Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-17


mans story to the extent that the will
was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his
journey yesterday. 1t is curious. is it
not. that man should draw up so i'm
pOrtant document in so haphazard a
fashion 1t suggests that he did not
think it was going to be OF much prac-
Zeal Importance. If a man drew up
will which he did not intend ever TO be
effective he might do it So
well. he drew up his own death
warrant at the same time" said Lee
strade.
"Oh. you think soy
Don't you?"
well. it Is quite possible. but the
case is not clear TO me yet"
Not clear? Well. if that isn't clear
what could be clear? Here IS a young
man who learns suddenly that if GER
tain older man dies he will succeed to
n fortune. What does he do? He says
nothing to any one, but he arranges
that he shall go out ON some preteXt
to see his client that night. He waits
until the only other person in the house
Is in bed, and then in the solitude OF
the mans room he murders him, burns
his body in the wood pile and departs
to a neighboring hotel. The blood
stains in the room and also on the
stick are very slight 1t is probable
that he imagined his crime to he a
bloodless one and hoped that If the
body We're consumed it would hide all
traces OF the method of his death.
traces which Cor some reason must
have pointed to him. Is not all this
obvious:"
cit strikes me. my good LesTade, as
being just a trifle too obvious said
Holmes. You 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 it not seem dangerous
to you to make SO very close Il relation
between the two incidents? Again,
would you choose an occasion when
you are known TO he in the house.
when a servant has let you in? And,
finally, would you take the great pains
to conceal the body and yet leave your
own stick as Il sign that you were the
CGllullui. AOnlcSS, l-cSiIdNts lhdl MI
this is very unlikely"
LAS to the stick, Mr.. Holmes. you
know as well as | do that criminal
is often furricd and does such things,
which IA cool man would avoid. lie
was very likely afraid to go back TO
the room. Give me another theory that
would I'll the facts"
Il could very easily give you half
dozen" said Holmes. Here, for eX-
ample. is Il very possible and even
probable one. l make you IL free pres
ent of 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
bodyT'
For the matter of that, why should
McFarlane?"
ITO hide some evidence"
POSSIBLY the tramp wanted TO hide
that any murder at all had been com
"And why did the tramp take moth
ing?"
Because they weE~ papers that he
could not negotiate"
Lestrade shook his head. though it
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 man. 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.
81 don't mean to deny that the evil
dence is I'm some ways very strongly I'm
favor of your theory" said he. Il only
wish to point out that there are other
theories possible. AS you say, the fu-
ture will decide Good morning,
dare say that in the course OF the day
| shall drop in at Norwood and see how
you are getting on"
When the detective departed my
friend rose and made his preparations
for the days work with the alert air
OF a man who has a congenial task be-
fore him.
My first movement. Watson" said
be as he hustled into his frock coat,
must, as / said. be in the direction OF
Blackheath"
And why not NOrwOodF'
Because we have in this case one
singular incident coming close TO the
heels Of another singular incident. The
police are making the mistake OF con
.entrating their attention upon the
second because it happens To be the
one which is actually criminal. But
Il is evident to me that the logical
way 10 approach the case is upon
the FIRST incident-the curious viii. so
suddenly made and TO so unexpect-
ed an heir. II may do something 70
simplify what followed No, my dear
fellow, l don't think you can help NE