Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-24

Il have told you every thing, sir"
Nothing TO add?"
Nothing at all. SIR
well, then, | must make some sug-
gestionS TO you. When you sat down
OH that chair yesterday did you do so
in order TO conceal some object which
would have shown who had been in
the roomI"
BannisteT's face was CHASTITY.
No. sir; certainly not"
1T is only a suggestion" said Holmes
suavely. Il frankly admit that I am
unable to- prove 1t. But il seems prob
able enough, since the moment that
Mr. Soames' back was turned you re-
leased the man who was hiding In that
bedroom"
Bannister licked his dry lips.
There was no man. sir"
"Ah, that's pity, Bannister. Up to
now you may have spoken the truth.
but now know that you have lied"
The mans face set In sullen defiance.
There was no man, SIR
Come, come. Bannister"'
mo, sir; there was no one"
"In that case you can give us no fur
Their information. Would you please
remain In the room? Stand over there
near the bedroom door. Now, Soames.
1 am going to ask you to have the
great kindness to go up TO the room OF
young Gilchrist and to ask him to step
down into yours"
An instant later the tutor returned.
bringing with him the student. He was
a fine figure of n man-tall, 1.-the and
agile. with u springy step and pleas
ant open face. His troubled blue eyes
glanced at each OF us and finally rest
ed with an expression OF blank dIsmay
upon Bannister In the farther corner.
"Just close the door," said Holmes.
"Now, Mr.. Gllchrist, we are all quite
alone here. and no one need ever know
one word OF what passes between us.
We can be perfectly frank with each
other. We want to know. Mr.. Gilchrist.
how you. an honorable man, ever came
to commit such an action as that OF
yesterday"
The unfortunate young man stagger-
ed back and east a look full OF horror
and reproach at BannIster.
NO, no, Mr. Gllchrist, sir, 1 never
said a word-never one word cried
the servant
"NO, but you have now" said Holmes.
"EOw, sir. you must see that after
BannIster's words your position is
hopeless and that your only chance lies
I'm a frank confession"
For a moment Gilchrist. with uprais-
ed hand, tried TO control his writhlng
features. The next he had thrown him
self on his knees beside the table. and,
burying his face la his hands. he had
burst into a storm of passionate sob
bling.
Come, come" said Holmes kindly.
at is human 10 err, and at least no one
can accuse you OF being a callous Grim
InaI. Perhaps II would be easier for
you II were to tell Mr. Soames what
occurred, and you can check me where
4 am wrong Shall do soY Well. well,
don't trouble TO answer. Listen. and
see that do you no Injustice"
From the moment, Mr.. Soames, that
you said to me that no one. not even
Bannister. could have told that the pa
pers were In your room the case began
TO take a definite shape in my mind.
The printer one could, OF course. dis
miss. He could examine the papers In
his own Office. The Indian also
thought nothing OF. II the proofs were
in roll he could not possibly know
what they were. On the other hand. IL
seemed an unthinkabIe coincidence
that q man should dare TO enter the
room. and that by chance on that very
day the papers were on the table. /
dismissed that. The man who entered
knew that the papers were there. How
did he know7
when approached your room /
examined the window. You amused
me by suppOsing that I was cOntem-
plating the possibility Of some one hav-
ing In broad daylight, under the eyes
of all these opposite rooms. forced him
self through II. Such an idea was alb
surd. I was measuring how tall q