The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-08-02

stains in the room and afro ION .-.sne
stick are very slight. It. is probable
that he imagined his crime to be
bloodless one;sasand hoped that If the
boly were Consumed 1t -wOnld hide. all
traces Of the method of his death,
traces which for some reason must
have pointed to him. Is not all this
Obvious?"
at strikes me, my good Lesrade, as
1 being just a trifle too Obvious said
Holmes. "YOli do not add Imagination
to your other great qualities, but if
| you could for one moment put your
self in the place Of this young man
would you choose the very night after
the will had been made to commit your
crime? Would 1T not seem dangerous
to. you to make SO very close,a relation
: between the two Incidents? Again,
would you choose an occasion when
you. are known toa7be in the house,
when "a servant has let you in? And,
finally, would you take the great pains
to concealrthe bedy and yet leave your
own stick asa sign that you were the
criminal? Confess; Lestrade. that all
this is very, unlikely ~
"As to. the stick, Mr.. Holmes, you
know. as well as i do that criminal
lis often furrjed and does such things,
which a. cool man would avoid. He
was very likely afraid to go back to
the room. Give me another theory that
would at the facts" :.
az could very easily give you half
dozen said Holmes. Here, for ex-
ample, Is a very possible and even
probable one. i make you q free pres
ent' or it. The older man is showing
documents which are of evident value
a passing tramp sees them through the
window, the blind of which is only half
down. Exit the solicitor Enter the
tramp. He seizes a stick, which he
observes there, kills Oldacre and de
parts after 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 oil had been COM
mitted"
"And why did the tramp take moth
ing?"
Because they were papers that he
could not negotiate.".-
Lestrade shook his head, though 1t
seemed to me that his manner was
less absolutely assured than before.
We'll, Mr.. Sherlock Holmes, you
may look for your tramp, and while
you are finding him we will hold on to
our mar. ), The future will show. which
is right. Just notice this point Mr..
Holmes-that SO far as we know none
of the papers were removed and that
the prisoner is the one man in the
world who had no reason for removing
them since he was heir at law and
would come into them in any case"
Ny friend seemed struck by this re-
mark >. Ill,
II don't mean to deny that the evil
dence is in some ways very strongly il
favor of your theory" said he 81 only
wish to point out that there are Other
6 theories possible. ! AS you say, the FIJI
e ture will decide. Good morning! I,
y dare say that in the course Of the. day
!. j shall drop in at Norwood and see how
G you are getting on" 49,
D When the detective departed III.
: friend rose. and made, his preparations
4 for the days work with the alert ail
!; Of man who has congenial task be
s fore him. '.
D My first movement, Watson" sale
he as he hustled into his frock coat
} must, as ] said, be in the direction O
Blackheath."
"And why not NorwOodY'
Because we have in this case. on,
singular incident coming close to TIL
heels Of another singular incident TIL
police are making the mistake of con
centrating their attention upon tn
second because 1t happens to be tn
one which is actually criminal. Blu
/ 1t is evident to me that the logica
way to approach the case is upo1
the first incident-the curious will, s.
suddenly made and to SO unexpect
ed an heir. 1t may do something I
simplify what followed. No, my deu
fellow, don't think you can help III
There is no prospect Of danger, or
should not dream of stirring out witt
out you ] trust that when see yo
4 In the evening l will be able to repol
. that have been able to do somethin
for this unfortunate youngster who ha
thrown himself upon my protection.
II was late when my friend returne,
i and could see by glance at his ha,
gard and anxious face that the hig
= hopes with which he had started ha
= not been fulfilled. For an hour i
y droned away upon his violin, endeavo
ing to soothe his own ruftled spirits 4
last he flung down the instrument an
w. plunged into a detailed account Of h
misadventures.
is