The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-19

1 Il arrest YOU tor the Wlltul murder
of Mr.. Jonas Oldacre, of Lower Nor
wood"
| McFarlane turned to us with {,
| gesture of despair, and sank into his
| chair once more like one who is
crushed
"One moment, Lestrade,' said
Holmes. Halt an hour more or less
can make no difference TO you, and
the gentleman was about to give us
an account OF this very interesting az
fair, which might aid us III clearing
1t up
'I think there will be no difficulty
in clearing it up said Lestrade,
| grinly.
"None the less, with your permis-
sion, should be much interested 10
hear his account"
"Wcll. Mr.. Holmes, it is difficult for
me TO refuse you anything, for you
! have been of use to the force once or
| twice in the past, and we owe you u
good turn at Scotland Yard" said
Lestrade. "At the same time | must
remain with my prisoner, and l am
bound to warn him that anything he
may say will appear in evidence
against him.
! II wish nothing better" said our
client "All / ask Is that you should
hear and recognize the absolute
| truth"
Lestrade looked at his watch. "Ill
give you half an hour said he.
II must explain first said McFar-
lane, that / knew nothing of Mr..
! Jonas Oldacre. His name was IA
mliar TO me, for many years ago my
parents were acquainted with him.
| but they drifted apart / was very
much surprised, therefore, when yes
| terday, about three o'clock in the af-
ternoon, he walked into my office In
the city. But l was still more aston
ished when he told me the object of
his visit. He had In his hand several
sheets of a notebook covered with
| scribbled writing-here they are
and he laid them on my table.
| Here is my WILL said he. I
| want you, Mr.. McFarlane, to cast 1t
into proper legal shape. l will sit
here while you do so.'
| 81 set myself to copy it, and you
| found that, with some reservations,
he had left all his property to me.
| He was a strange little ferret-like
man. with white eyelashes, ard when
I looked up at him I found his keen,
grey eyes fixed upon me with an
amused expression. ] could hardly
believe my own senses as / read the
terms of the will; but he explained
that he was a bachelor with hardly
any living relation, that he had known
my parents in his youth, and that he
had always heard of me as very
deserving young man, and was assur-
ed that his money would be in worthy
hands. OF course. / could only Stam-
mer out my thanks. The will was duly
finished. signed, and witnessed by my
clerk This is il on the blue paper,
and these slips, as | have explained,
are the rough draft. Mr.. Jonas Old
acre then Informed me that there
were n number of documentS-build-
ing leases, ftitle-deeds, mortgages,
scrip, and SO forth--which it was ne
cessary that 7 should see and under
stand. He said that his mind would
not be easy until the whole thing
was settled, and he begged me to
come out to his house at Norwood
that night, bringing the will with me,
and to arrange matters. Remember
my boy one word TO your par
ents about the affair until everything
is settled. We will keep it as a little
surprise for them He was very in-
sistcnt upon this point, and made me
promise it faithfully.
You can imagine. Mr.. Holmes, that
I was not in q humOur TO refuse him
anything that he might ask. He was
my bcnefactor. and all my desire was
TO carry out his wishes in every par
ticn'ar. l sent telegram home,
| therefore to say that l had import
ant business On hand, aud that it
was impossible for me to say how
late ] might be. Mr.. Oldacre had told
me that he would like me to have
supper with him at nine, as he might
not be home before that hour. had
some difficulty in finding his house.
however. and it was nearly half-paSt
before l reached it. j found him
"One moment said Holmes.
who opened the door?'
"a middle-aged woman. who was,
l suppose. his house-keepcr.'
And it was she, | presume. who
| mentioned your name?"
Exactly" said McFarlane.
Pray proceed"
McFarlane wiped his damp brow.
and then continued his narrative:
II was shown by this woman into
q sitting-room, where a frugal sup
per was laid out. Afterwards Mr..
Jonas Oldacre led me into his bed
room, in which there stood Il heavy
safe. This he opened and took out q
mass of documents, which we went
over together. 1t was between eleven
and twelve when we finished. He re-
market that we must not disturb the
houSe-kceper. He showeu me out
through his own French window.
which had been open all this time.
WAS the blind DOWN." asked
Holmes.
II will not be sure, but I believe
that it was only half down. Yes, ]
remember how he pulled it up In
order to swing open the window. !
could not find my stick, and he said
Never mind. my boy I shall see a
good deal Of you now, ] hope. and
l will keep your stick until YOU come
back to claim It, left him there.
the safe open. aud the papers made
up in packets upon the table. IT was
so late that | could not get back to
Blackheath. SO 7 spent the night at
the Anerley Arms, and l knew noth
ing more until ! read of this horrible
affair in the morning.
Anything more that you woulo
like to ask, Mr.. Holmes?" said Les
trade. whose eyebrows had gone up
once or twice during this remarkable
explanation.
Not until have been 60 Black
heath.
You mean to Norwood said Les
trade.
"oh, yes. no doubt that is what l