The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-08

way to Mr.. Turner's lodgekeeper, his
house being the nearest, to ask for as
sistance. / saw no one near my father
when I returned, and have no idea
how he came by his injuries. He was
cold and forbidding in his manners; but
he had, as far as / know, no active
enemies, know nothing further of the
natter
"The Coroner: Did your father make
any statement to you before he diedf
''Witness: He mumbled a few words,
but l could only catch some allusion to
q rat. !
"The Coroner: What did you under
stand by thatf
"Witness: 1t conveyed no meaning
to me. I thought that he was delirious.
"The Coroner: What was the point |
upon which you and your father had
this final quarrel7
witness: I should prefer not to
answer.
The Coroner: ! am afread that I
must press it.
me to tell you. I can assure you that
it has nothing to do with the sad
tragedy which followed: /
"The Coroner:, That is for the court
to decide. need not point out to you
that your refusal to answer will preju-
dice your case considerably in any
future proceedings which may arise.
"Witness: I must still refuse.
"The Coroner:I understand that the
cry of 'Cooee' was common signal
between you and your fathera
"Witness: 1t was. :. &,
"The Coroner: How was it, then,
that he uttered it before he saw you,
and before he even knew that you hail
returned from Bristol? n
"Witness with considerable con-
fusion): do not know.
"a Juryman: Did you see nothing
which aroused your suspicious when
found your father fatally injureda
witness: Nothing definite.
"The Coroner: What do you meant
"Witness: I was so disturbed and
excited as l rushed out into the open.
that could think of nothing except of
my father. Yet have vague impress
sion that as I ran forward something
lay upon the ground to the left Of me.
It seemed to me to be something gray
perhaps. When [ rose from my father
looked round for it, but it. was gone.
"'Do you mean that it disappeared
before you went for helps'
Yes, it was gone
"'You cannot say what 1t vast
"'No, I had feeling something was
there
/" 'How far from the bodys'
"A dozen yards or So
"'And how far from the edge of
the woods
"'About the same.'
| 'Then If it was removed it was
while you were within a dozen yards
| of it?'
"'Yes, but with my back towards
it,
'"This concluded the examination of
| the witness.''
ct see, 'said I, as I glanced down the
Guiding remarks was rather severe upon
! young Mccarthy. He calls attention,
and with reason, to the discrepancy
about his father having signalled to
him before seeing him, also to his re-
fusal to give details of his converse
ton with his father, and his singular &C.
count of his fathers dying words
They are all, as he remarks, very much
against the son.
Holmes laughed softly to himself
and stretched himself out upon the
cushioned seat. "Both you and the
coroner have been at some palms, said
he, "to single out the very strongest
points in the young man s favor. Don U
!. you see that you alternately give hin
credit for having too much imagination
, and too little. Too little, if he could not
invent cause Of quarrel which woult
give him the sympathy Of the jury; to-
much. if he evolved from his own inner
| consciousness anything so outre as :
, dying reference to rat. and the in
, cident Of the vanishing cloth. No, sir
j I shall approach this case from thu
point of view that what this young maj
: says is true, and we shall see whithe
3 that hypothesis will lead us. And nov
a here is my pocket Petrarch, and no
= another word shall say Of this cas-
$ until we are on. the scene of action
i we shall be there in twenty minutes.
n 1t was nearly o'clock when we a
r last, after passing thru the beautifr
v Stroud valley, and over the broa
O cleaning Severn, found ourselves at tn
i pretty little country town. Of Ross
o A lean, ferret-like man., furtive and sly
l. I looking, was waiting for us upon til
j. platform. In spite of the light brow
a dust coat and leather leggings whic
v he wore in Difference to his rustic SUI
roundings, I had no difficulty in recos
a nizing Lestrade. Of Scotland Var,
y With him we drove to the Herefor
Arms, where room had already bee
q engaged for us;
NJ have ordered a carriage" sal
=. LeStrade, as we sat over cup OF te
ct knew your energetic nature, an
q. that you would not be happy until yc
re- had been on the scene of the crime
re- cit was very nice and complimental
ID of you,' Holmes answered. cit
entirely i question of barometric pre-
r. Lestrade looked startled. ct do n
"a quite follow he said.
n elbow is the glass7 Twenty nine,
en- sec. No wind, and not a cloud in Il
#. sky. I have caseful of cigarett
n. here which need smoking. and the so
nv is very much superior to the usual cou
try hotel abomonation. do not thil
of that it is probable that shall use t
We carriage tonight
Nv Lestrade laughed indulgently. "Y
ii. have, no doubt, already formed 70
he conclusions for the newspapers"
" said. "The case is as plain as pill
he staff, and the more one goes into
ed the palmer it becomes. Still, of cour
to one can t refuse lady, and such We
IT. positive one, too. She had heard Of "
els and would have your opinion, tho
ut peatedly told her that there was not
MI ing which you could do which I h
'as not already done. Why. bless my so,
-as here is her carriage at the door,
ed He had hardly spoken before tn,
be rushed into the room one of the m,
The lovely young women that I have e,
Ter seen in my life. Her violet eyes sh
W. ing, her lips parted, pink flush W
led her cheeks, all thought Of her natu
in reserve lost in her overpowering
IA citement and concern.
in HOh. Mr.. Sherlock Holmesio