Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-06-17

pure inanition. cat present I cannot
spare energy and nerve force for diges
tion,' he would say in answer to my
medical remonStrances. | was not sur.
prised, therefore, when this morning he
| left his untouched meal behind him and
started with me for Norwood A crowd
of morbid sightseers were still gathered
round Deep Dene House, which was
just such suburban villa as had pic
| tured. Within the gates Lestrade met
us, his face flushed with victory, his
manner grossly triumphant.
SWELL Mr. Holmes, have you proved
US to be wrong yet? Have you found
| your tramp?" he cried.
Il have formed no conclusion what
ever" my companion answered.
''But we formed ours yesterday, and
| now it proves to be correct, so you
must acknowledge that we have been
little in front of you this time, Mr..
Holmes"
"You certainly have the air Of some
thing unusual having occurred" said
Holmes. F
Lestrade laughed loudly.
''You don't like being beaten any
more than the rest Of us do" said he
"a man can't expect always to have
it his own way, can he, Dr. Watson :?
Step this way, if you please, gentle
men, and l think I can convince you
once for all that it was John McFar-
lane who did this crime"
He led us through the passage and
out into dark hall beyond.
'"This is where young McFarlane
must have come out to get his hat
after the crime was DONE" said he.
"Now, look at this" With dramatic
suddenness he struck a match and by
IT'S light exposed stain of blood upon
the whitewashed wall AS he held the
match nearer 1 saw that it was more
than a STAIN 1t was the we'll marked
print of thumb.
look at that with your magnifying
glass, Mr.. Holmes"
eyes, I am doing So"
"You are aware that no two thumb
marks are alike?'
81 have heard something Of the kind"
swell, then, will you please COM
pare that print with this wax impress
sion Of young McFarlane's right thumb
taken by my orders this morning." =
AS he held the waXen print close to
the blood stain it did not take mag
nifying glass to see that the two were
undoubtedly from the same thumb. 1t
was evident to me that our unfortunate
client was lost.
''That is final" said Lestrade.
Eyes, that is final" involuntarily
echoed.
cit is final" said Holmes.
Something in his tone caught my ear,
and l turned to look at him. An ex-
traordinary change had come over his
face. 1t was writing with inward
merriment. His two eyes were shining
like stars. 1t seemed to me that he
was making desperate efforts to re-
strain convulsive attack of laughter.
Dear me! Dear me" he said at
last. "Well, now, who would have
thought it? And how deceptive ap-
pearances may be, to be sure! Such
a nice young man to look at! 1t is a
lesson to us not to trust our own judg-
ment, is it not, Lestrade?"
Yes, some of us are little too much
inclined to be cocksure, Mr.. Holiness"
said Lestrade The mans insolence
was maddening, but we could not re-
sent 1t.
tWhat providential thing that this
young man should press his right
thumb against the wall in taking his
hat from the peg! Such very natural
action, too, If you come to think Of it. !"
Holmes was outwardly calm, but his
whole body gave wriggle Of sup
pressed excitement as he spoke. by
the way, Lestrade, who made this re-
discovery"
ut was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lex
lngtop. who drew the night constable's