Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-08-25

OF smoke and the smell of powder.
The window was certainly shut and
fastened upon the inside. Both wo-
men were positive upon the point.
They had at once sent for the doctor
and for the constable. Then, with the
aid Of the groom and the stable boy,
they had conveyed their injured mis-
tress to her room. Both she and her
husband had occupied the bed. She
was clad in her dress, he in his dress
Ing gown, over his night clothes. Moth
Ing had been moved in the study. So
Tar as they knew, there had never been
any quarrel between husband and wife.
They had always looked upon them as
! very united couple.
These were the main points Of the
servants evidence. In answer to In
spector Martin they were clear that ev-
cry door was fastened upon the inside
and that no one could have escaped
from the house. In answer to Holmes
they both remembered that they were
conscious of the smell Of powder from
the moment that they ran out Of their
rooms upon the top floor. II commend
that fact very carefully to your atten-
tion," said Holmes to his professional
colleague. "And now think that we
are in a position to undertake thor
ough examination Of the ROOM"
The study proved to be a small cham
Der lined on three sides with books
and with writing table facing an or
binary window, which looked out upon
the garden. Our first attention was
given to the body of the unfortunate
squire, whose huge frame lay stretch
ed across the room. His disordered
dress showed that he had been hastily
aroused from sleep. The bullet had
been fred at him from the front and
had remained in his body after pene-
trating the heart. His death had GER
tainly been instantaneous and painless.
There was no powder marking either
upon his dressing gown or on his
hands. According to the country sur
geon, the lady had stains upon her
face, but none upon her hand.
''The absence Of the latter means
nothing, though Its presence may mean
everything" said Holmes. Unless the
powder from badly fitting cartridge
happens to squirt backward one may
fire many shots without leaving sign.
! would suggest that Mr., Cubitt's body
may now be removed. ! suppose, doc,
tor. you have not recovered the bullet
which wounded the ladyf'
"a serious operation will be necessa.
~ before that can be done. But there
are still four cartridges in the revolver.
Two have been fred and two wounds
inflicted, SO that each bullet can be ac-
counted Tor.
$50 it would SEEM" said Holmes.
"Perhaps you can account also for the
bullet which has 80 obviously struck
the edge Of the Window"
He had turned suddenly, and his
long, thin finger was pointing to hole
which had been drilled right through
the lower window sash about an inch
above the bottom.
"By Georgep' cried the inspector.
"How ever did you see thatr'
Because looked for It"
WONDERFUL said tho country doc
tor. "You ase certainly right sir. Then
third shot has been fred, and there
fore third person must have besn
present, But who could that have been
and how could he have got away7"
'That is the problem which we are
now about to solve" said Sherlock
Holmes. "You remember, Inspector
Martin, when the servants said that on
leaving their room they were at once
conscious of smell Of powder re-
marked that the point was an extreme
" important one?"
Eyes, sir; but I confess did not
quite follow you"
1T suggested that at the time Of the
firing the window as we'll as the door
2S the room had been open. Otherwise
the fumes Of powder could not have
been blown SO rapidly through the
house. A draft in the room was nee
essary for that. Both door and win
dow were only open for very short
time, however," So
@"How do you prove tAata"
Because the candle was not gut
tered"
"Capitalw cried the inspector. Gap
italr'
Feeling sure that the window had
been open at the time Of the tragedy,
conceived that there might have been
third person in the affair, who stood
outside this opening and fred through
1t. Any shot directed at this person
might hit the sash. looked, and there,
sure enough, was the bullet markl''
But how came the window to be
shut and fastened?"
1.-THE woman's first instinct would be
to shut and fasten the window. But,
hello! What is this7"
1t was lady's hand bag which stood
upon the study table-a trim little hand
bag Of crocodile skin and silver.
Holmes opened it and turned the con:
tents out. There were twenty ATTY
pound notes Of the Rank of England,
held together By az India rubber band
| nothing else.
'9rhis must be preserved, for It viii
figure In the trial." said Holmes as he
handed the bag with its contents to the
inspector. ut is now necessary that
we should try to throw some Light upon
this third bullet, which has clearly,
from the splintering Of the wood, been
| fired from inside the room. should
like to see Mrs. King, the cook, again.
You said, Mrs. King, that you were
awakened by loud explosion. When
you said that did you mean that II
seemed to you to pc louder than the
second one2"