The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-09

Mr. Gllchrist, how you an honourable
man, ever came to commit such an ac-
ton as that OF yesterday"
The unfortunate young man stag
gercd back, and cast a look full of
horror and reprcach at Bannister
no. no, Mr.. Gilchrist, sir, l never
said Word--never one world cried
the servant.
mo, but you have now, said
Holmes. Now, sir, you must see that
after Bannister's words your position
is hopeless, and that your only chance
lies in a frank confession"
For moment Gilchrist. with up
raised hand, tried to control his with
ing features. The next he had
thrown himself on his knees beside
the table, and burying his face in
his hands, he had burst into storm of
passionate sobbing.
Come. come" said Holmes. kindly
"it is human to err and at least no
one can accuse you Of being callous
criminal Perhaps it would be easier
for you if / were to tell Mr. Soames
what occurred. and you can check me
where / am wrong. Shall ] do so?
Well. well. don't trouble to answer
Listen, and see that L do you no in
Justice"
From the moment Mr.. Soames
that you said to me that no one, not
even Banniater. could have told that
the papers were IN your room, the
case began to take definite shape in
my mind The printer one could. of
course. dismiss He could examine the
papers in his own office. The Indian /
also thought nothing of. If the proofs
were in roll, lac could not possibly
know what they were. On the other
hand. it seemed an unthinkable COIN
cidcnce that a man should dare to
enter the r9om, and that by chance on
/ that very day the papers were on the
table. / dismissed that. The man who
entered knew that the papers were
there. How did he know?
When | approached your room.
examined the window. You amused me
by supposirg that l was contemplating
the possibility of some one having
III broad daylight. under the eyes OF
all these opposite rooms. forced him
self through it. Such an idea was alb
surd. was measuring how tall a
man would need TO he in order to see,
as he passed, what papers were on the
central table. / am six feet high. and
could do it with an effort. No one
less than that would have a chance.
Already you see / had reason to think
that, if one of your three students was
q mar of unusual height. he was the
most worth watching of the three.
Il entered. aud / took you into my
confidence Is to the suggestion of the
side table. OF the centre table I could
make nothing. until in your descrip-
ton of Gilchrist YOU mentioned that
he was a long-distance jumper. Then
the whole thing came to me in an
instant, and / only needed Certain cor
roborative proofs. which l speedily OBJ
tanned.
What happened was this. This
Young fellow had employed his after
noon at the athletic grounds where
he had been practising the lump. He
returned carrying his iumping-Shoes.
which are provided, as you are aware,
with several sharp spikes. AS he pass
ed your window he saw, by means of
his great height these proofs upon
your table. and coniectured what they
were. No harm would have been done
had it not been that. as he passed
your door, ne perceived the key which
had been left by the CaTeleSSnesS of
your servant. A sudden impulse came
over him to enter, and see if they
were indeed the proofs 1t was not
dangerous exploit. for he could al
ways pretend that he had simply look
ed in to ask question.
'Well, when he saw that they were
indeed the proofs. it was then that he
yielded to temptation He put his
put on that chair near the Window"
Gloves" said the young man.
Holmes looked triumphantly at Bah-
mister "He put his gloves on the
chair and he took the proofs, sheet
by sheet tc copy them. He thought
the tutor must return by the main
gate. and that he would see him, AS
we know. he came back by the side
gate Suddenly he heard him at tho
escape. He forgot his gloves. but he
caught up his shoes and darted into
the bedroom. You observe that the
scratch on that table is Slight at one
side. but deepens in the direction of
the bedroom door. That in itself is
enough to show Us that the shoe had
been drawn i'm that direction. and that
the culprit had taken refuge there.
The earth round the spike had been
left on the table. and a second sample
was loOsened and fell I'm the bedroom.
i may add that ] walked out to the
athletic grounds this morning, saw
that tenacious black clay is used III
the jumping-pit, and carried away
specimen OF it, together with some of
the fine tan or sawdust which is
atrewn over 1t to prevent the athlete
from slipping. Have / told the truth
Mr. Cilchrist2'
The student had drawn himself
erect.
yes. sir it is true" said he.
Good Heavens. Have you nothing
to add?" cried Soames
Eyes, sir, / have, but the shock of this
this disgraceful exposure has beWild
cred me. | have letter here, Mr..
Soames, which / wrote to you early
this morning in the midle of a restless
night 1T was before l knew that my
sin mad found me out. Here it is, sir.
You will see that ] have said i have
determined not to go in for the exami-
nation. l have been offered commits
sion in the Rhodesian Police. and /
am going out to South Africa at once"
u am indeed pleased to hear that |
you did not intend to profit by your |
Unfair advantage" said Soames. But |
why did you change your purpose ?"
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
There is the man who set me in /
the right path" said he.
Come now. Bannister." said |
Holmes. 1T will be clear to you. from
what | have said. that only you could /
nave let this young man out since YOU /
we're left in the room. and must have |
ocked the door when you went out.
AS to his escaping by that window, it \
vas incredible. Can you not clear UP