Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-26

Step this way, if you please, GontIe' men, and l think can convince you once for all that 1t was John McFar' lane who did this crime" He led us through the passaes and out into dark hall beyond.
 'This Is where young Mcfarland must have come out to get his hal after the crime was done" said he l Now, look at this" With dramatic suddenness he struck match and by its light exposed stain of blood upon the whitewashed wall As he held the match nearer I saw that 1t was more than stain. It was the well marked print of a thumb.
 Look at that with your magnifyina 1 glass, Mir. Holiness"
 Yes, am doing SO" "You are aware that no two thumb marks are alike?'
 T have heard something of the kind. '' Well, then, will you please com pare that print with this wax impress sion of young McFarlane's right thumb taken by my orders this morning?''
 As he held the waxen print close to the blood stain 1t did not take mag nifying glass to see that the two were undoubtedly from the same thumb It was evident to me that our unfortunate client was lost.
 That is final" said Lestrade
 '.Yes, that is final" I involuntarily echoed.
 .'It is final" said Holmes. Something in his tone caught my ear, and turned to look at him. An ex- !, traordinary change had come over his face. It was writhing with inward merriment. His two eyes were shining like stars. It seemed to me that he was making desperate efforts to re- strain a convulsive attack of laughter. Dear me! Dear mev' he said at last. Well, now, who would have thought 1t? And how deceptive ap- pearances may be, to be sure! Such nice young man to look at! It is a lesson to us not to trust our own judg- ment, is it not. Lestrade?"
 "Yes. some of us are little too much inclined to be cocksure, Mir. Holmes, 2 said Lestrade. The mans insolence was maddening, but we could not re- sent 1t. l.lg
 What providential thing that this young man should press his right thumb against the wall in taking his hat from the peg. Such very natural action, too, if you come to think of it" Holmes was outwardly calm, but his whole body gave wriggle of sup pressed excitement as he spoke. By the way, Lestrade. who made this re markable discovery
 1t was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lex ington, who drew the night constabls's attention to it.
 Where was the night constabie?"
 He remained on guard in the bed room where the crime was committed so as to see that nothing was touched"
 But why didn't the police see this mark yesterday?'
 "Well, we had no particular reason to make a careful examination of the hall. Besides, it's not in very promi- nent place. as you see"
 "No. no-of course not. l suppose there is no doubt that the mark was there yesterdayy'
 I.estrade looked at Holn1es as if he thought he was going out of his mind. l confess that was myself surprised both lat his hilarious manner isn1 sAf his rather wild observation.
 "I don't know whether you think that McFarlane came out of jail in the dead of night in order to strengthen the evidence against himself" said Lestrade. "I leave 1t to any expert in the wNld whether that is not the mark of his thumb"
 '1t is unquestionably the mark of his thumb
 There, that's enough. said Lestrade. ''I am a practical man, Mir. Holmes, and when I have got my evidence I come to my conclusions. If you have anything to say you will find me writ ing my report in the sitting room.'
 Holmes had recovered his equanimi- ty. though I still seemed to detect gleams of amusement in his expres- sion.
 Dear me. this is very sad devel- opment, Watson. is it not?" said he. And yet there are singular points about 1t which hold out some hopes for our client"
 "T am delighted to hear it." said I heartily. ''I was afraid 1t was all up with him."
 'T would hardly go 90 far as to say that. my dear Watson. The fact is that there is one really serious flaw In this evidence to which our friend attaches so much importance"
 ''rndeed. Holmes! What Is it?"
 ''Only this. that I know that that mark was not there when I examined the hall yesterday. And now. Watson. let us have a little stroll round in the sunshine"
 With e confused brain. but with heart Into which some warmth of bone was returning. I accompanied my friend in a walk round the garden. Holmes took each face of the house in turn and examined it with great inter- est. He then led the way inside and went over the whole building from basement fo attic. Most of the rooms were unfurnished. but none the less Holmes inspected them all minuteiy. Sinally. on the top corridor. which ran