The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-30

night tragedy had been enacted. ut
last by Il sudden Impulse, just as our
train was crawling out of suburban
station he spTang to the platform ana
pulled me out after him.
Excuse me, my dear fellow, Sald
he as he watched the rear carriages OF
our train disappearing around curve.
Il am sorry to make you the victim OIL
what may seem a mere whim. but on
my life, Watson, l simply can't leave
that case in this condition. Every in
Stinct that | possess cries out against
it. It's wrong-it's all Wrongful
swear that it's wrong. And yet the
Iady's story was complete, the maid S
confederation was sufficient the detail
was fairly exact. What have l to put
IN against that? Three WineglasseS,
that is all. But if / had not taken
things for granted, if / had examined
everything with care which | should
have shown had we approached the
case de noVo and had no cut-and-
dried story to warp the mind, should
| not then have found something more
definite to go upon? OF course l
should Sit down on this bench, wat
SON until a train for ChilhurSt arrives,
and allow me to lay the evidence be-
fore YOU. imploring you in the first
instance to dismiss from your mind the
idea that anything which the maid or
the mistress may have said must nee
essarily be true. The lady'S charming
personality must not be permitted to
warp our Judgment.
surely there are details in her story
which, if we looked at in cold blood.
would excite our suspicion These
burglars made a considerable haul at
Svdenham. q fortnight ago. Some ac-
count of them and of their appearance
was in the papers and would naturally
occur to anyone who wished to invent
a story in which imaginary robbers
should play a part. AS matter OF
fact, burglars who have done a good
stroke of business are, as a rule, only
too glad to enjoy the proceeds In peace
and quiet without embark1ng on an
other perilous undertaking. Again, it
is unusual for burglars to operate at
so early an hour. it is unusual for
burglars to strike a lady to prevent her
screaming. since one would imagine
that was the sure way to make her
scream, it is unusual for them to COM
nit murder when their numbers are
sufficient to OVerpOWer one man, 1T is
unusual for them to be content with d
limited plumber when there are much
more within their reach, and finally,
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"
"WeH, [ am not so clear about
that, Watson, for it is evident that
they must either kill her or else secure
her in such a way that she could not
give Immediate notice of their es-
cape But at any rate l have shown,
have ] not, that there is a certain ele-
ment of improbability about the lady's
story? And now, on the top of this,
comes the incident of the wine
glasses" u
what about the wineglasses? ?"
Can you see them in your minds
eye?"
81 see them clearly
eve are told that these three men
drank from them. Does that strike
you as likely?"
'Why not? There was wine in each
glass
Exactly, but there was bcswing
ONLY in one glass. You must have