The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-05-26

Z
body were consumed it would hide all
! traces of the method of his death,
traces which for some reason must
have pointed to him. Is not all this
obviOus:"
1T strikes me, my good Lestrade. as
being just trifle too Obvious said
Holmes. you do not add imagination
to your other great qualities. but if
you could for one moment put your
self in the place of this young man
would you choose the very night after
( the will had been made to commit your
/ crime? Would it not seem dangerous
/ to you to make 50 very close relation
/ between the two incidents? Again,
/ would you choose an occasion When
1 you are known to be in the house,
! when Il servant has let You in? And,
/ finally, would you take the great pains
to conceal the body and yet leave y0.r
own stick as Il sign that you we're tie
criminal: Confess, Lestrade, that all
/ this is very unlikely
) LAS to tie stick, Mr.. Holmes. you
know as vel as | do that a criminal
is often furried and does such thing
which a cool man would avoid. lie
was very likely afraid to 90 back to
the room. Give me another theory that
/ would lit the facts
Il could very easily give you half
Dozen" said Holmes. Here. for eX-
ample, is a very possible and even
probable Ole | make you free pres
ent of it. The older man is showing
documents which are of evident value.
A passing tramp sees them through the
window, the blind of which is only hair
down. Exit the solicitor. Enter the
tramp. He seizes a stick, which he
observes there kills Oldacre and de-
parts after burning the body
"Why should the tramp burn the
body?"
For the matter of that why should
McFarlane:"
To l.. @ some evidence"
Possibly, tAe tramp wanted 10 hi1e
that any murder at all had been com
mitted"
And why did the tramp take moth,
ing:"
Because they were papers that he
could not negotiate
LeStrade shook his head. though it
seemed to me that his manner was
less absolutely assured than before.
Well, Mr.. Sherlock Holmes, YOU
may look for Your tramp, and while
you are finding him we will hold on to
our man. The future will show which
is right. Just notice this point Mr..
Holmes-that so far as we know none
of the papers were removed aad that
the prisono" is the one man in t!la
world who had no reaso for Telnoyi. :
them. since he was heir at law and
would come into them in any case"
My friend seemed struck by this re-
mark.
Il don't mean to deny that the evi-
dence is in some ways very strongly in
favor of youc theory" said he. Il only
wish TO point out that there are other
theories possible. AS you say. the fu-
ture will decide. Good morning! I
dare say that in the course of the day
l shall drop in at Norwood and see how
you are getting on"
When the detective departed my
friend rose and made his preparations
for the days work with the alert all
of a man who has a congenial task be-
fore him.
my first movement, Watson" said
he as he hustled into his frock coat,
must. as said. be in the direction of
Blackheath."
''And why not Norwood?"
Because we have in this case one
singular incident coming close to the
heels of another singular incident The
police are making the mistake of con
centrating their attention upon the
second because it happens to be the
one which is actually criminal But
it is evident to me that the logical
way to approach the case is upon
the first incident-the curious will so
suddenly made and to so unexpect-
ed an heir. 1t may do something 10
simplify what followed No, my dear
fellow. / don't think you can help me.
There is no prospect of danger, or l
should not dream of stirring out with
out you. l trust that when l see you
in the evening | will be able to report
that have been able to do something
for this unfortunate youngster who has
thrown himself upon my protection"
II was late when my friend returned,
and could see by glance at his bag
gard and anxious face that the high
hopes with which he had started had
not been fulfilled. For an hour he
droned away upon his violin, endeavor-
ing to soothe his own ruffled spirits. AT
last he flung down the instrument and
plunged into a detailed account of his
misadventures.
Its all going wrong, Watson-all as
wrong as it can go. kept bold face
before Lestrade, but, upon my SOUL l
believe that for once the fellow is on
the right track and we are on the
wrong. All my instincts are one way,
and all the facts are the other, and !
much fear that British juries have not
yet attained that pitch of intelligence
when they will give the preference to
my theories over Lestrades facts"
did You go to Blackheath?"
'Yes, Watson. l went there, and ]
found very quickly that the late la.
.. mented Oldacre was a pretty consid.
cradle BLACKBOARD. The father was
away in search of his son. The mother
! was at home-a little, fluffy, blue eyed