The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-09
;. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

prohting by such an action. No, sir.
IN not believe it,"
Thank you. that will do" said
Holmes oh. one more VOID. You
have NOT mentioned TO any of the three
gentlemen whom you attend that any
thing is amiss?'
mo, sir; not a word.'
''You haven't seen any of them?'
mo, sir
Very good Now. Mr.. soames, we
will take a walk in the quadrangle, il
you please"
Three yellow squares of light shone
above us in the gathering gloom.
'Your three birds are all in their
nests" said Holmes. looking up. Hal
LOAF What's that? One of them seems
restless enough"
1t was the Indian. whose dark silhou-
cite appeared suddenly upon his blind.
He was pacing swiftly up and down
his room.
l should like to have peep at each
of Them" said Holmes. 1T is posi-
ble?"
mo difficulty in the world Soames
answered. This set of rooms is quite
the Oldest in the college, and it is not
unusual for visitors to go over them.
Come along, and / will personally con-
duct YOU
No names. pleaser' said Holmes. as
we knocked at Chemists door. A tall,
fiaxen-haired, slim young fellow
opened 1t, and made US welcome when
he understood our errand. There were
some really curious pieces of mediae-
val domestic architecture within.
Holmes was so charmed with one of
them that he insisted on drawing it in
his notebook. broke his pencil had to
borrow one from our host, and finally
borrowed knife to sharpen his own.
The same curious accident happened to
him in the rooms of the Indian, ST
lent, little. hook-nosed fellow who
eyed us askance, and was obviously
glad when Holmes architectural du-
ties had come to an end. I could not
see that in either case Holmes had
come upon the clue for which he was
searching. Only at the third did our
visit prove abortive. The outer door
would not open to our knock, and
nothing more substantial than a tor
rent of bad language came from be-
hind 1t. II don't care who you are.
You can go to blazes" roared the
angry voice. ''TomoTow's the exam,
and won't be drawn by anyone
"A rude fellow" said our guide,
down the stair. "Of course, he did
not realize that 1T was l who was
Knocking, but none the less his con-
duct was very uncourteous, and, in
deed, under the circumstances rather
suspicious"
Holmes response was a curious one.
Can you tell me his exact height?"
he asked.
Really, Mr.. Holmes, I cannot I'M
dertake to say. He is taller than the
Indian, not so tall as Glchrist. sup
pose five foot six would be about it"
THAT is very important" said
Holmes. And now, Mr.. Soames,
wish you goodnight"
Our guide cried aloud in his aston
ishment and dismay. Good gracio Gus,
Mr.. Holmes. you are surely not going
to leave me in this abrupt fashionl
You don't seem to realize the position.
Tomorrow Is the examination. / must
take some definite action tonight. |
cannot allow the examination to be
held If one of the papers has been tam
pered with. The situation must be
faced"
"You must leave it as it is. ! shall
drop round early tomorrow morning.
and chat the matter over. 1t is pos
sible that l may be In a position then
to Indicate some course of action.
Meanwhile, you change nothing-noth-
ing at ALL
Very good, Mr. Holmes"
f'You can be perfectly easy in your
mind. We shall certainly find some
way out of your difficulties. | will
take the black clay with me, also the
pencil cuttings. Goodbye"
When we were out in the darkness
of the quadrangle, we again looked up
at the windows. The Indian still paced
his room. The others were invisible.
well, Watson, what do you think
of it?" Holmes asked as we came out
into the main street Quite little
parlor game-sort of three-card trick,
is 1t not? There are your three men.
1t must be one of them You take
your choice Which is yours?"
1.-The foul-mouthed fellow at the top.
He is the one with the worst record.
And yet that Indian was sly fellow
also. Why should he be pacing his
room all the timer"
There is nothing in that. Many
men do 1t when they are trying to
learn anything by heart"
''IIe looked at us in queer way
80 would you, If flock of stran-
gers came in on you when you were
preparing for an examination next
uty, ana every moment WAS OF value.
No, see nothing in that. Pencils, too,
and kniyes-all was satisfactory. But
that fellow does puzzle me-
'Who?"
''Wby, Bannister, the servant.
What's his game in the matter?"
He impressed me as being a per-
fectly honest man.
80 he did me. That's the puzzling
part. Why should perfectly honest
MAXWELL, well, here's a large sta
toner's. We snall begin our re-
searches here"
There we're only four stationers of
any consequence in the town, and at
each Holmes produced his pencil chips
and bid high for duplicate All were
agreed that one could be ordered, but
that it was not a usual size pencil,
and that 1t was seldom kept in stock.
My friend did not appear to be de-
pressed by his failure, but shrugged
his shoulders in half-humorous resig-
nation.
mo good. my dear Watson. This,
the best and only final clue. has run
to nothing. But, indeed, | have little
doubt that we can build up a suffi-
Gent case without it. By Jovel my
dear fellow it Is nearly nine, and the
landlady babbled of green peas at
uan-thirtx What will, vo,,,. atar,ot