Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-03
The Adventure O
the Golden
Pince-Nez
No. 10 of the Series

Have you clew! l asked ut last.
ut depends upon those cigarettes
that smoked" said he. ut is posi-
BILE that l am utterly mistaken. The
cigarettes will show me-
"My dear Holmes" I exclaimed,
chow on EARTH
'.Well, well, you may see for your
self. II not, there's no harm done.
OF course we always have the optician
Clew to fall back upon, but l take a
short cut when can get it. All. here
Is the good Mrs Marker! Let us en-
Joy five minutes of instructive con-
versation with her"
may have remarked before that
Holmes had, when he liked, peculiar
" ingratiating way with women and
that he very readily established terms
OF confidence with them. In half the
time which he had named he had cap
tured the housekeeper's good will and
was chatting with her as II he had
known her for years.
"Yes, Mr.. Holmes, 1t Is as you say,
cir. He does smoke something terrible
All day and sometimes all night, sir.
I've seen that room of a morning
sir, you'd have thoughts 1t was a London
fog. Poor young Mr.. Smith, he was a
smoker also, but not as bad as the pro-
1essor. His health--well. l don't know
that it's better nor worse for the smoke
Ing"
! 'Ah,'' said Holmes, but it kills the
appetite"
''Well. don't know about that, sir"
81 suppose the professor eats hardly
anything?"
"well. he is variable. rlsay that for
him.
aI'll wager he took no breakfast this
morning and won't face his lunch after
ali the cigarettes I saw him consume"
well, you're out there, sir, as it hap:
pens, for he ate remarkably big
breakfast this morning. I don't know
one. end he's ordered good dish Of
outlets for his lunch. I'm surprised
myself, for since came into that room
yesterday and saw young Mr.. Smith
lying there on the floor couldn't bear
to look at food Well. 1t takes all sorts
TO make world. and the professor
hasn't let It take his appetite away"
We loitered the morning away in the
garden. Stanley Hopkins had gone
down to the village to look into some
fumors Of strange woman who had
been seen by some children on the
Chatham road the previous morning.
AS to my friend, all his usual energy
seemed to have deserted him. had
never known him handle case in
such a half hearted fashion. Even the
news brought back by Hopkins that he
had found the children and that they
had undoubtedly seen a woman exact
" corresponding with Holmes descrip-
eyeglasses failed to rouse any sign Of
keen interest. He was more attentive
when Susan, who waited upon us ut
lunch, volunteered the informa ton that
she believed Mr.. Smith had been out for
q walk yesterday morning and that be
had only returned half an hour before
the tragedy occurred. l could not my
self see the bearing of this incident,
but clearly perceived that Holmes
was weaving it into the general scheme
which he had formed In bis brain.
Suddenly he sprang from his chair
and glanced at his watch. 1.-TWO
O'clock, gentlemen" said he. I'VE
must go up and have it out with our
friend the professor.
The old man had just finished his
lunch, and certainly his empty dish
bore evidence to the good appetite with
which his housekeeper had credited
him. He was indeed weird figure
as he turned his white name and his
glowing eyes toward us. The eternal
cigarette smoldered in his mouth. He
had been dressed and was seated in
an armchair by the fire.
"Well. Mr. Holmes. have you solved
this mystery yet?" He showed the large
beside him toward my companion.
Holmes stretched out his hand at the
same moment, and between them they
tipped the box over the edge. For a
minute or two we were all on our
knees retrieving stray cigarettes from
impossible places. When we rose again
/ observed Holmes eyes were shining
ana his checks tinged with color. Only
at crisis have l seen those battle sig
mails flying.
EYES," said he, II have solved it."
Stanley Hopkins and I stared in
amazement. Something like sheer
Quivered over the gaunt features of the
old professor
Indeed! In the garden?"
4tNo, here
"Here. Wheh?"
.aThfs instant"
"You are surely joking, Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes. You compel nue. to tell you
that this is too serious a matter to be
treated in such q fashion.
II have forged and tested every link
OF my chain, Professor Coram, and I
am sure that it iss sound. What your
motives are or what exact part you
play in this strange business am not
yet able to say. In few minutes
shall probA bfys-hear It from your own