The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-26

Together they haa descended dhe stairs The door of the stud was open, and a candle was burning upon the table. Their master lay upon hhs face in tke center of the room. He was quite dead Near the window his wife was crouching, her Lead leaning against the wall. sae waJ horribly wounded, and the side of her face was red with blood. Sne breathe heavily, but was incapable of saying anything. The passage, as well as the room, was full of smoke and the smell of powder. The window was certainly shut and fastened upon the inside. Both wo- men were positive upon the point. They had at once sent for the doctor and for the constable. Then, with the aid of the groom and the stable boy. they had conveyed their injured mistress to her room. Both she and her husband had ocednped the bed. She was clad in her dress-he in his dressing gown, over his night-clothes. Nothing had been moved in the study. So far as they knew, there had never been any quarrel between husband and wife. They had always looked upon them as a very united 'uple.
 These were the main points of
 
 to Inspector Martin, they were clear that every door was fastened upon the inside, and that no one could have escaped from the house. In answer to Holmes, they both re- membered that they were conscious of the smell of powder from the mo- ment that they ran out of their rooms upon the top floor. 'I commend that fact very carefully to your attention" said Holmes to his professional col- league. And now 1 think that we are in a position to undertake a thor ough examination of the room"
 The study proved to be a small chamber. lined on three sides with books and with a W.T.. ag table fac ing an ordinary window, which looked out upon the garden. Cur first atten- ton was given to the body of the un- fortunate squire. who's huge frame lay stretched across the room. His disordered dress showed that he had been hastily aroused from sleep. The bullet had been fired at him from the front, and had remained in his body after penetrating, the heart. His death had certainly been instantaneous and painless. There was no powder marking either upon his dressing gown or on his hands. According to the country surgeon, the lady had stains upon her face, but none upon her hand
 ''The absence of the later means nothing, though it's presence may mean everything" said Holmes. Unless the powder from a badly fitting car trdge happens to squirt backwards, one may fire many shots without leav- ing a sign. l would suggest that MT. Cubitt's body may now be removed. l suppose doctor you have not re- covered the bullet which wounded the lady?'
 "A serious operation will be neces- sary before that can be done. But there, are still four cartridges in the revolver. Two have peen fired and two wounds inflicted, so that each bullet can be accounted for"
 "So 1t would seem," said Holmes. Perhaps you can account also for the bullet which has so obviously struck the edge of the wlndow?'
 He had turned suddenly, and his long, thin finger was pointing to a hole which had been drilled right through the lower window sash about an inch above the bottom.
 By Georgel' cried the inspector. Flow ever did you see tnat?"
 Because I looked for It."
 'sWonderfulr'r said the country doc- tor You are certainly right, sir. Then a. third shot has been fired, and therefore third person must have