Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-01

Holmes" said he. III you know any.
thing you can surely say It without all
this tomfoolery."
II assure you, my good Lestrade.
that l have an excellent reason for
everything that do. You may posi-.
bly, remember that you chaffed me
little some hours ago when the sun
seemed on your side Of the hedge, 30
you must not grudge me little pomp
and ceremony now. Might ask you,
Watson, to open that window and then
to put O match to the edge Of the
strawT
did 50, and. driven BY the draft,
O coil Of gray smoke swirled down the
corridor. while the dry straw cracked
and famed.
Now we must see II we can nnd this
witness for you, Lestrade. Might I
ask you all to join in the cry Of 'FireT
Now, then-one. two, three"
Fire" we all yelled.
THANK you. will trouble you once
again."
"Fire!
Just once more. gentlemen, and all
together"
"Firey The shout must have rung
over Norwood.
1t had hardly died away when an
amazing thing happened. A door sud.
denly flew open out of what appeared
to be solid wall at the end Of the cor.
ridor and little wizened man darted
out Of it like a rabbit out Of it's bur.
row.
"Capitalv' said Holmes calmly.
Watson. o bucket Of water over the
straw. That will do! Lestrade, allow
me to present you with your principal
missing witness, Mr.. Jonas Oldacre."
The detective stared at the newcom.
er with blank amazement. The latter
was blinking in the bright light of the
corridor and peering at Us and at the
smoldering FIRE. 1t was On 0dious
face-crafty. vicious, malignant, with
shifty. light gray eyes and white
lashes.
whats this. them" said Lestrade at
last what have you been doing all
this time, eh?'
Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh, shrink.
ing back from the furious red face Of
the angry detective.
II have done no HARM"
mo harm? You have done your best
to get an innocent man hanged. II 1t
wasn't for this gentleman here I am
not sure that you would not have cue.
ceeded"
The wretched creature began to
whimper.
Il am sure. sir, It was only my prac.
tical Joke"
"O1, a joke, was It? You won't ind
the laugh on your side. promise you.
Take him down and keep him in tho
sitting room until come. Mr.. Holmes"
he continued when they had gone II
could not speak before the constables,
but don't mind saying In the presence
Of Dr. Watson that this Is the brightest
thing that you have done vet. though 1t
Is mystery to me how you did it. You
have saved an innocent mans life. and
you have prevented very grave scan
dial, which would have ruined my repu.
tation in the force"
Holmes smiled and clapped Lestrade
upon the shoulder.
"Instcm1 Of being ruined, my good
sir, you will find that your reputation
has been enormously enhanced. Just
make a few alterations in that report
which you were writing and they will
| understand how hard 1t Is to throw
dust in the eyes Of Inspector Lestrade."
"And you don't want your name to
appear"
| mot at all. The work is its own re-
ward. Perhaps I shall get the credit
also at some distant day, when 1 per.
NIT my Jealous historian to lay out his
fOolscap once more-eh. Watson? Well
now, let US see where this rat has been
lurking"
A lath and plaster partition had been
run across the passage six feet from
the end, with door cunningly conceal
ed in it. 1t was lit within by Sits un.
der the caves. A few articles Of furni.
ture and a supply Of food and water
We're within, together with q number
of books and papers.
There's the advantage Of being a
builder" said Holmes as we came out
He was able to dx up bis own little
hiding place without any confederate
save, of course, that precious house
keeper Of his. whom should lose nc
time in adding to your bag. Lestrade."
I'll take your advice. But how did
you know Of this place, Mr.. Holmes? 7"
II made up my mind that the fellow
was in hiding in the house. When
paced one corridor and found It six
feet shorter than the corresponding
one below 1t was pretty clear where
he was. ! thought he had not the nerve
to lie quiet before an alarm of fire. W.
could, Of course, have gone in and tak
EN- him, but 1t amused me to make HIN
reveal himself. Besides, I owed you {
little mystifcation, Lestrade, for YOU
chat in the morning"
"Well. Sir. you certainly got equa
with me on that. But how In the worlt
did you know that he was in the hous,
ut all?"
1.-THE thumb mark, Lestrade. 70,
said it was final. and so 1t was in {
very different sense. l knew 1t hat
not been there the day before. pay
q good deal Of attention to matters o.
detail. as you may have observed. ant
had examined the hall and was SUR
that the wall was clear. Therefore 1
had been put on during the night"