Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-08-18
By A. CONAN DOYLE,
thing unusual having occurred" sal,

You don't like being beaten any
more than the 1T of us do" said he.
"a man can't G. ect always to have
II his own way, can he, DR.. Watson?
Step this way, If you please, gentle
men, and I think 1 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.
Nov, look at this" With dramatic
suddenness he struck match and by
Its light exposed stain Of blood upon
the whitewashed wall. AS he held the
match nearer 1 saw that it was more
than stain. 1t was the well marked
print Of thumb.
"Look at that with your magnifying
| glass, Mr.. Holmes"
Eyes, am doing So"
gYou are aware that no two thumb
marks are alike7'
II have heard something Of the kind.''
"Well, 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 a mag
ntfying glass to see that the two were
undoubtedly from the same thumb. 1t
was evident to me that our unfortunate
client was lost.
sThat is fnal,p said Lestrade.
eyes, that Ia dnal," involuntarily
echoed.
ut is final," said Holmes.
Something In his tone caught my ear,
and I turned to look at him. An ex-
traordinary change had come over his
face. It was writing with inward
merriment. His two eyes were shining
| like stars. It seemed to me that he
was making desperate efforts to re-
strain convulsive attack Of laughter.
Dear me! Dear mel" he said at
last. "Well, now, who would have
thought it? And how deceptive ap-
pearances may be, to be sure! Such
q nice young man to look at! 1t is a
lesson to US not to trust our own judg-
ment, is it not, Lesrade?"
"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.
what providential thing that this
young man should press his right
! thumb against the wall In taking his
hat from the pegl 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-
markable discovery"
ut was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lex.
attention to it,"
"Where was the night constableT'
"He remained on guard In the bed
i room where the crime was committed
20 as to see that nothing was touched"
"But why didn't the police see this
mark yesterday"
"Well, we had no particular reason
to make careful examination of the
hall. Besides, it's not In very promi.
nent place, as you see.'
mo. no-of course not. I suppose
there Is no doubt that the mark was
there yesterday 2"
Lestrade looked at Holmes as If he
thought he was going out Of his mind
! confess that I was myself surprised
both at his hilarious manner and al
his rather wild observation.
II don't know whether you think that
McFarlane came out Of Jail in the
dead Of night In order to strengthen
the evidence against himself" said
1estrade. II leave 1t to any expert
IN the world whether that Is not the
mark Of his thumb"
ut is unquestionably the mark OF
his thumb"
"There. that's enough" said Lestrade
r am practical man, Mr.. Holmes
and when I have got my evidence ]
come to my conclusions. II you have
anything to say you will find me writ
ing my report in the sitting ROOM"
Holmes had recovered his equanimi.
! t., though still seemed to detect
CLEANS Of amusement In his expires.
sion.
"Dear me, this is a very sad devel.
! opment, Watson, is 1t mott" said he
"And yet there are singular points
about 1t which hold out some hopes for
our client"
| II am delighted to hear it." said ]
heartily. II was afraid 1t was all up
1 with him."
II would hardly 90 so far as to say
that, my dear Watson. The fact is that
there is one really serious flaw in this
I evidence to which our friend attaches
DO much Importance
| Indeed, Holmes! What Ia it?"
.'only this, that know that that
mark was not there when.,I examined
the hall yesterday. And now, Watson
let us have little stroll round in the
sunshine"
With q confused brain, but with a
heart into which some warmth Of hope
| was returning, I accompanied my
| friend in q walk round the garden
Holmes took each face Of the house ir
| turn and examined it with great inter
est. He then led the way inside and
went over the whole building from
basement to attic: Most of the rooms
were unfinished, but none the less
Holmes inspected them all infinitely
Finally, on the top corridor, which ran
outside three untenanted bedrooms, he
again was seized with spasm Of mer.
riment,
There are really some very unique
features about this case, Watson" said
he. II think 1t is time now that we