Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-07-27

such Il wealth Of mate
rial to select the cases which are most
Interesting in themselves and at the
same time most conducive to a display
Of those peculiar powers for which my
friend was famous. As ! turn over the
pages see my notes upon the repulsivc
story Of the red lcech and the terrible.
death of Crosby, the banker. Here al
80 l ind All account Of the Addiction
tragedy and the singular contents OF
the ancient British barrow. The IA
mous Smith Mortimer succession case
comes also within this period, and 80
DO the tracking and arrest Of Huret
khe boulevard assassin. an exploit
which won for Holmes an autograph
letter Of thanks from tbs French presi
dent and the order Of the Legion of
Honor. Each Of these would furnish
d narrative. but on the whole l an, OF
opinion that none of them unites So
many singular points of interest as the
episode Of Yoxley Old Place, which in
cludes not only the lamsntable death
Of young WiMoughby Smith. but also
those subsequent developments which
threw so curious light upon he causes
of the crime.
1t was wild, tempestuou0 n1oht, to-
ward the close Of No~emtm. Holmes
and!I sat together in silence all the
evening. he engaged with a powerful
lens decipheFing the remains Of the
original Inscription upon a palimpsest.
! deep in q recent treatise upon sur
gerry Outside the wind howled down
Baker street. while the rain beat fierce
" against the windows. 1t was
strange there in the very depths OF the
town, with ten miles Of mans hapdi-
work on every side Of us. to feel the
iron grip Of Nature and to be conscious
that to the huge elemental forces all
London was no more tan the molehills
that dot the fields. l walked to the
window and looked out on the deserted
street. The occasional lamps cleaned
On the expanse Of muddy road and shin
tng pavement. A single cab was
splashing its way from the Oxford
street end.
"We'l. Watson. it's as we'll we have
not to turn out tonight" said Holmes,
laying aside his lens and rolling up the
palimpsest. "f've done enough for one
Sitting. 1t Is trying work for the eyes
30 far as I can make ont it Is nothing
more exciting than an abbe's accounts
dating from the second half Of the A.
teenth century. Hello, hello. hello!
Whacs this"
Amid the droning Of the wind there
had come the stamping Of horses
ho0fs and the long grind Of a wheel as
It rasped against tho curb. The cab
which had seen had pulled UP at our
door.
"What can be want" I calculated as
man stepped out Of II.
"Want? He wants us. And we, my
poor Watson. want overcoats and era
Fats and galoches and every aid that
man ever invented to fight the weather.
Wait a BIT though. There's the cab OF
again! There's hope yet. He'd have
Kept 1t II he had wanted us to come.
Run down. my dear fellow, and open
The door. for all virtuous folk have been
long in bed"
When the light Of the hail lamp fell
upon our midnight visitor had no DIFF.
6cuity In recognizing him. II was
young Stanley Hopkins. a promising
detective. in whose career Holmes had
several times shown very practical
interest.
''Is he Int" he asked eagerly
"Come up. my dear sir" saad Holmes'
voice from above. Il hope you have no
designs upon US such night as this"
The detective mounted the stairs. and
our lamp cleaned upon his shining wa.
terproof. helped him out. OF II. while
Holmes knocked blaze out OF the logs
In the crate.
Nov, my dear Hopkins, draw up
and warm your toes" said he. "Here's
= cigar. and the doctor has prescrip
tloa containing hot water and a lemon
which " good medicine on night like
this 1t must be something important
which has brought you out In such a
gale"
ut is indeed. Mr.. Holmes. I've had
q bustling afternoon, ! promise you
Did you see anything of the Yoxley
case In the latest editions?"
1--WE seen nothing later than the If
teenth century today"
well. II was only paragraph and
oil wreng ut that. so you have not miss
ed anything ] haven't let the grass
grow under my feet. It's down In Kent
seven miles from Chatham and three
from the rsrtway line. was wired fol
At 8:lb, reached Yoxley Old Place at 8
conducted my investiga ton, was back
at ChariRg Cross by the last train, and
straight to you by cab"
(Which means. suppose. that you
Sre not quite clear about your caseT
1T means that l can make neither
head nor tail Of It. 80 Tar % en- sse
Il 10 1qst a. tangled aybuGInsss - svsl
Z ha2d1sd. and yst at Asyt II sesansd x
simple that one ceISdn't 60 wEeng
There's no motive. NJ. Holmes. 1hak'i
what bothers me. I can't put my hand
on . motive. Here's q man dead
there's no denying that-but. 90 far q
] can see. no reason on earth why any
bne should wiea him harm"
Holmes M<nisssiSas-sad leaned baci
l.ln. kiS ehoIg.