Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-07-20

K602N4a Holmes and myself to
VS6NSH spend some weeks In one
OF our grcnt university
towns, and IL was during this time that
the small but instructive adventure
which I am about to relate befeIl 10.
1t will be obvious that any details
which would help the reader to exact
ly identity the college or the criminal
would be injudicious and offensive. So
painful a scandal may well be allowed
to die out. With due discretion the In
rident itself may, however. be describ-
ed, since it serves to illustrate some Of
those qualities for which my friend
was remarkable. will endeavor In
my statement to avoid such terms as
would serve to limit the events to any
particular place or give a clew as to
the people concerned.
We were residing at the time in fur
lished lodgings close to library where
Eherlock Holmes was pursuing some
labOrious researches in early English
acknowledgements which led to re-
suits 90 striking that they may be the
pubject Of one Of my future narratives.
Here 1t was that ono evening we re.
reived a visit from an acquaintance.
Mr.. Hilton Soames. tutor and lecturer
at the College of st. Luke's. Mr.. Soames
was tail, spare man. Of nervous and
excitable temperament. l had always
known him to be restless in his man.
ner. but on this particular occasion he
was in such a state of uncomfortable
agitation that II was clear something
very unusual had occurred.
Il trust, Mr.. Holmes. that you can
spare me a few hours Of your valuable
time. We have had a very painful in
cident at st. Luke's. and really, but
for the happy chance of your being in
town, should have been at loss
what to do
II am very busy Just now, and de-
sire NO distractions" my friend an
swered. II should much prefer that
you called in the aid Of the police"
mo. no, my dear sir such course
Is utterly impossible. When once the
law Is evoked 1t cannot be stayed
again, and this Is just one Of those
cases where. for the credit Of the col
lege. it u most essential to avoid scan
dal. Your discretion is as well known
as your powers, and you are the one
man In the world who can help me-
I beg you. Mr. Holmes. to do what you
can"
My friends temper had not improv-
I'd since he had been deprived Of the
Pongenial surroundings Of Baker
street. Without his scrapbc *, his
chemicals and his homely untidiness
he was an uncomfortable man. He
shrugged his shoulders in ungra cious
lcquisscence, while our visitor in hur
lied words and with much eXcitable
gestculation poured forth his story.
II li,ust explain to you. Mr.. Holmes
that tomorrow Is the first day OF the
examination for the Fortescue scholar
ship. I am one Of the examiners. My
subject Is Greek. and the first Of the
papers consists Of a large passage Of
Greek translation which the candidate
has not seen. This passage Is printed
on the examination paper. and it
would naturally be an immense ad-
vantage " the candidate could prepare
It in ADVANCE. For this reason great
cage IL taken to keep the paper secret.
To-day about 3 o'clock the proofs
pf this paper arrived from the printers.
EAe exercise consists Of half q chapter
Sf Thucydides. had to read It over
carefully, as the text must DO abso.
lutsjy correct. At 4:30 my task was
not yet completed. had, however,
promised to fake tea in q friends
rooms, SO l left the proof upon my
lesk. was absent more than an hour.
You are aware, Mr. Holmes. that
our college doors are double-a green
baize one within and a heavy oak one
without? AS ! approached my outer
door l was amazed to see a key In it.
For an instant ! imagined that l had
left my own there. but on feeling In my
pocket ! found that it was all right
The only duplicate which existed, so
far as knew, was that which belonged
to my servant, Bannister a man who
has looked after my room for ten years
and whose honesty Is absolutely above
suspicion. found that the key was
Indeed his. that he had entered my
room to know II wanted tea and that
he had very carelessiy left the key in
the door when he came out His visit
10 my room must have been within q
very few minutes of my leaving 1t. His
4Orgetfulness about the key would have
mattered little upon any other Occa-
sion, but on this one day 1t las pro.
Suced the most deplorable conss-
puences.
''The moment I looked at my table
was aware that some one had rum
mayed among my papers. The proof
was In three long slips. ! had left
them all together. Now found that
One Of them was lying on the 1oer. one
was on the side table near the window
and the third was where had left It,"
Holmes stirred for the first time.
1.-THE frst page on tbe floor, the ssc-
Snd In the window, the third whore you
left it?" said be.
Exactly. Mr.. Holmes. You smsse
me. How could you possibly know
that?"
"Pray continue your very interesting
statement"
"For IN instant ! imagined that Ban.
ulster had tsksn the unpardonabls lib.
erty Of examining my papers. He de-
nied 1t. however. with the utmost ear.
nsstnsss. and An convinced thst b
mas speaking the truth. The eitespa'