The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-16
@The professor keeps it on his watch

The professor Keeps IL on nls watch chain.'
 ''Is 1t a simple key?"
 No, sir, it is a Chubbs key"
 Very good. Mrs. Marker. you. can go. Now we are making a little pro- gross. Our lady enters the room, ad- vances to the bureau and either opens 1t or tries to do so. While she Is thus engaged, young Willoughby Smith en- ters the room. In her hurry to with draw the key, she makes this scratch upon the door. He seizes her, and she, snatching up the nearest object, which happens to be this knife, strikes at him In order to make him let go his hold. The blow Is a fatal one. He falls and she escapes. either with or without the object for which she has come. Is Susan, the maid, there2 Could anyone have got away through that door after the time that you heard the cry. Susan?"
 No sir, it Is impossible. Before I got down the stair, I'd have seen any one in the passage. Besides, the door never opened, or would have heard 1t"
 "That settles this exit. Then no doubt the lady went out the way she came. I understand that this other passage leads only to the professors room. There is no exit that way?"
 NO, sir"
 We shall go down it and make the acquaintance of the professor. Hal loa, Hopkinsl this is very important, very important indeed The pro- fessor's corridor Is also lined with coeoanut matting''
 Well sir, what of that?'
 Don't you see any bearing upon the case? Well. well, don't insist upon 1t. No doubt l am wrong. And yet it seems to me to be suggestive. Come with me and introduce me"
 We passed down the passage, which was of the same length as that which led to the garden. At the end was a short flight of steps ending in a door. Our guide knocked, and then ushered us into the professors bedroom.
 It was a very large chamber, lined with innumerable volumes, which had overflowed from the shelves and lay in piles in the corners, or were stacked all round at the base of the cases. The bed was in the center of the room, and in 1t, propped up with pillows, was the owner of the house. have seldom seen more remarkable look ing person. 1t was a gaunt, equiline face which was turned toward us, with piercing dark eyes, which lurked in deep hollows under overhung and tufted brows. His hair and beard were white, save that the latter was curiously stained with yellow around his mouth. A cigarette glowed amid the tangle of white hair and the air of the room was fetid with stale to- bacco smoke. As he held out his hand to Holmes, I perceived that 1t was also stained with yellow nicotine.
 "A smoker MT. Holmes?" said he, speaking in well chosen English, with a curious little mincing accent. Pray take cigarette. And you, sir2 I can recommend them. for I have them es- pecially prepared by 1onides of Alex andria. He sends me a thousand at time, and I grieve to say that l have to arrange for a fresh supply every fortnight. Bad. sir very bad, but an old man has few pleasures. Tobacco and my work-that is all that is left to me-
 Holmes had lit a cigarette. and was shooting little darting glances all over the room.
 "Tobacco and my work, but now only tobacco" the old man exclaimed. Alas! what fatal Interruption Who could have foreseen such a terrible catastrophe? So estimable a young mani I assure you that, after few months training. he was an admirable assistant What do you think of the matter, MT Holmes?"
 q have not yet made up my mind.
 q shall indeed be indebted to you if you can throw a light where all is so dark to us. To a poor booSworm and invalid like myself such blow is par alyzing I seem to have lost the fac ulty of thought. But you are man of action-you are a mar of affairs. It Is part of the everyday routine of your Ufa Vo1l can nreserva vOur balance in every emergency. We are forum ate. indeed, in having you at our side"
 Holmes was pacing up and down one side of the room whilst the old pro- lessor was talking. I observed that he was smoking with extraordinary rapid ity. It was evident that he shared our hosts liking or the fresh Alexan- drian cigarettes.
 "Yes, sir. it is crushing blow" said the old man. That Is my mag mum opus-the pile Dr papers on the side table wonder. It is my analysis of the documents found in the Coptic monasteries of Syria and Egypt. a work which will cut deep at the very foundation of revealed religion. With my enfeebled health I do not know whether I shall ever be able to com plete it. now that my assistant has been taken from me Dear mel Mir. Holmes, why you are even a quicker smoker than I am myself"
 Holmes smiled.
 q am a connoisseur.' said he talk ing another cigarette from the box his fourth--and lighting it from the stub of that which he had finished q will not trouble you with any lengthy cross-examination. Professor Coram since I gather that you were