Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18

guard. The father was away in search of
his son. The mother was at home-a little,
fluffy, blue-eyed person, in a tremor of fear
and Indignation. OF course she would not
admit even the possibility of his guilt. But
she would not express either surprise re-
greet over the fate of Oldacre. On the con-
trary, she spoke of him with such bitter
ness that she was unconsciously consider
ably strengthening the case of the police,
for, of course, If her son had heard her
speak of the man in this fashion 1t would
predispose him toward hatred and violence.
He was more like malignant and cum
ming ape than human being said she.
and he always was, ever since he was
young man..
" You knew him at that timer said I.
eyes 1 knew him well, in fact, he was
an old sutton of mine. Thank heaven that
had the sense to turn away from him and
! to marry better, If poorer, man. 1 was
! engaged to him, Mr.. Holmes, when heard
F, a shocking story Of how he had turned d
cat loose in an aviary, and / was so hor
rif1ed at his brutal cruelty that I would
have nothing more to do with him. She
rummaged in a bureau and presently she
produced photograph of a woman shame
| fully defaced and mutilated with a knife
/ That is my own photograph she said
| He sent it to me in that state, with his
| curse. upon my wedding morning.
"'Well,' said l, AT least he has forgiven
| you now, since he has left all his property
| to your son..
"'Neither my son nor I want anything
| from Jonas Oldacre. dead or alive! she
cried, with a proper spirit. There Is a
| God in heaven, Mr.. Holmes, and that same
| God who has punished that wicked man
| will show, in His own good time, that my
| sons hands are guiltless of his blood
"Well. tried one or two leads, but could
| get at nothing which would help our n.y.
pothesis, and several points which would
| make against it. I gave it up at last. and
off / went to Norwood.
'This place. Deep Dene House, is big
| modern villa of staring brick, standing back
| In its own grounds, with a laurel-clumped
| lawn In front of it. To the right and some
| distance back from the road was the tim
| ber-yard which had been the scene of the
! fire. Here's a rough plan on a leaf of my
| notebook This window on the left is the
| one which opens into Oldacre's room. You
| can look into 1t from the road, you see.
| That is about the only bit of consolation
/ have had today. Lestrade was not there,
| but his head constable did the honors.
| They had just found a great treasure
| trove. They had spent the morning raking
| among the ashes of the burned wood-pile,
| and besides the charred organic remains
| they had secured several discolored metae
| discs. I examined them with care and
| there was no doubt that they were trouser
| buttons. I even distinguished that one of
them was marked with the name of
| Hyams,' who was Oldacre's tailor. then
| worked the lawn very carefully for signs
I and traces. but this drought has made
/ everything as hard as iron. Nothing was
/ to be seen save that some body or bundle
| had been dragged through low pfivet
| hedge which is in line with the wood-piIe
| All that, of course. fits in with the official
| theory. I crawled about the lawn with an
| August sun my back, but got up at
/ the end of an hour no wiser than before.
| 'sWell, after this hasco I went into the
| bed room and examined that also. The
| blood stains were very slight, mere smears
/ and discolorations, but undoubtedly fresh.
/ The stick had been removed but there also
the marks were slight. There is no doubt
] about the stick belonging to our client. He
admits 1t. Footmarks Of both men could