The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-15

-LbSIhA1hn
ny ~ D. STEELE

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this corridor. leaving no traces upon
the cocoanut mating. Then she found
herself in this study. How long was
she there? We have no means Of judg
ing"
"Not more than a few minutes. sir
forgot to tell you that Mrs. Marker,
the housekeeper, had been in there tidy
ing not very long before-abOut a quar-
ter Of an hour. she says"
"well. that gives MS limit. Our la
dy enters this room. and what does she
do? She goes over TO the writing table
What forf Not for anything IN the
drawers If there had been anything
worth her taking it would surely have
been locked up. No, It was for some
thing in that wooden bureau. Hellol
What is that scratch upon the face Of
IT. Just hold match, Watson. Why
did you not tell me OF this, Hopkns?"
The mark which he was examining
began upon the brasswork on the right
hand side OF the keyhole and extended
for about four inches. where II had
scratched the varnish from the surface
Il noticed it. Mr.. Holmes, but you'l
always find scratches round a key
hole"
This is recent quite recent, See how
the brass shines where IL is cut An
old scratch would be the same color as
the surface Look at It through my
lens. There's the varnish. too. like
earth on each side Of a furrow Is Mrs.
Marker thereg"
A sad faced elderly woman came in
TO the room.
did you dust this bureau yesterday
moSning?'
Yes. sir"
'Did yoI notice this scratchT'
''No, sir; l did not"
Il am sure you did not. for duster
would have swept away these shreds
OF varnish. who has the key Of this
! bureauT'
The professor keeps It on his watch
chain"
'Is II a simple key?"
| ''No. sir; IT Is a Chubb's key"
Every good Mrs. Marker. You can
60. Now we are making a little prog
- Our lady enters the room. ad-
\, .ces to the bureau and either opens
it or tries to do so. While she is thus
engaged young wllloughby Smith en-
ters the room. In her hurry to witt
draw the key she makes this scratch
upon the door. He seizes her. and she
snatching up the nearest object, which
happens to be this knife. strikes at him
in order TO make him let go his hold.
The blow Is fatal one. He falls, and
she escapes. either with or without the
object for which she has come. Is SUI
san. the maid, there? Could any one
have got away through that door after
the time that you heard the cry, Su-
sanT
"No, sir; it Is impossible. Before
got down the stair I'd have seen any
one In the passage. Besides, the door
never opened or l would have heard
It."
"That settles this exit. Then no
doubt the lady went out the way she
came. l understand that this other
passage leads only TO the professors
room. There is no exit that way2"
''No, sir"
1--WE shall go dcwn It and make the
Acquaintance Of the professor. Hello
Hopkins, this is very important-very
important indeedl The professors cor
ridor is also lined with cocoanut mat
ting"
well, sir. whst OF thatT
Don't you see any bearing upon the
case? Wen. we'll. don't insist upon
H. No doubt am wrong. Anc yet II
seems TO me to be suggestive. Come
with me and introduce le."
We passed down the passage, which
was OF the same length as that which
led 70 the garden. At the end was 9
short flight Of steps ending In door
Our guide knocked and then usheret
us into the professors bedroom.
II was a very large chamber lined
with innumerable volumes, which haC
overhowed from the shelves and lay II
piles In tic corners or were stacked al
round at the base OF the cases Thl
bed was in the center OF the room. anC
in it. propped up with pillows, was ih'
owner of the house. / have seldom
seen more remarkable looking person
II was a gaunt. aquillne face whicl
was turned toward US, with pierre
ing dark eyes which lurked In deeI
hollows under overhung and tuft
ed brows His hair and beard wer
white save the latter was curlousl.
stained with yellow around his mouth
A cigarette glowed amid the tangle o
white hair. and the air OF the room
was fetid with stale tobacco smoke
As he held out his hand TO Holmes
perceived that il was also stained wit
yellow nicotine.
"A smokei. Mr. Holmesf" said hf
speaking in well chosen English, wit
curious little minclng accent "Pra
take a cigarette. And yon, sirY ! ca
I recommend them. for have them espe
cially prepared by Ionides OF Alexar
dria. He sends me a thousand at
time, and / grieve 10 say that have Z
arrange for a fresh supply every. fort
night Bad, sir, very bad, but an oil
man has few pleasures Tobacco an
E my work-that is all that is left 10 me.
Holmes had III a cigarette and wa
shooting little darling glances all owe
! the room.
Tobacco and my work. but now OF
ly tobacco" the old man exclaimed
"Alas, what q fatal interruption WI
could have foreseen such q terrible cs
tastrophef So estimable a young mar
/ aeaure Won that after q few month,