Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-29

overpower one man: Il is unusual for them
TO be content with limited plumber when
there was much moro within their reach.
and finally. 1 should say. that II was very
unusual for such men to leave bottle
half empty. How do all these unusuals
strike you. Watson?'
Their cumulative effect IS certainly con-
siderable, and yet each of them IS quite
possible in itself. The most unusual thing
of all. it seems TO me. is that the lady
should be tied to the chair"
We'll [ am not so clear about that, Wat
son. for IL is evident that they must either
kill her or else secure her in such way
that she could not give immediate notice Of
their escape. But at any rate l have
shown. have 1 not, that there is a certain
element of smprobability about the iady's
story? And now, on the top of this. comes
the incident of the wiueglasses."
w hat about the wineglasses?'
can you see them in your minds eye2'
4 see them clearly"
I'VE are told that three men drank from
them. Does that strike you as likely?"
why not? There was wine in each
Exactly. but there was beeswIns only in
one glass. You must have noticed that
fact; What does that suggest to your
m;nd?"
THE last glass filed would be most likely
u contain beeswlng."
Not at all The bottle was full OF It. and
1t is uncomfortable that the first two glasses
were clear and the third heavily charged
with it, There are two possible explana-
tons. and only two One is that after the
second glass was filed the bottle was vio-
leEtly agitated and SO the third glass re
ceived the beeswing. That does not appear
probable. No, no, l am sure that | am
right"
what. then so you suppose?"
That only two glasses were used. and
that the dregs Of both were poured into "A
third glass, so as 10 give the false impress
sion that three people had been here In
"A he INK no in la
last glass, would il not? Yes. | am con-
WINGED that this is so. But II | have hit
upon the true explanation of this one small
phenomenon, then i'm an instant the case
rises from the commonplace 70 the exceed
irgly remarkable, for it can only mean that
Lady BrackenstaU and her maid have de-
Iiberately lied to US. that not one word OF
their story IS to be believed that they have
some very strong reason for covering the
real criminal, and that We must construct
our case for ourselves without any help
from them. That is the mission which now
hes before us. and here. Watson, is the
Sydenham train"
The household at the Abbey Grange were
much surprised at our return. but Sherlock
Holmes, finding that Stanley Hopkins had
gone off to report to headquarters
took possession of the dining room.
locked the door upon the inside and de-
voted himself for two hours to one of those
minute and labOrious Investigations which
form the solid basis on which his brilliant
edi1ces of deduction We're reared. Seated
III L COI ilei IKE III interested student VINO
observes the demonstration Of his profess
sor, followed every step of that remark
able research. The window, the curtains
the carpet the chair the rOpe-each in
turn was minutely examined and duly pom
dered. The body of the unfortunate baronet
had been removed. and all else remained as
we had seen II in the morning. Finally, to
my aStonlshment. Holmes climbed up on
the massive mantelpiece. Far above his
head hung the few inches of red cord which
were still attached to the wire. For a long
time he gazed upwards a it, and then in
an attempt to get nearer to it he rested
his knee upon a wooden bracket on the
wall. This brought his hand within a few
inches of the broken end of the rope but
1t was not this much as the bracket it
self which seemed to engage his attention
Finally, he sprang down with an ejacula-
ton of satisfaction.
It's all right, Watson" said he. We
have got our case-one of the most re-
markable in our collection. But. dear me
how slow-witted / have been. and how
nearly l have committed the blunder of
my lifetime! Now. 1 think that. with a
few missing links, my chain is almost com
plete."
You have got your mem"
Man. Watson, man. Only one, but a
very formidable person. Strong as a lion
witness the blow that bent that poker! Six
foot three in height. active as a squirrel
deXterous with his fingers. finally. remark
ably quick-witted, for this whole ingenious
story is of his concOction Yes, Watson
we have come upon the handiwOrk of a
very remarkable individual And yet in
that bell rope, he has given us a clue which
should not have left a doubt
Where was the clue?'
well, if you We're to pull down bell
rope, Watson, where would you expect II
to break? Surely at the spot where IT Is
attached to the wire Why should it break
three inches from the top. as this one has
done?'
Because it is frayed there?"
Exactly. This end, which We can ex-
anime, is frayed. He was cunning enough
to do that with his knife But the other
end is not frayed. You could not observe
that from here, but if you were on the
mantelpiece you would see that it is cut
clean off without any mark of fraying
whatever. You can reconstruct what oc-
CURED. The man needed the rope. He
would not tear it down for fear of giving
the alarm by ringing the bell. What did