Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-20


while. since il is too late 10 prevent this
tragedy. l am very anxious that l
should use the knowledge which l pos
sess in order TO insure that justice, he
done. VIII y9T associate me i'm Your
investigation or will you prefer that 1
should act Independently:
81 should he proud to feel ihat we
were acting together. Mr.. Holmes, -
said the inspector earnestly
''In that case should be glad 10 hear
the evidence and To examine the prem
iSeS without an instant of unnecessary
deISy.'
Inspector Martin had the COOL sense
10 allow my friend IN do things in his
own fashion and conteutcd himself
with carefully noting the results. The
local surgeon, an old. white haired
man. had just come down from Mrs
Hilton CuOitt'S room. and he reported
that her injuries were serious. but not
necessarily fatal. The bullet had
passed through the front Of her brain,
and it would probably lie some time be
fore she could regain consciousness.
On the question of whether she had
been shot or had shot herself he would
not venture TO express any decided
opinion. Certainly the bullet had been
discharged at very close quarters.
There was only the one pistol found IN
the room, two barrels of which had
been emptied. Mr.. Hilton Cubitt had
been shot through the heart. II was
equally conceivable that he had shot
her and then himself or that she had
been the criminal. for the revolver lay
upon the floor midway between them.
HAS he been moved - asked Holmes
I'VE have moved nothing except the
lady. We could not leave her lying
wounded upon the floor"
How long have you been here. doc
tor
since O'Clock"
"Any one elSef"
''YeS. the constable here"
"And YOU have touched nothing?"
Nothing"
You have acted with great discre-
ton. Who sent for you:'
"The housemaid. Saunders"
''WaS il she who gave the alarm:'
she and Mrs. King. the cook"
where are they now?"
''In the kitchen. ! believe"
'rhen l think We had better hear
their story at once"
The old hall oak paneled and high
had been turned into court
of investigation. Holmes sat I'm
great. old fashioned chair. his ineXora-
bile eyes cleaning out of his haggard
face. | could read in them Il set pur-
pose To devote his life TO this quest
until the client whom he had failed to
save should at last be avenged. The
trim Inspector Martin, the old. gray
headed country doctor. myself and a
stolid village policeman made up the
rest OF that strange company.
The two women told their story clear
ly enough They had been aroused
from their sleep by the sound of an
explosion, which had been followed a
minute later by second one They
slept in adjoining rooms. and Mrs.
King had rushed in To Saunders. To
getheT they had descended the stairs.
The door of the study was open, and
a candle was burning upon the table.
Their master lay upon his face in the
center of the room He was quite
dead. Near the window his wife was
her head leaning against
the wall. She was horribly wounded,
and the side OF her face was red with
blood. She breathed heavily, but was
incapable of saying anything. The
passage as well as the room was full
Of smoke and the smell Of powder.
The window was certainly shut and
fastened upon the inside. Both wo-
men were positive upon the point.
They had at once sent for the doctor
and for the constable. Then. with the
aid of the groom and the stable boy.
they had conveyed their injured mis-
treSs to her room. Both she and her
husband had occupied the bed. She
was clad I'm her dress. he in his dress
ing gown, over his night clothes. Moth
ing had been moved in the study. So
far as they knew there had never been
any quarrel between husband and wife.
They had always looked upon them as
a very united couple.
These were the main points of the
servants evidence In answer to In
spector Martin they were clear that ev
cry door was fastened upon the inside
and that no one could have escaped
from the house. In answer to- Holmes
they both remembered that they were
conscious of the smell of powder from
the moment that they ran out Of their
rooms upon the top floor. Il commend |
that fact very carefully To your atten- |
tion," said Holmes To- his professional
colleague. And now / think that we
are in a position TO undertake thor |
1ugh examination of the room"
The study proved to be a small cham /
per lined on three sides with books |
Ind with a writing table facing an or |
iinary window, which looked out upon |
he garden. Our first attention was /
given to the body of the unfortunate |
squire. whose huge frame lay stretch /
ID across the room. His disordersd /
iress showed that he had been hastily |
aroused from sleep. The bullet had |
Deen fired at him from the front and /
lad remained in his body after pene-
rating the heart His death had GER
ainly been instantaneous and painless. !
-, affhar i