The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1905-10-27
i Continued from last week.

.1oa certainly have the air Of some
thing unusual having occurred sal,
Holmes.
Desirable laughed loudly.
You don't like being beaten aul
moro HAN The rest of rs do said he
y man can't expect always To hast
ID his own way, can lie. Or Watson
Step thi way. if you please. gentle
meL and | thnk l can convince yor
Once for all thu it WAS John Mcfar
lane who did this crime"
lie led us through the passage and
OH into dark hall beyond.
This IS where young McE'arlane
.ust have come ont to get his hal
after The crime was done" said he
Now. look nj this" With dramatic
suddcnncS> lie struck a match and 10y
lis light, exposed a stain Of blood upon
the WhitcWashcd wall As he held The
match nearer | saw that it was more
than stain. 1t was the well marked
print Of II thumb.
Look ut that with your magnifying
glass, Mr. Holmes"
Yes. ] am doing SO"
You are aware that no two thumb
marks are alike
Il have heard something Of the kind. 3"
We'll. thcn. Will you please com
oare that print with this WAX impress
sion Of young Mcl7arlane's right thumb
laken by my orders this morning."
rs lie held the Waxen print close To
the blood stain it did not take mag
nifying glass 10 see that the two were
undoubtedly from the same thumb 1t
WIS evident 10 me that our unfortunate
client was lost.
That is final" said Lestrade
Yes. that IS final" | inyolmtarily
echoed.
1T !. final, said Holmes.
Something in his tone caught my ear,
and | turned to look at him. An eN-
traordinary change had come over his
face. II was writing. with inward
merriment. Ills two eyes were shining
like stars. 1t seemed to me that he
was making desperate efforts TO re
strain Il convulsive attack Of laughter
Dear me- Dear me- he said ut
last. well, now. who would have
thought it, And how deceptive ap-
pearances may be. to he sure, Such
Il nice young man TO look at. II is Il
lesson 10 us not 10 trust our own judy
ment. is it not. Lestrade.'
Yes. some of US are a little too much
inclined TO be eockSure, Mr.. Holmes. ="
said desirable. Tic mans insolcnce
was maddenng. bur we could not re-
sent il.
What a prori'lential thing that this
young man should press his right
thumb against the wall in taking his
hat from the peg Such II very natural
action, too, if you come 10 think OK it.
Holmes WAS oatWardly calm. but his
Whole body gave Il Wriggle of sup
pressed excitement as he spoke. by
the way. Lestrade. who made this re
markable discovery"
1T WIS the hoasclleeper, Mrs. Lex
ington, who drew the night constable's
attention to il.
Where was the night eonstablef"
"He remained on guard in the bed
room where the crime was committed
50 as to see that nothing WAS touched"
But why didn't the police see this
mark yesterday
We'll we had ~ particular reason
TO make careful examination of the
hall Besides It's not in very promi-
nent place. aS you see
No. no of course not | suppose
sh1re is no doubt that the mark was
thcpe Yesterday"
Les rade looked ut Holmes as If he
shouylit he was going out Of his mind
I confess that | was myself surprised
both at his hilarious manner and at
his rather wild observation.
Il don't know whether you think that
McFarlanc came out OF Jail in the
dead of night in order 10 strengthen
the evidence against himself" said
Lestrade. Il leave It to any expert
IN the world whether that is not the
mark Of his thumb"
1T is mauestionably the mark Of
his thumb"
There. that's enough" said Lestrade
Il am practical man, Mr. Holmes,
and when | have got my evidence |
come to my conclusions. IL you have
anything TO say You Will find me writ
ing my report In the sitting ROOM
Holmes had recovered his equanimi-
". though | still seemed to detect
CLEANS of amusement in his express
sion.
Dear me. this is very sad devel-
opment, Watson. is it not?" said he.
and yet there are singular points
about It which hold ont some hopes for
our client"
II am delighted TO hear It," said
heartily. Il was afraid it was all up
with him"
Il would hardly 20 50 far as TO say
that, my dear Watson. The fact Is that
there is one really serious flaw in this
evidence to which our friend attaches
80 much Importance"
Indeed. Holmes. What * IT."
"Only this, that | know that that
mark was not there when | examined