Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-29

time.
"Weii," said he at last, II suppose
shall have to come out and have look
at It."
Stanley Hopkins gave cry Of Joy.
THANK you, sir. That will, indeed,
be q weight OF my mind"
Holmes shook his finger at the In.
spector.
ut would have been an easier task
week ago." said he. but even now
my visit may not be entirely fruitless.
Watson, II you can spare the time I
should be very glad Of your company.
II you will call a four wheeler. Hop
kins, we shall be ready to start for
Forest Row in quarter Of an hour"
Alighting at the small wayslde sta
ton, we drove for some miles through
the remains Of widespread woods
which were once part of that great for.
eat which for 10 long held the Saxon
Invaders at bay-the impenetrablc
weald. for sixty years the bulwark
Of Britain. Vast sections Of 1t have
been cleared, for this Is the seat Of the
FIRST iron works of the country, and the
trees have been felled to smelt the ore.
Now the richer fields of the north have
absorbed the trade, and nothing save
these ravaged groves and great scars
In the earth shows the work Of the past.
Here. In a clearing upon the green
slope Of hill, stood long. low stone
house. approached by n curving drive
running through the fields. Nearer the
road and surrounded on three sides by
bushes was small clubhouse. one win
dow and the door facing in our direc.
ton. It was the scene Of the murder.
Stanley Hopkins led us first to the
house. where he introduced us to bag
gard, gray haired woman. the widow
Of the murdered man, whose gaunt and
deep lined face. with the furtive look of
terror In the depths Of her red trimmed
eyes. told OF the years Of hardship and
Ill usage which she had endured. With
her was her daughter. pale. fair hair
ed girl, whose eyes blazed def1antly at
US as she told us that she was glad that
her father was dead and that she bless
ed the hand which had struck him
down. 1t was a terrible household that
Black Peter Carey had made for him.
self, and II was with sense Of relief
that we found ourselves in the sunlight
again. making our way along a path
which had been worn across the fields
by the feet Of the dead man.
The clubhouse was the simplest Of
dwellings. wooden walled. single roof
ed. one window beside the door and one
on the farther side. Stanley Hopkins
drew the key from his pocket and had
stopped to the lock when he paused
with look of attention and surprise
upon his face.
"Some one has been tampering with
IT," he said.
There could be no doubt of the fact.
The woodwork was cut. and the
scratches showed white through the
paint. rs II they had been that instant
done. Holmes had been examining the
window.
"Some one has tried to force this
also. Whoever 1t was has failed to
make his way in. He must have been
Q very poor burglar"
"This Is most extraordinary thing
said the inspector. II could swear
that these marks were not here yester-
day evening"
Some curious person from the vii
!age. perhaps I suggested.
Every unlikely. Few Of them would
dare to set foot in the grounds, far
less try to force their way into the
cabin. What do you think OF it, Mr..
Holiness
II think that fortune Is very kind to
u.s."
you mean that the person will come
again?"
1T is very probable. He came ex.
pectirg to And the door open. He
tried to get In with the blade of a
very small penknife. lie could not
manage 1t. What would he do"
"Come again next night with a more
useful tool"
$50 I should say. 1t will be our
fault II we are not there to receive
him. Meanwhile let me see the inside
Of the cabin"
The traces OF the tragedy had been
| tCmVNS"' OuS thc AuiuitukC WAtuIu luS
little room still stood as 1t had been
on the night OF the crime. For two
hours with most intense concentration
Holmes examined every object in turn
but his face showed that his quest was
not a successful one. Once only he
paused in his patient investigation.
'Have you taken anything off this
shelf. Hopkins!"
mo: l have moved nothing"
Something has been taken. There Il
less dust In this corner of the shell
than elsewhere. 1t may have been d
book lying on its side. 1t may have
been box. Well. well, I can do moth
ing more. Let us walk In these beau
tiful woods. Watson. and give few
hours to the birds and the flowers. W.
shall meet you here later, Hopkins
and see II we can come to closer quar-
tiers with the gentleman who has paid
this visit In the night"
1t was past IL O'Clock when we form
ed our little ambuscade. Hopkins was
for leaving the door Of the hut open
but Holmes was Of the opinion that
this would rouse the suspicious Of the
stranger. The lock was perfectly
simple one, and only a strong blade
was needed to push it back. Holmes
also suggested that we should wait. moi
inside the hut but outside Il among