Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-12

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. MT. Gilchrist, 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, Mir. 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 cast look full of horror and reproach at Bannister.
 No. no, Mir. Gilchrist, sir, never said word-never one word.' cried the servant.
 .'No. but you have now" said Holmes. Now, sir. you must see that after Bannister's words your position is hopeless and that your only chance lies in a frank confession"
 For moment Gilchrist, with uprais- ed hand, tried to control his writhing features. The next he had thrown him self on his knees beside the table, and. burying his face in his hands. he had burst into a storm of passionate sob ping
 Come. come" said Holmes kindly, it is human to err, and at least no one can accuse you of being callous crin- inal Perhaps it would be easier for you if were to tell Mir. Soames what occurred. and you can check me where am wrong. Shall do so: Well. well, don't trouble to answer. Listen, and see that do you no injustice.
 From the moment, MT. 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 i to take definite shape in my mind. i The printer one could. of course, dis miss. He could examine the papers in | his own office. The Indian I also | thought nothing of. If the proofs were ] in roll he could not possibly know l what they were. On the other hand, it seemed an unthinkable coincidence that man should dare to enter the room. and that by chance on that very day the papers were on the table. l dismissed that. The man who entered knew that the papers were there. How did he know?
 When I approached your room l examined the window. You amused me by supposing that was contem- plating the possibility of some one hay ing in broad daylight, under. the eyes of all these opposite rooms, forced him. self through it. Such an idea was ab- surd. I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order to see as be passed what papers were on the central table I am six feet high. and could do 1t with an effort. No one less than that would have a chance. Already. you see, I had reason to think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual height he was the most worth watching of the three.
 Il entered, and l took you into my confidence as to the suggestions of the side table Of the center table I could make nothing until in your description of Gilehrist you mentioned that he wal a long distance jumper. Then tht whole thing came to me in an instant and only needed certain corroborativs proofs, which speedily obtained.
 What happened was this: This youn:
 fellow had employed his afternoon a
 the athletic grounds. where lie hac
 been practicing the jump. He return
 cd carrying his jumping shoes, whicl
 are provided, as you are aware, witt
 several sharp spikes. As he passeC
 your window he saw. by means of hi
 great height. these proofs upon you
 table and conjectured what they were
 No harm would have been done had
 not been that as he passed your door b
 perceived the key which had been lef
 by the carelessness of your servant
 A sudden impulse came over him to en
 ter and see If they were indeed th
 proofs. It was not a dangerous ex
 ploit. for be could always pretend tha
 he had simply looked in to ask a ques tion-
 Well, when he saw that they wer
 indeed the proofs it was then that b
 yielded to temptation. He put hi
 shoes on the table. What was it yo
 put on that chair near the windowT Cloves said the young man. l Holmes looked triumphantly at Bar ] mister. He put his gloves on the chaii
 and he took the proofs. sheet by shee to copy them He thought the tuto
 must return by the main gate and tha
 he would see him As we know. h
 came back by the side gate. Suddenl ! he heard him at the very door. Ther was no possible escape. He forgot hi gloves. but he caught up his shoes an darted into the bedroom. You observ , that the scratch on that table is sligf al one side but deepens in the direcfio
 of the bedroom door. That in itself
 enough to show us that tisa shoe ha
 been drawn in that direction and ths , the culprit had taken refuge there Th earth round the spike had been left Q
 the table. and a second sample va Ioosened and feiI in the beircom-
 may add that I walked out to the al
 Ietic grounds this morning saw th-
 tenacious black clay is used in n , jumping pit and carried away sPec . men Of f. together with some Of n . fine tan CT sardazt vhich is strev over il to prevent the athlete fro'