Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-09-23

lighted"
Yes; it was by their light and that
OF the lady's bedroom candle that the
burglars saw their way about"
"And what did they takeg
well. they did not take mueh-only
half eozen articles of plate OF the
sidehoard. Lady Brsckenstau thinks
that they were themselves SO disturbed
by the death OF Sir Eustace that they
did not ransack the house. as they
would otherwise have done"
NO doubt that is true and yet they
drank some wine, l understand"
''To steady their nerves"
Exactly. These three glasses upon
the sidebOard have been untouched.
suppose"
Yes. and the bottle stands as they
left it,
Let us look at it Hello. hello.
What is thisF'
The three glasses We're grouped to-
gether, all OF them tinged with wine
and one OF them containing some dregs
OF beeswing. The bottle stood near
them, two-thirds full. and beside it lay
a long. deeply stained cork. Its an
pearance and the dust upon the bottle
showed that was no common vintage
which the murderers had enjoyed.
y change had come over Holmes
manner. He had lost his IistIess ex-
preston, and again I saw an alert
light OF interest IN his keen. deep set
eyes. He raised the cork and exam
ined it infinitely.
How did they draw it," he asked.
Hopkins pointed 10 half opened
drawer. Ia 1t lay some table linen and
a large corkscrew.
Did Lady Brackenstau say that
screw was used 2"
NO; you remember that she was
senseless az the moment when the bot
tie was opened"
Quite so. As a matter OF fact. the
screw was not used This bottle was
opened by a pocket screw. probably
contained i'm a knife and not more than
an inch and a half long. III you will
examine the top Of the cork. YOU will
observe that the screw was driven in
three times before the cork was ex-
tracted. IL has never been trausfxed.
This long screw would have transhxed
II and drawn IL up with a single pull.
When you catch this fellow you viii
find that he has one OF these multiplex
knives in his possession"
Excellent said Hopkins.
but these glasses DO puzzle me. I
confess. Lady BrackenstalI actually
saw the three men drinking. did she
notF"
Yes; she was clear about that"
Then there IS an end Of H. What
more Is 10 be said? And vet you must
admit that the three glasses are very
remarkable, Hopkins Whatg You sec
nothing rcmarkableI Well we'll let n
pass. Perhaps when man has special
knowledge and special powers like my
own IL rather encourages him 70 seek
n complex explanation when n simpler
one is az hand. or course Il must be a
mere chance about the glasses Well.
good morning. Hopkins. 1 don't see
that ! can be OF any use 10 you. and
you appear 10 have your case very clear.
You viii let me know when Randall is
arrested and any further developments
which may occur. trust that I shall
soon have 10 congratulate you upon a
successful conclusion. Come. Watson:
fancy that we may employ ourselves
more profitcbly az home"
During our return journey could
sec by Holmes face that he was much
puzzled by something which he had
observed. Every now and then by an
effort he would throw OF the impress
sion and talk rs II the matter were
clear. hut then his doubts would settle
down upon him again. aud his knitted
brows and distracted eyes would show
that his thoughts had gone back once
more 90 the great dining room OF the
Abbey Grange In which this midnight
tragedy had been enacted At last by
q sudden impulse just as our train was
crawling out or suburban station he
sprang on 10 the platform snd pulled
me ont after him.
Excuse me. my dear fellow" said
he as we watched the rear carriages OF
or train disappearing round a curve.
81 am sorry 90 make you the victim OF
81 hat may seem mere within; but. on
my life. Watson. I simply can't leave
that case in this condition Every in
suuct that I POSSESS cries out against
IT, It's wronS-its all wrongful
swear that its wrong And vet the
lady'S story was complete, the maids
confederation was sufficient, the detail
was fairly exact. What have / TO put
up against that? Three wineglasses-
that is all. But II had not taken
things for granted. If I had examined
everything with the care which I should
have shown had we approached the
case do novo and had no cut and dried
story 70 warp my mind should not
then have found something more def
mite 10 go upon? or course I should
Sit down on this bench, Watson. until
a train for Chiselhurst arrives, and
allow me 10 lay the evidence before
you. imploring you in the first instance
TO dismiss from your mind the idea
that anything which the maid or her
mistress may have said must neces-
sarily be true. The lady's charming
personality must not be permitted 10
warp our judgment
Surely there are details in her sto-
~ which. If we looked at in cold blood,
would excite our suspicion. These bur
glars made a conSidera HE haul NJ Sv