The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19

through the fields. Nearer the ROAD,
and surrounded on three sides by
bushes, was small clubhouse, one WIN
dow and door facing in our diree-
ton. It was lie scene Of tn murder.
Stanley Hopkins led US first to the
house. where he introduced US to a
haggard, gray haired woman, the Wild
ow OF the murdered man, whose gaunt
and deep lined face, with The furtive
look of terror in the depths of her red
trimmed eyes, told of the years 0. hard
ship and ill-usage which she had en-
dured. With her was her daughter, a
pale. fair-haired girl. whose eyes
blased defiantly at US as she odd us
that she was glad that her father
was dead. and that she blessed e
hand which had struck him down.
1t was q terrible household that
Black Peter Carey had made for him
self, and It was with sense of relief
that we found ourselves in the sun
light again, and making our way
along path which had been worn
across the fields by the feet of the dead
man.
The clubhouse was the simplest of
the dwellings, wooden walled, single
rooted, one window beside the door
and one on the farther side. Stanley
Hopkins drew the key f"em his pocket
and had stopped = the loek, when he
paused with a look of attention and
surprise upon his face.
Someone has heen tampering with
it," he said
There could be no doubt of the fact.
The woodwork WIS cut and the
scratches showed white through the
paint, as if they had been that In
slant done. Holmes had been ex-
aiming the winoow.
Some one has tried % -orce this,
Also Whoever 1t was has failed to
make his way In He must have been
very poor burglar"
This is a most extraordinary thing
said the Inspector I could swear that
these marks were not here yesterday
evening"
5ome curious person from the vii
lage, perhaps l suggested.
Very unlikely. Few of them would
dare to set foot in the grounds. far
less try to force their way into the
cabin. What do you think of II, Mr..
Holmes?"
II think that fortune is very kind to
u.s."
You mean that Re person will come
again?"
1T is very probable. lie came ex-
pecting to find the door open. He tried
to get in with the blade of a very small
penknife. He could not manage it.
What would he dor
Come again next night with a more
useful tool"
so | should say. It will be our
fault II we are not there to receive
him. Meanwhile, let me see the inside
of the cabin"
The traces of the tragedy had been
removed, but the furniture within the
little room still stood as 1t had been
on the night of the crime. For two
hours, with most intense eoneentra-
ton, Holmes examined every object
In turn, but his face showed that his
quest was not a successful one. Once
only he paused In his patient investi-
cation.
Have you taken anything off this
shelf, Hopkins?"
mo, 1 have moved nothing"
Something has been taken. There
is less dust In this corner of the shelf
than elsewhere. 1t may have been a
book lying on its side. 1t may have
been a box. Well well, can do
nothing more. Let us walk In these
beautiful woods, Watson, and give a
few hours to the birds and the flowers.
We shall meet you here later, Hop
kins, and see If we can come to closer
quarters with the gentleman who
has paid this visit In the night"
1t was past eleven o'clock when we
formed our little ambuscade. Hop
kins was for leaving the door of the
hut open, but Holmes was of the opin-
ion that this would rouse the suspi-
cons of the stranger. The lock was
a perfectly simple one, and only a
strong blade was needed to push 1t
back. Holmes also suggested that we
should wait, not inside the hut, but
outside II among the bushes which
grew round the farther window In
this way we should be able to watch
our man II he struck light and see
what his object was In this stealthy
nocturnal visit.
1t was a long and melancholy vigil,
and yet brought with ii something of
the thrill which the hunter feels when
he lies beside the waterproof. and
waits for the coming of the thirsty
beast of prey. What savage creature
was II which might steal upon us out
of the darkness? Was II fierce tiger
Of crime, which could only be taken
fighting hard with flashing fang and
claw, or would 1t prove to be some
skullSlng jackal, dangerous only to the
weak and unguarded?
In absolute silence we crouched
amongst the bushes, waiting for what
ever might come. At first the steps
of few belated villagers. or the sound
of voices from the village, lightened
our vigil, but one by one these inter-
ruptions died away and an absolute
stiffness fell upon us. save for the
chimes OF the distant church, which
told us of the progress of the night.
and for the rustic and whisper of
fine rain falling amid the foliage
which rooted us In.
Half-past two had ehimed. and 1t
was the darkest hour which precedes
the dawn, when we all started as a
low but sharp click came from the
direction of the gate. Someone had
entered the drive again tnere was
long silence. and I had begun TO fear
that 1t was false alarm, when a
stealthy step was heard upon the other
side of the hut. and a moment later
metallic scraping and blinking. The
man was trying to force the lock.
This time his skill was greater or his
tool was better. for there was a sud
den snap and creak of the hinges.
Then a match was struck. and next
instant the steady light from candle
filled the interior of the hut, Through
the gauge curtain our eyes were all
.i..otnd ,inor1 the snana within