Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-09-08
By A. CONAN DOYLE.

, ana then, recovering ner courage, snc
ran downstairs. The study door was
shut. and she opened It. Inside young
Nc. WillOughby Smith was stretched
upon the floor. At first she could see
10 injury, but as she tried to raise
him she saw that blood was pouring
from the undersibc Of his neck. II
wns pierced by n very small but very
deep wound. which had divided the
carotid artery. The instrument with
which the injury had been inflicted lay
upon the carpet beside him. 1t was
one of those small sealing wax knives
to be found on old fashioned writing
tables, with nm ivory handle and n
stiT blade. Ii was part of the fittings
Of the professors own desk.
at first the maid thought that young
Smith was already dead, but on pour
ing some water from the carafe over
his forehead he opened his eyes for an
instant. The professor he murmur-
edit was She The maid Is prepared
TO swear that those were the exact
words. He tried desperately TO say
something else, and he held his right
hand up In the air. Then lie fell back
dead.
''ln the meantime the housckeepcr
had also arrived upon the scene. but
she was Just too late to catch the young
mans dying words. Leaving Susan
with the body, she hurried TO the pro
fcssor's room. He was sitting up In
bed horribly agitatcd. for he had heard
enough TO convince him that something
terrible had occurred. Mira. Marker L.
prepared to swear that the professor
was still In his night clothes. and. In.
dcel, II was impossible for him to
dress without the help of Mortimer.
whose orders were TO come at Il
o'clock. The professor declares that h
heard the distant cry, but that he
knows nothing more. lie can give M
explanation Of the young mans last
words, The profcssor-it was She but
imagincs that they We're the outcome
II delrium. He believes that Ni.,oa.h.
by Smith had not an CaCmy In the
world, and can give no reason for the
crime. His first action was TO send
Mortimer, the gardener. for the local
police. \ little later the chief con
stable sent for mo. Nothing was moy-
ed before got there. ami strict orders
We're given that No ono should walk up.
on the paths leading to the house. II
was splendid chance of putting your
theories into practice. Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes. There was really nothing
wanting"
Except Mr.. Sherlock Holmes" said
my companiob with a somewhat bitter
smile. "Well, let us hear about 1t.
What sort Of job<did you make OF
TT"
II must ask you first, Mr.. Holmes, to
glance ut this rough plan, which will
give you a general idea Of the position
Of the professors study and the vari-
Gus points of the case. 1t will help
you In following my investigation
lie unfolded the rough chart, which
! here reproduce. and he laid 1t across
Holmes knee. l rose and, standing be.
hind Holmes, studied 1t over his Shout
der
1T Is very rough, of course, and II on
ly deals with the points which seem to
me to be essential. All the rest you
will see later for yourself. Now, first
OF all, presumlng that the assassin en-
tered the house, how did he or she
come In? Undoubtedly by the garden
path and the back door, from which
there Is direct access to the study. Any
other way would have been exceeding
~ complicated. The escape must have
also been made along that line, for of
the two other exits from the room one
was blocked by Susan as she ran
downstairs and the other leads straight
to the professors bedroom. therefore
directed my attention at once to the
garden path. which was saturated with
recent rain and would certainly show
any footmarks.
my examination showed me that
was dealing with n cautious and ex-
pert criminal. No footmarks were to
be found on the path. There could be
no question, however, that some one
had passed along the grass border
which lines the path and that he had
done so in order to avoid leaving
track. ] could not find anything In the