The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-09

VINO lives On TIE Same SlcAiii
came In to ask me some particulars
about the examination"
For which he was entered?'
Yes"
And the papers were on your ta-
ble?''
ITO the best OF my belief. they were
rolled up
But might be recognized as
proofs?"
Possibly"
mo one else in your room?
mo"
Did anyone know that these proofs
would be there?''
mo one save the printer"
did this man Bannister know"
mo, certainly not. No one knew
Where is Bannlster now?''
Vile was very i'll, poor fellow. I left
him collapsed in the chair. l was in
such a hurry to come to you'
You left your door open"
II locked up the papers first
Then 1t amounts to this, Mr..
Soames, that, unless the Indian stu
dent recognized the roll as being
proofs, the man who tempered with
them came upon them accidentally
without knowing that they were
there
so 1t seems to me-
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
Well,'' said he, 'let us go round.
Not one of your cases, Watson-men-
tai, not physical. All right; come IL
sou want to- Now, Mr.. Soames-at
your disposal!''
The sitting room of our client opened
by a long, low, latticed window on to
the ancient lichen-tinted court of the
old college. A Gothic arehed door led
to worn stone staircase. On the
ground floor was the tutors room,
Above were three students, one on
each story. 1t was already twilight
when we reached the scene of our
problem. Holmes halted and looked
earnestly at the window Then he ap-
preached 1t, and. standing on tip-toe
with his neck craned, he looked into
the room.
He must have entered through the
door There is no opening except the
one pane" said our learned guide.
Dear met said Holiness and he
smiled in singular way as he glanced
at our companion. well, If there is
nothing TO be learned here, we had
best go inside
The lecturer unlocked the outer door
and ushered us into his ROOM We
stood at the entrance while Holmes
made an examination of the carpet.
Il am afraid there are no signs
here" said he. "One could hardly
hope for any upon so dry day Your
servant seems to have quite recovered.
You left him in a chair you say,
Which chair?"
by the window there"
Il see. Near this little table You
can come in now / have finished with
the carpet. Let us take the little table
first. OF course. what has happened Is
very clear. The man entered and took
the papers, sheet by sheet from the
central table. He carried them over
to the window table, because from
there he could see If you came scross
the courtyard, and so could effect an
escape"
AS a matter of fact he could not"
said Soames, 'for L entered by the
side door"
All that's goodi Well, anyhow.
that was in his mind. Let me see the
three strips No finger impression-noi
Well, he carried over this one first.
and he copied it, How long would 1t
take him to do that, using every pos
sible contraction? A quarter of an
hour, not less. Then he tossed It down
and seized the next. He was in the
caused him to make a very hurried
retreat-very hurried, since he had not
time to replace the papers which
would tell you that he had been there.
You were not aware of ally hurrying
feet on the stair as you entered the
outer door,
mo. l can't say l was
We'll he wrote so furiously that ne
broke his pencil, and had, as you OBJ
serve, to sharpen 1t again. This is of
interest, Watson. The pencil was not
an ordinary one. 1t was above the
usual size. with a soft read, the outer
color was dark blue, the makers name
was printed In silver lettering and the
piece remaining is only about an inch
and a half long. Look for such a
pencil, Mr.. Soames, and you have got
your man. When 1 add that he pos
sesses large and very blunt knife,
you have an additional aid
Mr.. Soames was somewhat over
whelmed by this flood of information
Il can follow the other points" said
he, but really, In this matter OF the
length
Holmes held out a small chip with
the letters mn and a space of clear
wood after them.
"You see?'
mo, rear that even now
Watson. have always done you an
injustice. There are others. What
could this mn be? 1t is at the end of
q word. You are aware that Johann
Faber Is the common makers name.
Is 1t not clear that there is just as
much of the pencil left as usually fol-
lows the JOHANN" He held the small
table sideways to the electric light IT
was hoping that II the paper ON which
he wrote was thin, some trade of 1t
might come through upon this polished
surface. No. l see nothing. / don't
think there Is anything more to be
learned here. Now for the central ta-
BILE This small pellet is, I presume,
the black, doughty mass you spoke OF.
Roughly pyramidal In shape and hol-
lowed out I perceive. As you say,
there appear to be grains of sawdust
In 1t. Dear me, this is very interest
ing. And the cut-a positive tear, I
see. 1t began with a thin scratch and
ended in jagged hole. / am much in
dcbted to you for directing my atten-
ton to this case. Mr.. Soames. Where
does that door lead top
ITO my bedroom"
Have you been In It since your adj
venture?"
mo. came straight away for you.''
IT should like to have glance
round. What a charming, old-fash-
Toned room! Perhaps you will kindly
wait minute. until have examined
the floor. No, see nothing. What
about this curtain? You hang your
clothes behind It. II anyone were
forced to conceal himself in this room
he must do II there, since the bed Is