Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-09-09

cigarettes will show me"
My dear Holmes" I exclaimed,
show on earth
We'll. well, you may see for your
self. IL not. there's no harm done.
OF course we always have the OpticiaD
clew 10 fall back upon. but I take a
short cut when l can get Il. All. here
is the good Mrs. Marker. Let US en-
JOY five minutes OF instructive con
versation with her"
b l may have remarked before thar
Holmes had, when he liked. a peculiar
ly ingratiating way with women and
that he very readily established terms
OF confidence with them. In half the
time which De had named he had cap
tured the houstkeepeTs good will and
was chatting with her as if he had
known her for years.
J Eyes. Mr. Holmes. It is as YOU say.
sir. lie does smoke something terrible.
All day aud sometimes all night. sir.
I've seen that room of "a morniug-weu,
sir, you'd have thought il was London
fog. Poor young Mr.. smith. ne was a
{ smoker also. but not as bad as the pro-
fesSor His health-weu. 1 don't know
that its better nor worse for the smok-
/ ing"
All" said Holmes. "but it kills the
appetite"
We'll. don't know about that. sir
u suppose the professor eats hardly
| anythugE"
We'll. he is variable. I'll say that for
him"
'TH wager he took no breakfast this
frr. NIL L..
| all the cigarettes I saw him consume"
! "WeH, you're out there. sir as il hap
! pens. for ne ate a remarkably big
! breakfast this morning. I don't know
| when I've known him make "a better
| ono. auFbe's ordered a good dish Of
| outlets for his lunch. I'm surprised
I myself for since came into that room
! yesterday ana saw young Mr.. Smith
| lying there on the floor 7 couldn't bear
! 70 look at fool Wen. it takes all sorts
| TO make q world. and the professor
hasn't let it take his appetite away"
/ We loiterel the morning away I'm the
/ garden Stanley Hopkins had gone
| down to the village 10 look into some
! minors OF q strange woman who had
been seen by some children ON the
Chatham road the previous morning.
As 90 my friend. al his usual energy
seemed 90 have deserted him. I had
/ never known him handle "a case I'm
such ID half hearted fashion. Even the
news brought back by Hopkins that he
had found the children and that they
| had undoubtedly seen woman exact
| ~ corresponding with Holmes deScrip-
| uon and wearing either spcctaclcs OF
| eyeglasses failed TO rouse any sign Of
= Keen interest lie was more attentive
| when Susan who waited upon Us at
| lunch. volunteered the Information that
( She believed Mr. Smith had been cut for
a walk yesterday morning and that he
had only returned half au hour before
| the tragedy occurred. I could ,uot my
self see the bearing of this Incident.
] but / clearly perceived that Holmes
| waS weaving 30 into the general scheme
/ which lc had formed in his brain.
/ suddenly Dee spraug from his chair
and glanced at bis watch Two
o'clock. gentlemen" said he 1--WE
must go zap aud have 10 out with our
/ friend the professor"
The old man had just finished his
lunch. ami certainly his empty dish
bore evidence Co the good appetite with
, which his bousrkceper had credited
him. He vas Indeed a weird figure
as hc turned hiS white name and his
glowing eyes toward us. The eternal
| cigarette smoldercd in his mouth. lie
/ had been dressed and was seated In
| ana armchair hy the fire.
/ well, Nlr. Holmes. have You solved
I this mystery yct:" He showed the large
| tim OF cigarettes which stood ON table
I beside him toward my companion.
I Holmes stretched ont his hand M the
| same moment and between them they
/ tipped thchhoN over the edge For a
/ minute or two we were all ON our
| knees retrieving stray cigarettes from
! Impossible places. When we rose again
! observed Holmes eyes were shining
and his cheeks tiuged with color. Only
at crisis have / seen those battle sig
mails flying
Yes said he. II have solved a."
Stanley Hopkins and / stared in
amazement Something Ike a sheer
Quivered over the gaunt features Of the
old professor
Indeed. In the gardcuG"
''NO. here"
"Here. WheuE"
"This instant"
You are surely joking. Mt Sherlock
} Holmes. You compel me 20 tell YOU
/ that this is too serious a matter 10 be
| treated I'm such a fashion
! i have forged and tested every link
I OF my chain. Professor Coram. and
/ am sure that IL is sound What your
motives are or what exact part You
play in this strange business am not
I yet able 10 say In few minutes I
I shall probably hear il from your own
. lips. Meanwhile ! VIII reconstruct what
is past for your benefit, SO that you
may know the Information which / still
require.
u lady yesterday entered your study.
She came with the intention of pos
sessng herself Of certain documents
which were in your bureau She had
"a a..