Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-26
The Adventure of the Second Stain
IcoNTrNuED.l
No. l3 of the Series

ed house. prim. formal and solid, like the century which gave it birth. Le- strade's bulldog features gazed out at us from the front window, and he greeted us warmly when big consta- ble had opened the door and let us in. The room into which we were shown was that in which the crime had been committed, but no trace of it now re- !, ,mained save an ugly, irregular stain upon the carpet. This carpet was Small square drugget in the center of tue room, surrounded by broad ex- panse of beautiful, old fashioned wood flooring in square blocks highly polish cd. Over the fireplace was magnifi- cent trophy of weapons, one of which had been used on that tragic night In the window was sumptuous writing desk, and every detail of the apart ment, the pictures, the rugs and the hangings, all pointed to taste which was luxurious to the verge of effemi- macy.
 .'Seen the Paris news?' asked Le- strade.
 Holmes nodded.
 ''Our French friends seem to have touched the spot this time. No doubt it's just as they say. She knocked at the door-surprise visit, guess, for he kept his life in water tight compart- ments-he let her in, couldn't keep her in the street. She told him how she had traced him, reproached him; one thing led to another, and then with that dagger so handy the end soon came. !. It wasn't all done in an instant, though, for these chairs were all swept over wonder, and he had one in his hand as If he had tried to hold her off with it. We've got it all clear as if we had seen 1t"
 Holmes raised his eyebrows.
 "And yet you have sent for mel"
 "Ah, yes, that's another matter; a mere trife, but the sort of thing you take an interest in-queer, you know and what you might call freakish It has nothing to do with the main fact can't have, on the face of it." : "What Is it, then?'
 'Well, you know, after crime of this sort we are very careful to keep ' things in their position. ar othing. has i, been moved. Officer in charge here day . and night. This morning, as the man was buried and the investigation over -so far as this room is concerned-we thought we could tidy up bit. This : carpet-you see, it is not fastened down, only just laid there. We had occasion to raise it. We found"-
 ''Yes? You found"-
 Holmes face grew tense with anx- iety. -.
 i'Well, I'm sure you would never guess in hundred years what we did . find You see that stain on the car pet? Well, "a great deal must have soaked through. must it not!"
 Undoubtedly it must" "Well, you will be surprised to hear that there Is no stain on the white woodwork to correspond
 "No stain! But there must "Yes. so you would say. But the fact remains that there isn't"
 He took the corner of the carpet in . bis hand, and, turning it over. he show cd that it was indeed as he said.
 "But the underside is as stained as the upper It must have left a mark"
 Lestrade chuckled with delight at having puzzled the famous expert.
 ''Now. I'll show you the explanation. There is a second stain, but it does not correspond with the other. See for yourself As be spoke he turned over another portion of the carpet. and there, sure enough. was a great crim- son spill upon the square white facing of the old fashioned floor. What do you make of that. MT. HolmesT
 "why. it is simple enough. The two stains did correspond, but the carpet has been turned round. As it was square and unfastened it was easily done"
 "The official police don't need you. Mir. Holmes. to tell them that the car pet must have been turned round That's clear enough. for the stains lie above each other-if you lay it over this way. But vhnt want to know is. who shifted the carpet. and why:'
 ' could see from Holmes rigid face that he was vibrating with inward ex- citement
 Look here. Lestrade- said he. 'has that constable in the passage heen in charge of the place all the time:-
 "Yes. he has"
 Well. take my advice Examine him carefully. Don't do it hefore us. We'll -rait here. You take him into the back room. You'Il be more likely to get a confession out of him alone. Ask him how he dared to admit people and leave tbe1n alone in this rOOm- Don't ask him if he has done it. Take it for granted. Tell him you know some one has been here. Press him Tell him that full confession is his only chance of forgiveness. Do exactly what tell your
 By George. if he knows I'll have it out Of him cried Lestrsde. He dartef !. into the han. and a few moments later lis bullying voice sounded from the hack room
 -SOv. Watson nov- cried Holmes with fre1ziei esgerness All the de mo1iacsl force of the man masked be- hind that HstieSs manner burst out in a pzrcxyx1 of energy He tore the