The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-07
game2 What did She really want?,

game? What did she really want?"
Surely her own statement is clear
and her anxiety very natural
HUM Think of her appearance,
Watson-her manner, her suppressed
excitement. her rest1essness, her ten
aeity in asking questions. Remember
that she comes of a caste who do not
lightly show emotion"
she was certainly much moved"
Remember, also the curious earnest
ness With which she assured us that
1t was best for her husband that she
should know ALI What did she mean
by that? And you must have observed,
Watson, how she manoeuvred to have
the light al her back She did not
wish us to read her expression"
Yes. she chose the one chair in the
room.'
And yet the motives of women are
50 inscrutable. You remember the
woman at Margate whom l suspected
for the same reason. No powder on
her nose-that proved to be the correct
solution. How can you build on such
qucksand? Their NEST trivial ac-
lions may mean volumes, or their most
extraordinary conduct may depend
upon a hairpin or a curling tongs
Good morning. Watson"
you are OFF,
Yes. l will while away the morning
at Godolphin street with our friends
of the regular establishment. With
Eduardo Lucas lies the solution of our
problem, though / must admit that l
have not an inkling as to what form
1t may take 1t is q. capital mistake to
theorize in advance Of the facts. Do
you stay on guard, my good Watson,
and receive any fresh visitors. I'll
join you at lunch IL | am able
All that day and the next and the
next Holmes was in mood which his
friends would call taciturn, and others
morose. He ran out and ran in smoked
necessarily, played snatches on his
violin, sank into reveries, devoured
sandwiches at irregular hours, and
hardly answered the casual questions
which I put to him. II was evident to
me that things were not going well
with him or his quest He would say
nothing of the case and 1t was from
the papers that | learned tn particu-
lars of the inquest. and the arrest with
the subsequent release of John Milton,
the valet of the deceased. The coron-
er's jury brought In the obvious will
full Murder" but the parties remained
as unknown as ever No motive was
suggested. The room was full of ar
tieles of value, but none had been
taken. The dead mans papers had
not been tampered with. They were
carefully examined and showed that
he was keen student of international
politics. an interchangeable gossip, re-
markable linguist. and an untiring let
ter writer. He had been on intimate
terms with the leading politicians Of
several countries But nothing sensa-
tional was discovered among the doc
uments which filled his drawers. AS
to his relations with women, they APP
peared to have been promiscuous, but
superficial He had many acquaint-
ances among them but few friends,
and no one whom he loved. His habits
were regular, his conduct inoffensive.
His death was an absolute mystery,
and likely to remain so.
As to the arrest of John Milton,
the valet it was a council of despair
as an alternative to absolute inaction.
But no case could be sustained againt
him. He had visited friends in Ham
mersmith that night. The alibi was
complete 1t is true that he started
home at an hour which should have
brought him to Westminster before
the time when the crime was discov-
cred, but his own explanation that he
had walked part of the way seemed
probable enough in view of the fine
ness of the night He had actually ar
rived at twelve O'clock and appeared
to be overwhelmed at the unexpected
tragedy. He had always been on good
terms with his master. Several OF the
dead mans ossessions-notably
small case of razors-had been found
in the Wallets boxes, but he explained
that they had been presents from the
deceased, and the housekeeper was
a, 70 70 = lia efp Milton
had been in Lucas employment for
three years. 1t was noticeable that
Lucas did not take Milton on the Con-
tinent with him Sometimes he visited
Paris for three months on end, but
Milton was left in charge of the Godol-
phn street house. As to the house
keeper she had heard nothing on the
night of the crime If her master had
visitor he had himself admitted him.
So for three mornings the mystery
remained. so far as [ could follow 1t in
the papers. If Holmes knew more. he
kept his own counsel but. as he told
me that Inspector Lestrade had taken
him into. his confidence in the case, I
knew that he was in close touch with
every development Upon the fourth
day there appeared a long telegram
from Paris which seemed to solve the
whole question
"A discovery has just been made by
the Partisan police said the Daily
telegraph (which raises the veil
which hung round the tragic fate Of
Mr.. Eduardo Lucas. who met his death
by violence last Monday night at Co
dolphin street. Westminster. Our read
ers will remember that the deceased
gentleman was found stabbed in his
room. and that some suspicion at
tached to his valet. but that the case
broke down on an alibi. Yesterday
a lady who has been known as Nine.