Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-10

Wub IuTIv eAuCt. VIM IIuNe W pus
up against that? Three wineglasses--
that il all. hut II I had not taken
things for granted. II I had examined
everything with the care which should
have shown had We approached the
case do novo and had no cut and dried
story to warp my mind, should I not
then have found something more def.
mite to go upon? OF course should.
Sit down on this bench. Watson, until
n train for Chiselhurst arrives. and
allow mo to Ivy the evidence before
you. imploring you IN the first instance
tn dismiss from your mind the idea
that anything which the maid or her
mistress may have said must ncces-
snrily be true. The lady's charming
personality must not be permitted to
warp our Judgment.
"Surely there are details in her sto
~ which. II we looked Mt in cold blood.
would excite our suspicion. These bur
glars made n considerable haul ut Sy-
denham a fortnight ago. Some account
Of them and Of their appearance was
in the papers and would naturally oc-
story in which imaginary robbers
should play a part. AS n matter Of
fact. burglars who have done good
stroke Of business nre. as rule only
too glad 10 enjoy the proceeds IN pence
and quiet without cmbnrking on nnoth-
or pcrilous undertaking. Again, It Ia
unusual for burglars to operate Mt 40
ri is ,so1 fnr t,Sr
glars to strike lady TO prevent her
screaming since one would imagine
that was the sure way to make her
scream: II Is unusual for them TO com.
NIT murder when their numbers are
sufficient to overpower one man: II Is
unusual for them TO he content with a
limited plumber when there was much
more within their reach, and. finally,
should say that it was very unusual
for such men to leave bottle half
empty. How do all these unusuals
strike you. Watson?'
Their cumulative effect il certainly
considerable. and yet each of them Is
quite possible in itself The most unu-
sunl thing of all, ms it seems to me, is
that the lady should be tied to the
chair"
well, I am not so clear about that,
Watson. for it Is evident that they
must either kill her or else secure her
in such . way that she could not give
| immediate notice Of their escape. But
at any rate have shown. have I not.
| that there Is certain element of i'm
probability about tho lady's story? And
now, on the top Of this, comes the Incl.
dent Of the winegasses."
what about the winpglasses?"
"Can you see them in your minds
! cye?"
II see them clearly"
1--WE are told that three men drank
! from them. Does that strike you as
| likely"
"why not? There was wine in each
glass;"
only in one glass. You must have no
ticed that fact. What does that sug
gest to your mlnd?'
"'rhe last glass filled would be mos
likely to contain beeswing."
Not ut all. The bottle was full OF
it, and it Ia inconceivable that the frs
two glasses were clear and the third
heavily charged with 1t. There are two
possible explanations. and only two
One is that after the second glass was
filled the bottle was violently agitated
and so the third glass received thu
beeswing. That does not appear prob
able. No, no, am sure that an
right"
what. then. do You SUPPOSE"
THAT only two glasses were used ant
that the dregs Of both were poured int
a third glass. so as to give the false i'm
preston that three people had beef
here. In that way all the beeswini
would be in the last glass, would il
not! Yes, am convinced that this |:
so. But If have hit upon the true ex
PLANTATION Of this one small phenom
enon then in nm instant the case rise!
from the commonplace to the exceed
ingly remarkable, for it can only meal
that Lady Brackenstall and her mait
have deliberately lied to US, that no
lieved, that they have some very stron!
reason for covering the real crimina
and that we must construct our cas-
for ourselves without any help from
them. That Is the mission which nov
lies before US, and here. Watson, Is tn
: Sydenham train"
The household at the Abbey Grang
| ,al>. ID 1,,~
Sherlock Holmes, finding that Stanle
? Hopkins had gone on to report to head
, quarters. took possession OF the dinin
room. locked the door upon the insd
and devoted himself for two hours t
I one Of those minute and laborious ir
{ vestigations which form the solid basi
, on which his brilliant edifices Of d.
Q duction were reared. Seated in a col
t ner like an interested student who OF
! serves the demonstration of his pro
? lessor followed every step Of that RI
( markable research. The window, tn
r curtains, the carpet. the chair, the ror
d each In turn was infinitely examine
!, and duly pOndered. The body OF tn
e unfortunate baronet had been removed
I and all else remained as we had see
It In the morning. Finally. to my a
. tonishment. Holmes climbed up on
= the massive mantelpiece. Far abov
Il his head hung the few inches Of re
a cord which were still attached to III
I