Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-08

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''The inspector here has done all that could
possibly be suggested. but wish to leave
no stone unturned In trying TO avenge poor
straker and in recovering my horse"
Have there been any fresh develop
ments? asked Holmes
IL am sorry TO say that we have made
very little progress" said the inspector
I'VE have an open carriage outside, and as
you would no doubt like to see the place
before the light fails, we might talk II
over as we drive
minute later we were all seated I'm a
comfortable landau and were rafting
through the quaint old Devonshire city
Inspector Gregory was full OF his case and
poured out a stream OF remarks, while
Holmes threw in an occasional question or
interjection. Colonel Ross leaned back
with his arms folded and his hat tilted
over his eyes, while / listened with interest
TO the dialogue Of the two detectives
Gregory was formulating his theory, which
was almost exactly what Holmes had fore
told in the train.
''The net is pretty closely drawn round
Fitzroy Simpson" he remarked, and | be
leve myself that he 10 our man. At the
same time l recognize that the evidence Is
purely circunstantial and that some new
development may upset It,"
How about Straker's knifeY
I'VE have come to the conclusion that he
wounded himself in his fall
My friend DR.. watson, made that sug-
gestion TO me we came down. IL so, It
would tell against this man simpson"
Undoubtedly He has neither a knife
nor any sign of a wound. The evidence
against him is certainly very strong He
had a great interest In the disappearance
OF the favorite lie lies under suspicion OF
~. ~, h,r- he =
undoubtedly out in the storm, he was
armed with a heavy stick and his cravat
was found i'm the dead mans hand. I
really think we have enough TO 60 before
a jury"
Holmes shook his head. "A clever coun-
sci would tear It all to rags" said he,
why should he take the horse out OF the
stable7 II he wished to injure 1t, why
could he not do it there7 Has a duplicate
key been found in his possession? What
chemist sold him the powdered opium7
Above all, where could he a stranger to
the district, hide a horse. and such a
horse as this? What is his own expana-
ton as to the paper which he wished the
, maid TO give to the stable booy2'
"He says that it was a ten-pound note,
One was found in his purse. But your other
difficulties are not so formidable as they
seem. He is not a stranger to the district.
He has twice lodged at Tavistock in the
summer. The opium WAS probably brought
from London. The key, having served its
purpose, would be hurled away The horse
may be at the bottom of one of the pits
or old mines upon the moor"
What does he say about the cravat?"
"He acknowledged that it is his. and de-
clares that he had lost It. But a new ele-
ment has been introduced into the case
which may account for his leading the
horse from the stable"
Holmes pricked up his ears.
I'VE have found traces which show that
a party of gypsies encamped on Monday
night within a mile OF the spot where
the murder took place. On Tuesday they
were gone. Now, presumlng that there
was some understanding between Simpson
and these gypsies might he not have been
leading the horse to them when he was
overtaken, and may they not have him
now?'
1T is certainly possible"
1.-THE moor is being secured for these
Rypsies. ] have also examined every stable
and clubhouse in Tavistock, and for a radius
of ten miles"
There is another training stable quite
close, 1 understand"
Yes, and that is a factor which we must
certainly not neglect AS Desborough, their
horse, was second in the betting, they
had an interest in the disappearance of the
favorite. Silas Brown the trainer, is known
to have had large bets upon the event,
and he was no friend of poor Straker. We
have, however, examined the stables and
there is nothing to connect him with the
AFFAIR"
And nothing to connect this man smp-
son with the interests of the Napoleon
stables?"
Nothing at ALL"
Holmes leaned back in the carriage, and
the conversation ceased A few minutes
later our driver pulled up at a neat little
red brick villa with overhanging caves
which stood by the road. Some distance
off, across the paddock, lay a long gray
tiled out-buildlng. In every other direc-
ton the low curves of the moor, bronze
colored from the fading ferns, stretched
away to the skyline, broken only by the
steeples of Tavistock, and by cluster of
houses away to the westward which marked
the Mapleton stables. We all sprang out
with the exception of Holmes, who con-
tinued TO lean back with his eyes fixed
upon the sky in front of him, entirely alb
sorbed in his own thoughts 1t was only
when 1 touched his arm that he reused him
self with a violent start and stepped out
of the carriage.
Excuse me-, said he, turning to Colonel
Ross, who had looked at him in some sur
prise. 81 was day dreaming" There was
a CLEAN in his eyes and a suppressed ex-
element in his manner which convinced
me, used as I was to his ways that his
hand was upon clue, though l could not
imagine where he had found II.
Perhaps you would prefer at once 20 go
on to the scene of the crime, Mr. Holmcs?''
asked Gregory
II think that I should prefer to stay
here little and go into one or two ques-
tons in detail. Straker was brought back
here, / presume?"
yes. lie lies upstairs The inquest is
tomorrow"
He has been in your service some years, |
Colonel 3oss?"
II have always found him an excellent
servant"
II presume that you made an Inventory
OF what he had in HIS pockets at the time
OF his death Inspector"
1T have the things themselves in the
sitting room, II you would care to see
them"
II should be very glad" We all filed into
the front room and sat around inc center
table while the inspector unlocked a square
tin box and laid a small heap % things
bafo ms yyaa n Of tho