Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-15
eyes, SIR, CRUSHING BLOW" MAN.

not, there's no harm done. OF course we
always have the optician clue to fall back
upon, but take short cut when I can get
1t. All here is the good Mrs. Marker! Let
us enjoy five minutes of instructive con-
VerSation with her.
L may have remarked before that Holmes
had. when he liked, peculiarly ingrati-
| ating way with women, and that he very
| readily established terms of confidence with
| them. In half the time which he had
named he had captured the housekeeper's
| good will, and was chatting with her as If
| he had known her for years.
Yes, Mr.. Holmes, 1t is as you say, sir.
| He does smoke something terrible. All day
and sometimes all night, sir. I've seen that
! room of morning-well sir, you'd have
| thought it was a London fog. Poor young
Mr.. Smith, he was d smoker, also, but not
as bad as the professor. His health-well,
| l don't know that it's better nor worse for
| the smoking"
"Ahr' said Holmes, ''but it kills the appe-
tite''
We'll, don't know about that, SIR"
| Il suppose the professor eats hardly any,
| thing?''
We'll, he is variable. I'll say that for
| him.
I'll wager he took no breakfast this
morning. and won't face his lunch after all
| the cigarettes 1 saw him consume"
"Wel you're out there, sir, as it hap
| pens, for he ate remarkably big breakfast
| this morning. 1 don't know when I've
known him make better one, and
for his lunch. I'm surprised myself,
for since 1 came into that room yester-
day and saw young Mr.. Smith lying there
on the floor 1 couldn't bear to look at food.
Well, 1t takes all sorts to make world,
and the professor hasn't let 1t take his
appetite away"
We loitered the morning away In the
garden. Stanley Hopkins had gone down
Of a strange woman who had been seen
| by some children on the Chatham road
| the previous morning. AS to my friend. all
his usual energy seemed to have deserted
| him. / had never known him handle a case
| in such lf-hearted fashion. Even the
news brought back by Hopkins that he had
found the children, and that they had un-
doubtedly seen a woman exactly CORE
spending with Holmes description. and
wearing either spectacles or eyeglasses.
failed to rouse any sign of keen interest.
He was more attentive when Susan. who
waited upon us at lunch, volunteered the
| information that she believed Mr.. Smith
had been out for walk yesterday morn
ing, and that he had only returned half an
hour before the tragedy occurred. l could
| not myself see the bearing Of this incident.
but I clearly perceived that Holmes was
weaving it into the general scheme which
he had formed in his brain. !. Suddenly he
sprang from his chair and glanced at his
watch. Two o'clock, gentlemen" said
he. I'VE must go up and have 1t out with
our friend, the professor.
The old man had just finished his lunch,
dence to the good appetite with which his
housekeeper had credited him. He was,
indeed, weird figure as he turned his
white name and his glowing eyes toward
us. The eternal cigarette smoldered in
his mouth. He had been dressed and was
seated in an arm chair by the fire.
well. Mr.. Holmes, have you solved this
mystery yet?" He showed the large tin of
cigarettes which stood on a table beside
him toward my companion. Holmes
stretched out his hand at the same moment,
and between them they tipped the bog over
the edge. For minute or two we were
all on our knees retrieving stray cigar
cites from impossible places. When we
rose again. observed Holmes eyes were
shining and his cheeks tinged with color.
Only at crisis have seen those battle
signals flying.
YES" said he. IT have solved IT."
Stanley Hopkins and I stared in amaze
ment Something like sneer -quiyered over
the gaunt features OF the old professor.
"Indeedl In the GARDEN"
mo. here
sHerei When?''
This instant"