The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-22

remarkable that no, one can pass him |
without observing him. "A shock Of
orange hair, pale face, disfgured by
q horrible scar, which, by its contrac-
ton has turned up the outer edge Of
his upper lip, bulldog chin and pair
Of very penetrating dark eyes, which
present singular contrast TO the color color
amid the common crowd Of mendicants,
and so, too, does his wit, for he is ever
ready with reply to any piece of
chaf which may be thrown at him by
the passerby. This is the man whom
we now learn to have been the ledger
at the opium den and to have been
the last man to see the gentleman Of
whom we are in quest.
"But a cripplel,' said /. What
against man in the prime Of life9'
He is cripple in the sense that he
walks with a limp; but in other re-
spects he appears to be q powerful and
well-nurtured man. Surely your medi-
cal experience would tell you, Wat
son, that weakness in one limb is often
compensated for byexceptional strength
in the others. - E
4 "Pray continue your narrative.D
"Mrs. ST.. Clair had tainted at the
sight Of the blood upon the window,
and she was escorted home in a cab
by the police, as her presence could be
Of no help to them in their investlga-
tions. Inspector Barton, who had charge
of the case, made a very careful ex-
animation Of the premises, but without
finding anything which htrew any light
made in not arresting Boone Instantly,
as he was allowed some few minutes
during which he might have communi-
Gated with his friend the Lascar, but
this fault was soon remedled, and ne
was seized and searched, without any
thing being found which would incrln-
mate him. There were, it is true, some
blood-stains upon his right shirt-sleeve,
but he pointed to his ring-fnger, which
had been cut near the nail, and ex-
planned that the bleeding came
from there, adding that he had been
to the window not long before, and that
the stains which had been observed
there came doubtless from the same
source. He denied strenuously having
ever seen Mr.. Neville St; Clair, and
! swore that the presence Of the clothes
in his room was as much mystery to
him as to the police. AS. to. Mrs. st.
| Clair's assertion that she had actually
seen her husband at the window, he
! declared that she must have been either
mad or dreaming. He was removed,
loudly protesting, to the police station,
while the inspector remained upon the
premises in the hope that the. ebbing
| tide might afford some fresh clew.
| "And it did, tho they hardly found
fnd. It was Neville st. Clair 8 coat,
and not Neville St. Clair, which lay IN
! covered as the tide receded. And what
do you think they found in the peck
ets11' ,.nn o. -, a;ne ;,
! "No, 7 don't think you would guess:
| Every pocket stuffed with pennies and
pennies. It was no wonder that it had
a al human imam Body body is a different mayer.
There is a fierce eddy between tho
wharf and the house. It seemed likely
enough that the weighted coat had
remained when the stripped body. had
been sucked away into the river.'
"But understand that all the other
clothes were found in the room. Would
emo, sir, but the facts might be met
speciously enough. Suppose that this
man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clail
, thru the window, there is no human eye
which could have seen the deed. What
would he do thens It would Of course
} Instantly strike him that he must get
,, rid Of the tell-tale garments. He woulo
l.
' of throwing it out, when it would occur
to him that it would swim and not sink
, He has little time, for he has heard tn,
: scuffle downstairs when the wife triet
y to force her way up, and perhaps III
! has already heard from his Lascar con
! federate that the police are hurryinf
up the street. There is not an lnstan
;. y. to be lost. He PUSHES to some secre
: horde, where he has accumulated tn
: fruits Of his beggary, and he stuffs al
. . the coins upon which he can lay nj
7 hands into the pockets to make sur
}. Of the coat g sinking. He throws /
D out, and would have done the sam
with the other garments had not h
/ heard the rush Of steps below, and onl.
g just had time to close the window whe
+ the police appeared.'
n "Well, we will take it as a workin
8 hypothesis for want Of better. Boone
q as have told you, was arrested an
d taken to the station, but it could no
q be shown that there had ever befor
q been anything against him. He had fo
?, years been known as a professional be&
= gar, but his life appeared to have bee
II q very quiet and innocent one. Their
l. the matter stands at present, and tn
d questions which have to be solved
4, what Neville St. Clair was doing in tn
le opium den, what happened to him whe
's there, where is he now, and what Hug
y Boone had to do with his disappearance
a-are all as far from solution as eve
le I confess that cannot recall any cas-
h within my experience which looked 6
8, the first glance so simple, and "
II which presented such difficulties
IF While Sherlock Holmes had been d
is failing this singular series Of event
80 we had been whirling thru the outskir
1t OF the great town until the last stra
r Cling houses had been left behind, an
it we ratified along with country hed@
Us upon either side Of us. just as he Fl
lie ished, however, we drove thru two sea
~ tered villages where a few lights sti
~ glimmered in the windows.
=. "We are on the outskirts Of Lee,
40 said my companion. HW We have touche
in on three English counties in our sho
to drive, starting in Middlesex, passi1
IS, over an angle Of Surrey, and endil
as in Kent. See that light among tt
he treesa That is tThe Cedars,' and b
er side that lamp sits woman who
", anxious ears have already, have lit
an doubt, caught the clink Of our horse
,e, "But why are you not conducting Il
VI lease from Baker streets' asked.
le, "Because there are many inquiri
&c. which must be made out here. Mrs. S
of Clair has most kindly put two rool
at my disposal, and you may, rest {
OF. sured that she will have nothing b
'es a welcome for my friend and colleagl
IN, hatest meet her, Watson, when ha
an no news Of her husband. Here we a.