Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-14


in the kitchen must have rung loudly"
he remarked.
"No one could hear ii. The kitchen
stands right at the back Of the house"
How did the burglar know no one
would hear it? How dared he pull at
n bell rope in that reckless fashion,"
Exactly, Mr.. Holmes, exactly. You
put the very question which l have
asked myself again and again. There
can be no doubt that this fellow must
have known the house and its habits.
He must have perfectly understood
that the servants would all he in bed
at that comparatively early hour and
that no one could possibly hear a bell
ring in the kitchen. Therefore he must
have been in close league with one OF
the servants. Surely that is evident.
But there are eight servants. and all of
good character"
"Other things being equal" said
Holmes. zone would suspect the one
at whose head the master threw a de
canter. And yet that would involve
treachery toward the mistress to whom
this woman seems devoted. Well. well,
the point is Il minor one. and when
you have Randall yOu will probably
ind no difficulty in securing his ac-
complete. The lady's story certainly
seems to be cOrrObOrated, if it needed
confederation, by every detail which
we see before us" He walked TO the
French window and threw ii open.
There are no signs here. but the
ground IS iron hard, and one would
not expect them. see that these can
dies in the mGntelpiece have been
lighted"
Yes; it was by their light and that
of the Iady's bedroom candle that the
burglars saw their way about"
And what did they takeT'
"WeIl. they did not take much-only
half a dozen articles of plate off the
sideboard. Lady Brackenstall thinks
that they We're themselves SO disturbed
by the death of Sir Eustace that they
did not ransack the house. rs they
would otherwise have done"
NO doubt that is true, ana yet they
drank some wine. l understand
To steady their nerves"
Exactly. These three glasses upon
the sideboard have been untouched,
suppose"
Yes. and the bottle stands as they
left it,"
Let us look at it. Hello, hello.
What is thiS!"
The three glasses were grouped to-
gether. all of them tinged with wine
and one Of them containing some dregs
Of beeswing. The bottle stood near
them, two-thirdS fun. and beside it lay
a tnf
pearance and the dust upon the bottle
showed that was no common vintage
which the murlerers had enjoyed.
4 change had come over Holmes
manner. He had lost his listless eX-
preston, and again | saw an alert
light Of interest in his keen, deep set
eyes. He raised the cork and exam
ined it infinitely.
How did they draw it?" he asked.
Hopkins pointed to Il half opened
drawer. In it lay some table linen and
Il large corkScrew.
Did Lady Brackenstall say that
screw was uSed?'
NO; you remember that she was
tie was opened"
"Quite so. AS a matter of fact, the
screw was not used. This bottle was
opened 10y a pocket screw, probably
contained in Il knife and not more than
an inch and "A half long. If you will
examine the top of the cork. you will
observe that the screw was driven in
three times before the cork was ex-
tracted. 1t has never been tranSfixed.
This long screw would have transfixed
it and drawn ii up with a single pull.
When yOu catch this fellow you will
find that he has one of these multiplex
knives in his possession"
"EXcellentw said Hopkins.
'But these glasses do puzzle me,
confess. Lady BrackenstalI actually
saw the three men drinking, did she
nOt?'
Yes; she was clear about that"
"Then there is an end OF it, What
more is TO be said? And vet you must
admit that the three glasses are very
remarkable Hopkins. What? YOu see
nothing remarkable? Well. we'll let IL
pass. Perhaps when a man has special
knowledge and special powers like my
own il rather encourages him 10 seek
a complex explanation when simpler
one is at hand. OF course it must he Il
mere chance about the glasses Well.
good morning. Hopkins. | don't see
that | can he of any use to You. and
you appear TO have your case very clear.
You will let me know when Randall Is
arrested and any further developments
which may occur. | trust that | shall
soon have to congratulate you upon n
successful conclusion. Come. Watson:
/ fancy that we may employ ourselves
more protitably at home"
During our return journey | could
see 10y Holmes face that he was much
puzzled by something which he had
observed. Every now and then by an
effort he would throw off the impress
sion and talk as if the matter were
clear. but then his doubts would settle
down upon him again. and his knitted
brows and abstracted eyes would show
that his thoughts had gone back once
more TO the eyPaat .fFufpag room, 81 tho