer
at the College of st. Luke's. Mr.. Soames
was a tall spare man, Of a nervous and
cxcitable temperament. had always
known him to be restless in his man
ner, but on this particular occasion he.
was in such a state Of uncomfortable
agitation that 1t was clear something
very unusualhad occurred.
Il trust Mr. Holmes, that you can
spare me few hours OF your valuable
time. We have had very painful In.
cident at St Luke's, and really, but
for the nappy chance of your being in
town, should have been at loss
what TO do"
i am very busy just now. and de-
sire no distractions" my friend an
swered. Il should much prefer that
you called "a the aid OF the police"
''No, no. my dear sir; such course
Is utterly impossible. When once the
law is evoked It cannot be stayed
again, and this is Just one Of those
cases where. for the credit OF the col
lege, 1t is most essential n avoid scan
dal Your discretion is as well known
as your powers, and you ARE the one
man in the world who can help me
l beg you, Mr.. Holmes, to do what you
can"
Ny friends temper had not improv-
ed since he had been deprived OF the
surroundings OF Baker
street Without his scrapbook, his
chemicals and his homely untidiness
he was an uncomfortable man. He
shrugged his shoulders in ungracious
while our visitor In hur-
ried words and with much exeitable
poured forth his story.
Il must explain to you. Mr.. Holmes.
that tomorrow is the first day Of the
examination for the Fortescue scholar
sbip. l am one Of the examiners. My
rfnbject is Greek. and the first OF the
papers consists OF a large passage OF
Greek translation which the candidate
has not seen. This passage IS printed
on the examination paper and II
would naturally be an immense ad-
vantage II the candidate could prepare
it in advance For this reason great
care is taken 10 keep the paper secret.
'eToday about 3 o'clock the proofs
of this paper arrived from the printers
The exercise consists OF half chapter
OF Ihucydides. ] had to read It over
carefully. as the text must be abso-
lutely correct At 4:3O my task was
not yet COMPLETED. / hid, however,
promised to take tea In q friends
rooms, so l left the proof upon my
desk. was absent more than an hour.
-lou are aware, Mr.. Holmes, that
cur college doors are double-a green
baize one within and a heavy oak one
without AS ! approached my outer
door I was amazed to see key IN IL
Tor All instant | Imagined that l had
left my own there. but on feeling IN my
pocket ! found that IL was all right
The only duplicate which existed. so
FAR as I knew. was that which belonged
20 my servant, Bannister. a man who
has looked after my room for ten years
aud whose hoEessy is absolutely above
suspicion. found that the key was
iadeed his. that he had entered my
room to know II wanted tea and that
he bad very carelessly left the key Ia
the door when he came out His visit
70 my room must have been within a
very few minutes Of my leaving IT, His
forgetfulness about the key would have
mattered little upon any other occa-
sion. but on this one day Il has pro
dueed the most deplorable conse-
quences.
The moment looked at my table
was aware that some one had rum
maged among ny papers. The proof
was IN three long slips ! had left
them all together. Now / found that
one Of them was lying on the floor, one
was On the side ta,Dle near the window
and the third was where had left H."
Holmes stirred for the first time
The frst page on the fioor. the sec
ond IN the window. the third where you
left itf' said be.
Exactly. Afr. Holmes. You amaze
me How could you possibly know
tEaty'
Prey continue your very interesting
statement
Per an Instant Imagined thaf Ban
mister had taken ne rnpardonable ub-
erlx u cxaminlng my papers He de-
nIel h however with TIE utmost ear
resfuess. and am confinced ihul te
was speaking ne truth The alterna.
lQe was thai some ono passing had %