Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-09-02

the very door What could he do? He
caught up everything which would be-
tray him, and be rushed into your bed
room TO conceal himself"
Good gracious. Mr.. Holmes. do you
mean 10 tell me that all the time was
talking TO BaHnister In this room we
had the man prisoner if we had only
known it,"
$50 read it."
Surely there is another alternative.
Mr.. Holmes. don't know whether
you observed my bedroom Window"
Lattice paned. lead framework.
three separate windows. one swinging
on hinge and large enough TO admit a
man"
Exactly. And 1t looks out on an
angle OF the courtyard so as TO be
partly invisible. The man might have
effected his entrance there, left traces
as he passed through the bedroom, aud
finally. finding the door open. have es-
capped that way"
Holmes shook his head impatiently.
"Let Us be practical" said he. 81
understand you TO say that there are
three students who use this stair and
are in the habit of passing your door?'
Yes. there are"
And they are all in for this examina-
tion:"
"Yes."
Have YOU any reason 70 suspect any
one Of them more than the othcrsY'
Soames hesitated.
1T is a very delicate question" said
he. "One hardly likes to throw sus-
picion where there are no proofs"
let US hear the suspicious. will
look after the proofs"
Il viii tell you, then. In a few words
the character of the three men who in
habit these rooms. The lower of the
three Is Gilchrist. fine scholar and
athlete; plays IN the Rugby team and
the cricket team for the college and
got his blue for the hurdles and the
long jump. He is a fine. manly fellow.
His father was the notorious Sir Jabez
Gilchrist, who ruined himself on the
turf. Ny scholar has been left very
poor, but be is Woodworking and IN
dustrious. He viii do well.
The second eoor is inhabited by
Daulat Ras, the Indian he Is
quiet. inscrutable fellow. as most OF
those Indians are. He IS well up I'm
his work. though his Greek is his weak
subject. He is steady and methodical.
The top floor belongs TO Miles Nc
Laren. He Is a brilliant fellow when
he chooses TO work-one OF the bright
est intellects Of the university-but he
Is hayward. disslpated and unprlnci-
pied. He was nearly expelled over a
card scandal in his first year. He has
been idling all this Germ. and he must
look forward With dread 10 the ex-
animation"
"Then Il is he whom you suspect"
Il dare not go so far as that but OF
the three he Is perhaps the least I'M
likely"
Exactly. Now. Mr. soames. let us
have a look ar your servant, Bannis-
ter"
he was a little. white faced. clean
shaven. grizzly haired fellow OF nifty
He was still suffering from this sud
den disturbance OF the quiet routine OF
his life. His plump face was twitching
with his nervousness. and his fingers
could not keep still
we are investigating this unhappy
business, Bannlster," said his master.
"Yes. SIR
Il understand" said Holmes, that
you left your key In the doorI"
Eyes. sir"
'Was IL not very extraordinary that
you should do this on the very day
when there were these papers insideT'
''It was most unfortunate, sir But I
have occasionally done the same thing
at other times"
"Nhen did you enter the roomT"
ut was about half past 4. That is
Mr.. Soames' tea time"
How long did you stayT
when I saw that he was absent,
withdrew ar once"
did you look at these papers on the
tabley"
''No, sir; certainly not"
How came you 10 leave the key in
the doorT'
Il had the tea tray In my hand.
thought I would come back for the
key. Then forgot"
Has the outer door a spring Iock?"
''No, sir"
''Then it was open all the timer"
eyes, sir"
"Any one In the room could get out?'
''Yes, sir"
''When Mr.. SOames returned and
called for you, you We're very much dis
turbed?"
'Yes. sir. Such thing has never
happened during the many years that
1 have been here. nearly tainted,
sir
$50 I understand. Where were You
when you began 10 feel badg'
Where was 1, sir? Why, here, near
the door"
That is singular. because you sat
down in that chair over yonder near
the corner. Why did you pass these
other chairs -
Il don't know, sir. 1t didn't matter
to me where / sat"
Il really don't think he knew much
about it, Mr.. Holmes. He was looking
very bac-quite CHASTITY"
you stayed here when your master
leftf"
Only for a minute or so; then lock-
ed the door and went to my ROOM"
Whom did you suspectf"