Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-20

EN and frosty morning to- XXI ward the end of the win < VI ter of '97 that I was z EG@MSSNv awakened by a tugging x vS0NeEJ at my shoulder. It was M Holmes. The candle in :slhis hand shone upon his eager, stoop- x Ing face and told me at a glance that X something was amiss.
 Come, Watson; comer' he cried.
 The game is afoot. Not word! Into your clothes and come.' z Ten minutes later we were both in a Y cab and rattling through the silent x streets on our way to Charing Cross { station. The first faint winters dawn { was beginning to appear. and we could dlmly see the occasional figure of an early workman as he passed us. blur red and indistinct in the opalescent London reek. Holmes nestled in si- lence into his heavy coat, and was ;, glad to do the same, for the air was M most bitter, and neither of us had a.brOken our fast.
 z It was not until we had consumed some hot tea at the station and taken our places in the Kentish train that we were sufficiently thawed, he to speak and I to listen Holmes drew q note from his pocket and read it aloud:
 Abbey Grange. Marsham, Kent,
 S:30 a. m.
 My Dear MT. Holmes-I should be very glad of your immediate assistance in what promises to be most remarkable case : It is something quite in your line Except 5 for releasing the lady, will see that ev- ] erything is kept exactly as I have found Z It, but beg you not to lose an instant as 1t is difficult to leave Sir Eustace there Yours faithfully,
 STANLEY HOPKINS.
 Hopkins has called me in seven times, and on each occasion his sum- mons has been entirely justified" said Holmes. ''I fancy that every one of his cases has found its way into your col lection, and I must admit, Watson, that you have some power of selection. which atones for much which deplore in your narratives Your fatal habit of looking at everything from the point of view of a story instead of as scien- , tific exercise has. ruined what might have been an instructive and even classical series of demonstrations You slur over work of the utmost finesse and delicacy in order to dwell upon sensational details which may excite but cannot possibly instruct the read CT"
 "Why do you not write them your self" said. with some bitterness
 T will. my dear Watson, I will At present I am. as you know, fairly busy. but I propose to devote my declining years to the composition of a textbook which shall focus the whole art of de- lection into one volume. Our present research appears to be a case of mur. der.'
 You think this Sir Eustace is dead, thenT'
 T should say so. Hopkins writing shows considerable agitation. and he is not an emotional man. Yes. I gather there has been violence and that the body is left for our inspection. A mere suicide would not have caused him to send for me. As to the release of the lady, it would appear that she has been locked in her room during the tragedy. We are moving In high life. Watson -crackling paper. E. B. monogram. coat of arms. picturesque address. I think that Friend Hopkins will live up to his reputation and that we shall have an interesting morning. The crime was committed before F last night
 How can you possibly tellf''
 By an inspection of the trains and by reckoning the time. The local police had to be called in: they had in com municate with Scotland Yard: Hopkins had to go out. and he in turn had to send for me. All that makes a fair nights work. Well, here we are at Chiselhurst station. and we shall soon set our doubts at rest"
 A drive of q couple of miles through narrow country lanes brought us 10 park gate. which was opened for us hy an old lodge keeper. whose haggar1 face bore the reflection of some great disaster The avenue ran through a noble park between lines of ancient elms and ended in low. widespread house pillared in front after the fash. ion of Palladi0. The central part was evidently of a great ago and shrouded fin ivy. but the large windows showed that modern changes had been carried out. and one wing of the house appear ed to be entirely new. The youthful figure and alert. eager face of Inspect or Stanley Hopkins confronted us in the open doersay.
 I'm very glad you have come. MT. Holmes. and you, too. Dr. Watson. But. indeed. if I had my time over again should not have troubled you. for since the lady has come to herself she has given so clear an account of the affair that there is not much left for us to do You remember that Lew .shsm gang of burgiarsT-
 What the three RandallsZ
 Exactly. tbe father and two sons. ssts their work have not a doubt Q, 7- They did 5sb at Sydenha1n a fort night ago and vere seen and described Rather cool so Go smother so soon and @ near. but u is they beyond all dOgbt It's hanging matter this time-
 sir E1<tzce is dead them
 -Yes: his head was knocked f1 with bis own poker
 .-c.- r--.- r,-..z-rr .. I