Morris tribune., 1905-09-02


be slatternly il other respects. Yol
will find that the clips are too wide fol
your nose, showing that the lady's nose
was very broad at the base. This sor1
Of nose is usually short and coarse
one, but there is sufficient number OF
exceptions to prevent me from being
dogmatic or from insisting upon this
point in my description. My own face
Is narrow one, and yet find that
cannot get my eyes into the center MOI
near the center of these glasses
Therefore the lady's eyes are set very
near to the sides of the nose. You will
perceive, Watson, that the glasses are
concave and of unusual strength. A
lady whose vision has been so extreme
/ ~ contracted all her life is sure to have
the physical characteristics of such
vision, which are seen in the forehead
, the eyelids and the shoulders"
eyes," I said, II can follow each of
! your arguments. / confess, however
| that / am unable to understand how
| you arrive at the double visit to the
optician."
Holmes took the glasses in his hand.
"You will perceive" he said, ''that
the clips are lined with tiny bands of
.ccrk to soften the pressure upon the
| nose. One of these is discolored and
worn to some slight extent, but the
| other is new. Evidently one has fallen
off and been replaced. 1 should judge
that the older of them has not been
there more than a few months. They
exactly correspond, so l gather that the
lady went back to the same establish
ment for the second"
"By George, it's marvelousr' cried
Hopkins, in an ecstasy of admiration
'"To think that had all that evidence
in my hand and never knew it! I had
intended, however, to go the round of
the London opticians"
"Of course you would. Meanwhile
have vow any thing more to tell us about
the case?'
Nothing, Mr.. Holmes. 1 think that
you know as much as do now-prOb-
ably more. We have had inquiries
made as to any stranger seen on the
country roads or at the railway sta
ton. We have heard of none. What
beats me is the utter want of all object
in the crime. Not ghost of motive
can any one suggest"
''Ah, there I am not in a position to
help you! But 1 suppose you want us
to come out tomorrow"
IF it is not asking too much, Mr..
Holmes. There's a train from Charing
Cross to Chatham at in the morning.
and we should be at YoXley Old Place
between and o.
"Then we shall take it. Your case
has certainly some features of great
interest, and l shall be delighted to
look into it. Well, it's nearly 1, and
we had best get a few hours sleep.
dare say you can manage all right on
the sofa in front of the fire. I'll light
my spirit lamp and give you cup Of
coffee before we start"
The gale had blown itself out next
day, but it was bitter morning when
we started upon our journey. We saw
the cold winter sun rise over the dreary
marshes of the Thames and the long,
sullen reaches Of the river, which
the Andaman islander in the earlier
days of our career. After long and
weary journey we alighted at small
station some miles from Chatham.
While horse was being put into q
trap at the local inn we snatched bur-
ried breakfast, and so we were all
ready for business when we at last ar
rived at Yoxley Old Place. A constable
met US at the garden gate.
"Well, Wilson, any newsT'
mo, sir-nothing"
''No reports of any stranger seenw
'No, sir. Down at the station they
are certain that no stranger either !
came or went yesterday"
"Have you had inquiries made at i
inns and lodgings?"
eyes, sir. There is no one that we
cannot account for"
"Well, it's only reasonable walk
to Chatham. Any one might stay there
or take train without being observed.
This is the garden path Of which I
spoke, Mr. Holmes. I'll pledge my
word there was no mark on it yester
day."
ION which side were the marks on
the grass?''
'This side, sir-this narrow margin of
grass between the path and the flower
bed. [ can't see the traces now, but
they were clear to me then"
eyes, yes; some one has passed
along" said Holmes, STOPPING over the
grass border. "Our lady must have
picked her steps carefully, must she
not since on the one side she would
leave a track on the path and on the
other an even clearer one on the soft
oed?"
Eyes, sir; she must have been cool
hand"
I saw an intent look pass over
Holmes face.
''You say that she must have come
back this way?"
eyes, sir; there is no other"
con this strip Of grass?'