The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-19
Leads ALI North Carolina Daies i'm News Circulation

must have meant, said Holmes, with
his enigmatical smile. Lestrade had
learned by more experiences than he
would care to acknowledge that that
razor-likc brain could cut through
that which was impcnetrable to him
l saw him look curiously at my COIN
panion.
II think 1 should like to nave a
word with you presently. Mr.. Sher7
| lock Holmes" said he. Now, Mr..
McFarlane. two OF my constabies are
| at the door. and there is four
| wheeler waiting" The wretched
Young man arose, and with n last be-
| seeching glance at US walked from
| the room. The officers conducted
him to the cab. but Lestrade re-
/ mained.
which formed the rought draft OF the
will, and was looking at them WIN
the keenest interest upon his face.
'"Therc are some points about that
document, Lestradc, are there not!
said he, pushing them over.
The official looked at them with a
puzzled expression.
| az can read the first few lines, anu
these In the middle or the secoIl,'
| M re. and ono or two at the emu.
Those are as clear as print" said he,
"but the writing in between is very
had. and there are three places Where
I cannot read, it at all"
what do YOU make Of that?" SAID
Holmes. 40,
.WelI. what do you make OF 1t
"That it. was written In a tram.
The good writing represents stations
the bad writing movement ana the
very bad writing passing over points.
4 scientific expert would pronounce
AT once that this was drawn up on a
suburban line, since nowhere save in
the Immediate vicinity of great city
could there be SO quick succession
of points. Granting that this whole
| tourney was occupied in drawing up
the will, then the train was an ex-
press, only stopping once between
| Norwood and London Bridge"
! Lestrade began to laugh.
You are too many for me when
YOU begin TO get on your theories, Mr.
| Holmes" said he. "How does this
| bear on the case?
"Well. it corroborates the young
| mans story to the extent that the
will was drawn up by Jonas Oidacre
! in his Journey yesterday. 1t Is curl
| ous-is it note-that man should
| draw up so important document IN
! so haphazard fashion. 1t suggests
| that he did not think 1t was going TO
| be of much practical importance. II
| a
not intend ever to- be enectiVe' ne
| might do il So
"Well, he drew up his own death
warrant at the same time" said Les
| trade.
"oh, you think sog''
Don't you?" &
s'Wen. il issquitel possible. but the
case is not clear to me yet"
Not clear? Well. if that isn't
clear. what could be clear? Here is
Young man who learns suddenly
| that. if u certain older man dies, he
will succeed TO fortune. What does
| he do? He says nothing TO any one
| but he arranges that he shall go out
/ on some pretext to see his client that
night He waits until the only other
! person in the house is in bed, ana
then in the solitude of the mans room
he murders him. burns his body In
| the wood-pilc, aud departs to neigh
boring hotel. The blood-stains in the
room and also on the stick are very
slight 1t is probable that he inn
! agined his crime to be q bloodless
one. and hoped that If the body were
consumed it would hide all traces OF
the method of dcath--traceS which.
| for some reason, must have pointed
to him Is not all this obvious?
"It strikes me, my good Lcstrade,
as being just trit1e too obvious.
said Holmes" You do not add imagi-
nation to your other great qualities,
but il you could for one moment put
yourself in the place of this young
man, would YOU choose the very night
after the will had been made to COM
nit the crime? Would it not seem
dangerous to you to make so very
close a relation between the two in
cidcnts? Again, would you choose an
occasion when YOU are known TO be
in the house. when q servant has let
you in? And, finally, would you take
the great pains To conceal the body,
and yet leave your own stick as a
sign that you were the criminal? Con-
fcss. Lestrade, that all this is very
unlikely"
"As to the stick, Mr.. Holmes, you
know as we'll as | do that n criminal
is often Hurried. and does such things,
which n cool man would avoid. He
: was very likely afraid TO go back 10
the room. Give me another theory
that would nt the facts"
81 could very easily give you half
a Dozen said Holmes. "Here, for
example is very possible and even
probable one: | make you q free
present of it. The older man is show
ing documents which are of evident
value. ~ pdSSiHS tIdillp ctSo tHShl
through the window, the blind of
which is only half down. Exit the
solicitor. Enter the tramp. He
seizcs q stick. which he observes
there. kills Oldacre, and departs af-
ter burning the body"
"Why should the tramp burn the
body?"
For the matter Of that, why should
McFarlane?'
ITO hide some evidence"
Possibly the tramp wanted TO
hide that any murder at all had been
committed"
"And why did the tramp take moth
ing?'
Because they were p7~""s that he
could not negotiate"
Lcstrade shook his G-lH. f,sough
it seemed to me that hi manner Nas
less absolutely assured H aatcre
"WclI, Mr.. Sherlock ltsHnes. &ou
may look for your tramp a9d While
you are finding him W VIII ltola on
to our man. The future a}sl show
which is right Just nc lee th.s pottb,
Mr. Holmes: that so ia euo",
none Of the papers wer rsrave ~, 3N1
that tho prisoner is IL nfl HHaH n