The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1905-11-03
Continued from last week.


out of it like Il rabbit out of its bur
row.
"Capitul,' said Holmes calmly.
watson. II bucket of wafer over the
straw. That will do, Lestrade, allow
me u present you with your principal
missing witness. Mr. Jonas Oldacre'
The detective stared at the newcom-
er with blank anlazement The latter
Was blinking in the bright light of the
corridor and peering at us and at the
smollcring fire. 1t was an odious
nee crafty vicious. malignant, with
shifiy. light gray eyes and white
laslles
Whats this, then?' said Lestrade mt
Iast What have you been doing all
ais time. ehf'
Oldacrc gave an uneasy laugh, shrink
ing back from the furious red face of
he angry detective
Il have done no HARM
Ne harm? You have done your best
% get an innocent man hanged. If it
wasn't for this gentleman here | am
not sure that you would not have sue
ceeded."
The wrctched creature began TO
whimpcr.
Il am sure. sir, il was only my prac-
teal joke"
"Oh. II joke. was it? You won't find
the laugh on your side, promise you.
Take him down and keep him in the
sitting room until come, Mr. Holmes"
he continued when they had gone, 81
could not speak before the constables,
but don't mind saying in the presence
of Dr. Watson that this is the brightest
thing that you have done vet though it
* a mystery 10 me how you did il. You
have saved an innocent mans life, and
you have prevented n very grave scan
dial. which would have ruined my repu-
tation in the force
Holmes smiled and elapped Lestrade
upon the shoulder
Instead of being ruined my good
sir. you will find that your reputation
has been enormously enhanced. lust
make few alterations in that report
which you We're writing and they will
understand how hard it is II throw
dus, in the eyes of Inspector l.estrade.'
"AId yon don't want yonr name to
appear"
Not ut all The work is its own re
ward. Perhaps | shall get the credit
also ut some distant day. when | per-
nit my zealpus historian to lay out his
foolscap once more oh. Watson: Well
now. let us see where this rat has been
lurking
y lath and plaster partition had been
run across the passage six feet from
the end. with door cunnngy conceal
ed in it, II was Ill within by sits I'M
der the caves. \ few articles of furni-
ture and Il supply of food and water
We're within. Together with II number
Of books and papers.
There's the advantage of being a
builder" said Holmes as we came out
lie WAS able T. tx up his own little
hiding place without any confederate
save of course. that precious house
keeper of his. whom | should lose no
time in adding 10 sogI bag, Lestrade."
IN take your advice. But how did
you know of this place. Mr.. lIolmesY
Il made mp my mind that the fellow
was IN hiding in the house When |
paced one corridor and found il six
feet shorter than the corresponding
one below it WAS pretty clear where
he was. thought he had not the nerve
To lie QUIET befafe nj ahlrm of fire. We
could. of course. have gone in and tax
en- him, but ii amused me 10 make him
reveal himself. Besides, | owed you
little myytftirsttion. LeStrade, for your
chan in the morning
We'll. sir, you certainly got equal
with me on that. But how in the world
did you know that he was III tile house
at ALL
The thumb mark. LcStradc. You
said it was !iual, and so it was in
very different sense. | knew il had
not been there the day before | pay
"A good deal of attention 10 matters of
detail. as you may have observed. and
| had examined the hall and was sure
that the wall was clear. Therefore it
had been put ON during the night"
but how
VERY simply. When those packets
were sealed up Jonas Oldacre got Nc
Farlane To secure one of the seals by
putting his thumb upon the soft WAX.
1t would be done so quickly and SO
naturally that | dare say the young
man himself has no recollection of il.
Very likely it just so happened, and
Oldaere had himself no notion of the
use he would put il TO. Broodlng over
the case in that den Of his, it suddenly
struck him what absolutely damning
evidence he could make against Me
Farlane by using that thumb mark.
Ii was the simplest thing in the world
for him TO take wax impression from
the seal, to moisten it in as much
blood as he could get from pin prick
and To put the mark upon the wall dur
ing the night either with his own hand
or with that of his housekeeper. If
l. 49,.