The San Francisco call., 1905-05-07

had recourse to an optlclan at least
twice during the last few months. AS
her glasses are of remarkable
strength, and as opticians are not very
numerous. there should be no dlflcuity
in tracing her.
Holmes smiled at the establishment
of Hopkins, which must have been
reflected upon my features.
Surely my deductions are sim
plicity ITSELF" said he. 1T would be
difficult to name any articles which at
ford finer field for inference than a
pair of glasses, especially so remark
able a pair as these. That they belong
to a woman l infer from their deli
cacy, and also. of course, from the
last words of the dying man. AS to
her being q person of refinement and
well dressed, they are, as you per-
ceive handsomely mounted in solid
gold, and it is inconceivable that any
one who wore such glasses could be
slatternly in other respects You will
find that the clips are too wide for your
nose, showing that the lady's nose
was very board at the base. This sort
of nose is usually a short and coarse
one, but there, is a sufficient number
OF exceptions to prevent me from be-
ing dogmatic or from insisting upon
this point in my description. = My own
face is a narrow one, and yet | find
that l cannot get my eyes into the
center nor near the center OF these
glasses. Therefore the ladys eyes
are set very near to the sides of the
nose. You will perceive, Watson, that
the glasses are concaye and of unusual
strength A lady whose vision has been
so extremely contracted all her life is
sure TO have the physical character
istics of such vision, which are seen in
the forehead, the eyelids and the
shoulders"
YES" l, said, II can follow each of
your arguments. l confess, however,
that 1 am unable to understand how
you arrive at the double visit to the
optician.'
Holmes took the glasses in his hand.
You will perceive he said, that.
the clips are lined with tiny bands OF
cork to soften the pressure upon the
nose. One of these is discolored and
worn to some slight extent, but the
other is new. Evidently one has fallen
off and been replaced. l should judge
that the older of them has not been
there more than a few months. They
exactly correspond, so l gather that
the lady went back to the same estab-
lishment for the second
by George, it's marvelous!' cried
Hopkins, in an ecstasy tf admiration.
ITO think that l had all that evidence
in my hand and never knew it! l had
of the Londoi opticians"
"Of course you would. Meanwhile
have you anything more to tell US
about the case ?"
Nothing, Mr. Holmes. I think
that you know as much as | do now
probably more. We have had IN
quiries made as to any stranger seen
on the country roads or at the railway
station. We have heard OF none.
What beats me is the utter want of all
object in the crime. Not ghost OF
a motive can any one suggest.
'Ah! there 1 am not in position to
help you. But 1 suppose you want us
to come out tomorrow"
IF it is not asking too much, Mr.
Holmes. There's a train from Char
ing Cross to Chatham at in the
Old Place between and g..
Then we shall take it. Your case
has certainly. some features of great
interest, and ] shall be delighted to
look into it. Well. it's nearly l, and
we had best get few hours
sleep. dare say you can manage
all right on the sofa in front of
the fire. I'll light my spirit lamp and
give you a cup of coffee before we
start" :
The gale had blown itself out next
day, but it was bitter morning when
we started upon our journey. We saw
the cold winter sun rise over the dreary
marshes of the Thames and the long,
sullen reaches of the river, which L
shall ever associate with our pursuit
CT the Andaman Islander in the earlier
days of our career. After a long and
weary journey we alighted at small
station some miles from Chatham.
While a horse was being put into a
trap at the local inn we Snatched hur-
ried breakfast, and SO we were all
ready for business when we arrived at
Yoxley Old Place. A constable met US
at the garden gate.
well, Wilson. any news?"
mo, sir-nothing."
mo reports of any stranger SEEM"
''No, sir. Down at the station they
are certain that no stranger either
came or went yesterday"
Have you had inquiries made at
inns and lodgings?"
"Yes, sir: there is no one that we
cannot account for"
well, it's only a reasonable walk to
Chatham. Any one might stay there or
take q train without being observed.
This is the garden path of which I
spoke, Mr. Holmes. I'll pledge my
word there was no mark on it yester-
day."
"On which side were the marks on
the grass"
This side, sir. This narrow margin
of grass between the path and the
flower-bed. / can't see the traces now,
but they were clear to me then"
yes, yes; some one has passed
along" said Holmes, STOPPING over the
grass border. "Our lady must have
picked her steps carefully, must she
not, since on the one side she would
leave a track on the path, and on the
other an even clearer one on the soft
bed?"
Yes, sir: she must have been cool
hand"
1 saw an intent look pass over
Holmes face.
You say that she must have come
back this way?"
Yes, sir; there is no other"
"On this strip Of grass?"
Certainly, Mr.. Holmes"
"Huml It was very remarkable
performance-very remarkable. Well,
I think we have exhausted the path.
Let us go farther. This garden door is
usually kept open, 1 suppose? Then
this visitor had nothing to do but to
walk in. The idea of murder was not
in her mind, or she would have provid-
ed herself with sOnna sort of weaDOQ,