The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-24


bieer smile. "And yet Il mny be p.
mature TO abandon the case After u
important fresh evidence Is a two q
ed thing and may possibly cut 4
very different direction from thai fhi. S
Lestrade imagines Take yorf break
fast Watson. and we viii 20 out to-
gether and see what we can do. ! feel
as II l shall need yo,u company and
your moral support today"
Ny friend bad no breakfast himself.
for it was one Of his peculiarites that
In his more intense moments he would
permit himself no food. and I have
known him TO presume upon his iron
strength until he has tainted from
pure hamilton. at rresent canno,
spare energy and nerve force for diges-
ton" be would say in answer 70 my
medical remonstrances. / was not sur
prised. therefore. when this morning he
left his untouched meal behind him and
started with nee for Norwood A crowd
Of mo..sid sightseers were still gathered
round Deep Dene House, which was
just such a suburban villa as 1 had nc.
tured. Within the gates LesHaee Ltet
us, his face flushed with victory, his
manner grossly triumphant
Well Mr.. Holmes. have you proved
us TO be wrong YETI Have you found
your trampp he cried.
II have formed no conclusion what
ever" my companion answered.
But we formed ours yesterday. and
now Il proves 10 be correct. so you
must acknowledge that we have been
a little in front Of you this time, Mr..
Holmes"
You certainly have the air Of some
thing unusual having occurred" said
Holmes.
Lestrade laughed loudly.
You don't like being beaten any
more than the rest Of us do" said he.
"A man can't expect always to have
It his own way, can be, Dr.. WatsonY
Step this way, If you please, gentle
men, and 1 think / can convince YOU
once for all that it was John MeFar-
lane who did this crime"
He led us through the passage and
out into dark bali beyond
This is where young McFarlane
must have come out to get his hat
after the crime was done" said he
Now, look at this" with dramatic
suddenness he struck match and by
its light exposed a stain Of blood upon
the whitewashed wall Az he held the
match nearer / saw that it was more
than stain. 1t was the well marked
print of thumb.
Look at that with your ulagnifying
glass, Mr.. Holmes"
Yes, / am doing So
"You are aware that no two thumb
marks are alske2"
Il have heard something Of the kind"
"Well, then. will you please COM
pare thal print with this wax impress
sion Of yonng McFsrana's right thuaib
taken by my orders this morningY"
As he held the waxen print close TO
the blood stain II did not take mag
nifying glass to see that the two were
undoubtedly from the same thumb 1t
was evident to me that our unfortunate
client was lost.
THAT is final," said Lestrade.
yes, that is final," l involuntirily
echoed.
1T Is final" said Holmes.
Something in his tone caught my car
and ! turned TO look at him. An ex-
traordinary change had come over his
face. 1t was writhing with inward
merriment His two eyes were shining
like stars. 1t seemed to me that he
was making desperate efforts to re-
strain convulslve attack OF laughter.
Dear mel Dear mer' he said at
last. "Well, now, who would have
thought it7 And how deceptive ap-
pearances may be, to lie surel Such
nice young man to look att II Is o
lesson TO us not to trust our own judg-
ment, is II not. LestradeY"
Yes, some OF US are a little too much !
inclined TO be coeksure, Mr.. Holmes"
said Lesrade The mans lnsolence
was maddening but we could not re-
sent IT,
What a providential thing that this
young man should press his right |
thumb against the wall in taking his /
hat from the peg Such a very natural I
action, too, II you come to think Of it,"
Holmes was outwardly calm, but his
NAoAN bSNJ saw q NAAh5lc VI sup ]
pressed excitement as he spoke. by /
the way Lestrade. who made this re /
markable discovery"
1t was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lex /
ington, who drew the night constable's /
attention 10 IT,"
Where was the night constable3"
"IIe remained on guard In the bed /
room where the crime was committed /
50 as to see that nothing was touched
But why didn't the police see. this
mark yesterday
"Well, we had no particular reason I
to make a careful examination Of the /
hail. Besides. it's not Ia very prOmi- I
nent place, as you see"
mo, nO-of course not. / suppose 1
there is no doubt that the mark was
there yesterdayT
Iestrade looked at Holmes as II he I
thought be was going ont Of his mind. /
/ confess that ! WAS myself surprised /
both at his hilarious manner and at /
his rather wild observation.
Il don't know whether you think that /
McFarlGne came OUT OF Jail Ia the /
dead Of night in order 10 strengthen /
the evidence against himself" said 4
Lestrade. Il leave IL 70 any expert I
in tue world whether that Is not the /
mark of bis thumb"
1t Is unquestionably the mark Of /