The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-30

barking on another perilous under
taking. Again, it is unusual for bur-
glars to operate at so early an hour,
1t is unusual for burglars to strike
lady to prevent her screaming, since
one would imagine that was the sure
way to make her scream, 1t is unus-
ual for them to commit murder when
their numbers are sufficient to over
power one man, It is unusual for
them to be content with limited
plumber when there was much more
within their reach, and finally, sould
say, that it was very unusual for such
men to leave a bottle half empty.
How do all these unusuals strike you;
Watson?'
Their cumulative effect is certainly
considerable. and yet each of them is
quite possible in itself. The most I'M
usual thing of ALL As it seems to me,
is that the lady should be tied to the
chair
well, l am not so clear about that,
,,atson, for it is evident that they
must either kill her or else secure her
in such a way chat she could not give
immediate notice of their escape, But
at any rate have shown, have l not
that there Is a certain element of i'm
probability about the ladys story!
And now, on the top of this, comes
What about the wineglasses?"
"Can you see them in your minds
eye?'
II see them clearly"
I'VE are told that three men drank
from them. Does that strike you as
likely?"
why not? There was wine in each
glass"
Exactly, but there was beeswing
In, erIa must have
ticed that fact. What does that sug-
gest to your mind?"
1.-THE last glass filled would be most
likely to contain beeswing."
mot at all. The bottle was full of
it, and it Is inconceivable that the first
two glasses were clear and the third
heavily charged with it. There are
two possible explanations, and only
two One is that after the second
glass was filled the bottle was vio-
lently agitated, and so the third glass
received the beeswtrg. That does not
appear probable. No, no, l am sure
that I am right"
What, then, do you suppose?'
THAT only two glasses were used,
and that the dregs of both were
poured into third glass, SO as to give
the false impression that three people
had been here. In that way all the
DeeSWlDR WOuid nc III tiiN AoSS o@'".'.'f
would 1t not? Yes, | am convinced
that this is So But If | have hit upon
the true explanation of this one small
phenomenon, then in an instant the
case rises from the commonplace 10
the exceedingly remarkable, for 1t can
only mean that Lady Brackenstall and
her maid have deliberately lied TO US,
that not one word of their story is TO
be believed. that they have some very
criminal and that we must construct
our case for ourselves without any
help from them. That Is the mission
which now lies before us, and here,
Watson, Is the Sydenham train.
The household at the Abbey Grange
were much surprised at our RETURN
but Sherlock Holres, finding that
Stanley Hopkins had gone off to re-
port to headquarters, took possession
of the dinng-room locked the door
upon the inside, and devoted himself
for two hours to one of those minute
and laborious Investigations which
form the solid basis on which his brill
liant edifices of deduction were reared.
Seated in a corner like an Interested
student who observes the demonstra-
tion of his professor, I followed every
stem of that remarkable research. Inc
window the curtains, the carpet the
chair. the TODe-edCU III lbib
utely examined an. duly pondered.
rba body of the unfortunate baronet
had been removed, and all else re-
mained as we had seen it in the morn
ing Finally, to my astonlsnment,
Holmes climbed up on to the massive
mante1piece. Far above ms neaa
hung the few inches of red cord Whleh
were still attached to the WIRE for
a long time he gazed upwards at IL
and then in an attempt TO get nearer
IN n he rested his knee upon WOODEN
traclat on the wall. This brought
Vi hand within a few inches or the
brol,en end OF the rope but 1t was not
t,,is co much as the bracket itse1
which seemed to engage his atten'ioh'
r,;noIly he sprang down with an eJac-
u,ation of satisfaction
AJt's all right, Watson, saio ne
1--WE have got our case-one Oh tne
most remarkable in our coilec.iol,
R,,t dear me. how slow-witted nave
49, and how nearly I have commit
ted the blunder of my lifetime! NOW
think that, with a few missing INKS
nv chain is almost complete.
"You have got your men!
"Man watson man. Only one, out
a very formidable person. Strong as
Iion-witness the blow that bent
that pokerl Six foot three in height
active as a squirrel, dexterous WIN
his fingers, finally. remarkably quicN-
witted, for this whole ingenious slory
&c of his connection. Yes, watson,
~. have come upon the handiwork of
very remarkable individual Ana
,,a+ In that bell-rope, he has given us
clue which should not have lett us
a doubt"
.'Where was the clue?'
"well if you were to pull down a
bell-rope Watson, where wouio you
expect it to break? Surely at the spot
where 1t Is attached to the wire. why
should it break three inches from the
top. as this one has done?
..Recause it is frayed there?'
..Exactly. This end. which we can
examine. is frayed. He was cunning
enough to do that with his knife. But
the other end Is not frayed. You could
not observe that from here, but II you
were on the mantelpiece oyu would see
that 1t is cut clean Off without any
mark of fraying whatever. You can
reconstruct what occurred. The man
needed the rope. He would not tear
It down for fear of giving the alarm
by ringing the bell. What did ne 40!
He sprang up on the mantelpiece.
could not quite reach it. put his knee
on the bracket-you will see the i'm
nression in the husband so got his
knife to bear upon the cord. 1 could
not reach the place by at least three
inches-from which I infer that he Is
at least three inches bigger man
than I. Look at that mark upon the
seat of the oaken chair! What Is 1t?
Blood"
Undoubtedly 1t is blood. This alone
puts the lady's story out of court. If
she were seated on the chair when the
crime was DONE how comes that mark.