Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-07-27
"Lct us hear about IT," said &c.

II We got my TuctS pretty CGar, 6ulO
Stanley Hopkins. "All I want now 10
to know what they nll mean. The sto-
ry. 40 far MS I can make II out, IL like
this: Some years ago this country
house, Yox!ey Old Place, was taken
by an elderly man. who gave the name
Of Professor Coram. He was an in.
valid, keeping bis bed half the time
and the other half hobbling round the
house with stick Or being pushed
about the grounds by the gardener in
a bath chair. lie was well liked by
the few neighbors who called upon
him. and he has the reputation down
there OF being very learned man.
His household used to consist of an
elderly housekeeper. Mrs. Marker. and
Of a maid, Susan TarltOn. These have
both been with him since his arrival
and they seem to be women Of excel
lent character. The professor is writ
ing a learned book, and he found 1t
necessary about year ago to engage
a secretary The first two that he tried
were not successes, but tho third, Mr..
Willoughby Smith, very young man
have been Just what his employer
wanted. His work consisted in writ
ing all the morning to the professor s
dictation. and he usually spent the
evening in hunting up references and
passages which bore upon the next
days work. This Willoughby Smith
has nothing against him, either as u
boy at Uppingham or as n young man
at Cambridge. I have seen his testi-
montalS, and from the first he was n
decent. quiet. hardwOrking fellow, with
no weak spot in him at all. And yet
this is the lad who has met his den til
this morning in the professors study
under circumstances which can point
only to murder"
The wind howled and screamed at
the windows. Holmes and l drew
closer to the fire, while the young In
spector slowly and point by point de-
veloped his singular narrative.
III you were to search all England
said he. II don't suppose you could
find household more self contained or
freer from outside influences. Whole
weeks would pass and not one Of them
| 60 past the garden gate. The pro-
fessor was buried in his work and ex-
listed for nothing else. Young Smith
knew nobody in the neighborhood and
lived very much as his employer did.
The two women had nothing to take
them from the house. Mortimer, the
gardener. who wheels the bath chair,
is an army pensioner, an old Crimean
man Of excellent character lie does
not live in the house but in q three
roomel cottage at the other end OF
the garden. Those are the only peo
( pie that you would find within the
grounds Of Yoxley Old Place. At the
same time the gate Of the garden is Il
hundred yards from the main Lon
don to Chatham road. 1t opens with
latch. and there is nothing to pre-
vent any one from walking in.
"Now I will give you the evidenc.
OF Susan Tarlton. who is the only per
son who can say anything positive
about the matter. 1t was in the fore
noon. between II and IL. She was en-
gagged at the moment in hanging som,
curtains in the upstairs front bed
room. Professor Coram was still Il,
bed. for when the weather is bad Il,
seldom rises before midday. The house
keeper was busted with some work il
the back OF the house. Willoughby
Smith had been in his bedroom, which
ne uses as sitting room, but the maiC
heard him Ut that moment pass alonl
h. a,
Immediately below her. She did moi
see him, but she says that she coull
not be mistaken in his quick, firm
tread. She did not hear the study
door Close but q minute or SO latel
there was dreadful cry in the room
below. 1t was o wild, hoarse scream
SO strange and unnatural that it nigh
woman. At the same instant ther'
was q heavy thud which shook til,
old house, and then all was silence
The maid stood petrifed for q moment
and then. recovering her courage, sh,
ran downstairs. The study door wal
shut. and she opened 1t. Inside youni
Mr.. WillouGhby Smith was stretched
upon the floor. At first she could SCI
no injury, but as she tried to rais'
him she saw that blood was pourin(
from the underside Of his neck.
was pierced by q very small but YER.
deep wound. which had divided tn
carotid artery. The instrument will
which the injury had been inflicted la!
upon the carpet beside him. 1t wa
one of those small sealing wax knivc
to be found on old fashioned writing
tables. with an ivory handle and
stin blade. 1t was part of tie fitting
Of the professors own desk.
"At first the maid thought that youn,
Smith was already dead, but on pour
ing some water from the. carafe owe
his forehead he opened his eyes for al
instant. The professor. he murmui
edit was She The maid Is prepare,
to swear that those were the exac
words. He tried desperately to sa,
something else, and he held bis rGh
hand up in the air. Then he fell bacl
dead.
I'm the meantime the housekeepe
had also arrived upon the scene. bu
she was just too nate to catch the youn
mans dying words. Leaving susa
with the body. she hurried to the pre-
fsssor's room. He was sitting up Il
| he'd h0rribly aRitated for he had hea r.