Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-11-24
:, ,1., rI, .,

VI CouiSe we Always nave Ine OptlclaI
clew to fall back upon, but 1 take {
short cut when can get it. All, her.
is the good Mrs. Marker! Let us en-
joy five minutes Of instructive con
versation with her."
may have remarked before tha
Holmes had, when he liked, peculiar
ly ingratiating way with women an6
that he very readily established terms
of confidence with them. In half thu
time which he had named he had cap
tured the housekeepers good will ant
was chatting with her as If he hat
known her for years.
Eyes, Mr.. Holmes, 1t is as you say
sir. He does smoke something terrible
All day and sometimes all night, sir
I've seen that room of morning-well
sir, you'd have thought it was a Londor
fog. Poor young Mr.. Smith, he was 8
smoker also, but not as bad as the pro
fessor His health-well, 1 don't know
that it's better nor worse for the smok
ing"
"Ah," said Holmes, "but It kills the
appetite"
"Well, don't know about that, SIR"
! II suppose the professor eats hardly
anythingr'
"Well, he is variable. I'll say that fol
him."
"I'll wager he took no breakfast this
morning and won't face his lunch after
all the cigarettes saw him consume
"Well, you're out there, sir, as It hap
pens, for he ate remarkably bis
breakfast this morning. I don't know
when I've known him make better
one. and he's ordered a 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 I couldn't bear
to look at food. Well, 1t takes all sorts
to make a 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
rumors 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 a case In
such half hearted fashion. Even the
news brought back by Hopkins that he
had found the children and that they
had undoubtedly seen woman exact
~ corresponding with Holmes descrip
ton and wearing either spectacles o,
eyeglasses failed to rouse any sign Of
keen interest. He was more attentive
when Susan, who waited upon US al
lunch, volunteered the information tina,
she believed Mr. Smith had been out 20,
q walk yesterday morning and that ht
had only returned half an hour before
the tragedy occurred. could not my
self see the bearing Of this incident
but l clearly perceived that Holmes
was weaving 1t into the general scheme
which he had formed in his brain
Suddenly he sprang from his chail
and glanced at his watch. "Twe
o'clock, gentlemen" said he. eve
must 60 up and have 1t out with oul
friend the professor"
The old man had Just finished hi
lunch, and certainly his empty dat
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 eterna
cigarette smoldered in his mouth. n,
had been dressed and was seated II
an armchair by the fire.
/ well, MIR. Holmes, have you solved
this mystery yet?' He showed the larg,
tin of cigarettes which stood on tabl,
beside him toward my companion
Holmes stretched out his hand at III,
same moment, and between them the,
tipped the box over the edge. For 1
minute or two we were all on oul
knees retrieving stray cigarettes from
impossible places. When we rose agail
observed Holmes eyes were shinin,
and his cheeks tinged with color. Onl,
at a crisis have seen those battle sig
nails flying,
Eyes," said he, IT have solved It."
| Stanley Hopkins and stared 1,
amazement. Something like snee
quivered over the gaunt features Of tn
old professor.
Indeed! In the gardenT'
"No. here"
"Here! WhenY'
"This instant"
"You are surely Joking, Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes. You compel me to tell 70,
that this is too serious matter to b,
treated in such fashion.
II have forged and tested every linl
J Of my chain, Professor Coram, and
am sure that it is sound. What you
motives are or what exact part 20,
play in this strange business am no
yet able to say. In few minutes
shall probably hear it from your owl
lips. Meanwhile I will reconstruct WIN
is past for your benefit, so that 70,
may know the information which I stil
require.
"a lady yesterday entered your study
She came with the intention Of pos
sessing herself Of certain document
which We're in your bureau. She ha,
key Of her own. l have had an or
portunity of examining yours, and
do not find that slight discoloratio
which the scratch made upon the var
nish would have produced. You wer
not an accessory, therefore, and sh
came, so far as can read the evl
dence, without your knowledge to ro
you"
The professor blew cloud from hi
lips. "This is most interesting and In
structive," said he. "Have you n
more to add2 Surely, having trace,