The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-20

shine On the left was a large. deep
fireplace, with a massive, oyerhanging
oak mantelpiece. Beside the fireplace
was heavy oakeu chair with arms
and crossbars Mt tie bottom. In and
out through the open woodwork was
woven a crimson cord. which was Sc
cured at each sf1e TO the crosspiece be-
low. In releasing the lady the cord
had been slipped or her but the knots
with which Il had been secured stili re
mained. These details only struck our
attention afterward. for our thoughts
we're entirely absorbed by the terrible
object which lay upon the tiger skin
hearth rug in front Of the FIRE
Il was the body Of a tall, well made
man about forty years of age. He
lay upon his back. his face upturned
with his white teeth grinning through
his short black beard. His two
cllnched hands were raised above his
head. and heavy blackthorn stick
lay across them. His dark. handsome
aquiline features were convulsed into
a spasm Of vindictive hatred, which
had set his dead face IN a terribly
fiendsh expression. lie had evidently
been IN his bed when the alarm bad
broken out, for be wore a foppish. EN-
broidercd nightshirt, and his Dare feet
projected from his trousers His head
was horribly injured. and the whole
room bore witness to the savage feroc.
ity of the blow which had struck him
down. Beside him lay the heavy poker,
bent into curve by the concussion.
Holmes examined both it and the indie
scribable wreck which II had wrought
He must be powerful man, this
elder Randall" he remarked.
Yes" said Hopkins. Il have some
record of the fellow. aud he is a rough
customer"
you should have no difficulty in get
ting him"
mot the slightest We have been on
the lookout for him, and there was
some idea that he had got away 20
America. Now that we know that the
gang are here l don't see how they
can escape. We have the news at
every seaport already, and a reward
will be offered before evening What
beats me is how they could have done
so mad a thing knowing that the lady
could describe them and that we could
not fail to recognize the description"
"HAactly One would have expected
that they would have siIenced Lady
Brackenstall as well'
''they may not have realized" l sug-
gested, that she had recovered from
her faint"
''1hat is likely enough. II she seem
ed to be senseless they would not take
her life. What about this poor fel
low, Hopkins? l seem TO have heard
some queer stories about him"
He was a good hearted man when
he was sober, but parfect fend when
he was drunk, or rather when he waf
half drunk, for he seldom really went
the whole way. The devil seemed 10 bt
in him at such times. and he was capa
BILE of anything. From what / hear, IN
| spite Of all his wealth and his title he
very nearly came our way once OF
twice There was a scandal about his
dreachlhg a dog with petroleum and
setting it on fire--her ladyship's dog. tC
make the matter wOrse-and that was
only hushed up with dfficulty. Their
he threw a decanter az that maid. The
resa Wright; there was trouble about
that. on the whole. and between our
selves, II will be a brighter house with
out him. What are you looking a
nowr"
Holmes was down on his knees ex
aminlng with great attention the knots
upon the red cord with which the lady
had been secured. Then he carefully
scrutinlzed the broken and frayed end
where II had snapped off when the bur
glar had dragged il down
"When this was pulled down the bel
in the kitchen must have ruug loudly
be remarked
mo one could hear It. The kitcher
stands right at the back OF the house"
How did the burglar know no one
would hear Il? How dared he pull a.
bell rope in that reckless fashionT
Exactly. Mr. Holmes, exactly Yot
put the very question which l have
asked myself again and again. Ther'
can be no doubt that this fellow mus
have known the house and its habits
He must have perfectly understoo,
that the servants would all be I'm beS
at that comparatively early hour anC
that no one could possibly hear a bel
ring ia the kitchen. Therefore he mus
have been in close league with one o
the servants. Surely that is evident
But there are eight servants, and all o
good character"
"Other things being equal" sat
Holmes, zone would suspect the on
at whose head the master threw a dc
canter. And yet that would involv
treachery toward the mistress 20 whor
this woman seems devoted. Well, wei
the point Is a minor one, and whe
you have Randall you will prObabl
find no difficulty IN securing his a'
complice. The lady's story certainl
seems 10 be corroborated. II II neede
corrohoration. by every detail whic
we see before us" He walked - III
French window and threw It 0peI
There are no signs here, but IA
ground is iron hard. and one woul
not expect them see that these car
dies 10 the mantelpiece have bee
lighted"
"Yes; II was by their light and tha
Of the lady's bedroom candle that n
busglare saw their way about"