Morris tribune., 1905-08-26

Conner weekly
Douldt Ras.
ed nothing but three or four suits Of
clothes hanging from a line Of pegs.
Holmes turned away and stopped sud
denly to the floor.
Hello. What's this ?" said he.
It was small pyramid of black,
puttylike stuff, exactly like the one
upon the table of the study. Holmes
held it out on his open palm in the
glare of the electric light.
Your visitor seems to have left
traces in your bedroom as well as in
your sitting room, Nh Soames."
I "What could he have wanted there?
81 think it is clear enough. You came
back by an unexpected way, and so
he had no warning until you were at
/ the very door What could he do? He
caught up everything which would be-
tray him, and he rushed into your bed
room to conceal himself
Good gracious, Mr.. Holmes, do you
mean to tell me that all the time was
talking to Bannister in this room we
had the man prisoner if we had only
known it?''
$50 I read it."
''Surely there is another alternative,
Mr.. Holmes. l don't know whether
you observed my bedroom window?'
Lattice paned. lead framework,
three separate windows, one swinging
on hinge and large enough to admit a
man.
EXACTLY And it looks out on an
angle of the courtyard so as to be
partly invisible. The man might have
effected his entrance there, left traces
as he passed through the bedroom, and
finally, finding the door open, have es-
capped that way"
Holmes shook his head impatiently.
LET us be practical" said he. II
understand you to say that there are
three students who use this stair and
are in the habit Of passing your door?''
Eyes, there are"
"And they are all in for this examina-
tion?"
eyes"
Have you any reason to suspect any
one Of them more than the others?'
Soames hesitated.
''It is very delicate question" said
he. Zone hardly likes to throw sus-
picion where there are no proofs"
LET us hear the suspicious. I will
look after the proofs"
81 will tell you, then, in a few words
the character of the three men who in
habit these rooms. The lower Of the
three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar and
athlete; plays in the Rugby team and
the cricket team for the college and
got his blue for the hurdles and the
long jump. He is fine, manly fellow.
His father was the notorious Sir Jabez
Gilchrist, who ruined himself on the
turf. Ny scholar has been left very
poor, but he is hardworking and in
dustrious. He will do well.
"The second floor is inhabited by
quiet, inscrutable fellow, as most Of
those Indians are. He is well up in
his work, though his Greek is his weak
subject. He is steady and methodical.
1.-THE top floor belongs to Miles Nc
Laren. He is brilliant fellow when
he chooses to work-one of the bright
est intellects of the university-but he
is hayward, dissipated and unprinci-
pied He was nearly expelled over a
card scandal in his first year. He has
been idling all this term, and he must
look forward with dread to the ex-
animation"
"Then it is he whom you suspect"
81 dare not go so far as that, but Of
the three he is perhaps the least I'M
likely
Exactly. Now, Mr.. Soames, let us
have a look at your servant, Bannis- I
ter
He was a little, white faced, clean
shaven, grizzly haired fellow of fifty.
He was still suffering from this sud-
den disturbance of the quiet routine Of |
his life. His plump face was twitching
with his nervousness, and his fingers
could not keep still.
1--WE are investigating this unhappy
business, ,Bannister," said his master.
eyes, sir"
IT understand" said Holmes, "that
you left your key in the door,?
Eyes, sir
"Was it not very extraordinary that
you should do this on the very day |
when there were these papers inside"
"It was most unfortunate, sir But | |
have occasionally done the same thing
at other times"
''When did you enter the room?" !