Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-10

| all trampled down and indistinguishable.
Just beyond IL. however, at the far side
OF the kitchen door. a woman had stood
ana talked with man whose round inn
pressions on one side showed THAI he had
a wooden leg. / could even tell that they
rad been disturbed. for the woman had run
pack swiftly to the door, was shown by
the deep toe and light heel marks while
Wooden-leg had waited little and then
had gone away. l thought at the time that
| THIS might be the maid and her sweetheart,
of whom you had already spoken to me
and inquiry showed IL was so. | passed
| round the garden without seeing anything
more than random tracks, which took to
| be the police: but when / got into the
stable lane very long and complex story
was written In the snow In front OF me
There was a double line of tracks OF a
booted man. and a second double line which
i saw with delight belonged to a man with
naked feet. L was at once convinced from
what you told me that the latter was your
son. The first had walked both ways but
ths other had run swiftly, and as his tread
was marked in places over the depression
OF the boot ii was obvious that he had
passed after the other. 1 followed them UP.
anu FOUND that they led to the hall window,
where Boots had worn all the snow away
| while waiting. Then | walked to the other
emo, which was a hundred yards or more
down the lane. l saw where Boots had
faced round where the snow cut up as
though there had been struggle. and.
! nnaily' where few drops OF blood had
Iallen. to show me that was not mistaken.
other little smudge of blood showed that IL
, was he who had been hurt. When he came
- the high road at the other end, | found
that the pavement had been cleared, SO
there was an end to that clue.
On entering the house. however, I ex-
aminec as you remember. the sill and
framework of the hall window with my
lens. and could at once see that some one
had passed out 1 could distinguish the out
line OF an instep where the wet foot had
been placed In coming in. l was then be-
ginning TO be able to form an opinion as to
what had occurred. A man had waited
outside the window, some one had brought
the gems; the deed had been overseen by
your son. he had pursued the thief had
struggled with him, they had each tugged
at the coronet, their united strength caus-
Ing injuries which neither alone could have
erected. He had returned with the prize,
put mad left fragment IN the grasp of his
opponent. So far l was clear. The oues-
ton now was. who was the man. and who
was 1t brought him the coronet7
1t Is an old maxim of mine that when
you have excluded the impossible whatever
remains however improbable must be the
truth Now. 1 knew that 1t was not you
who had brought II down, so there only re-
manned your niece and the maids. But II
II were the maids. why should your son
allow himself to be accused I'm their placer
There could be no possible reason. AS he
loved his cousin. however. there was an ex-
cellent explanation why he should retain
her secret-the more so as the secret was a
oisgraceful one When | remembered that
you mad seen her at the window. and how
she had tainted on seeing the coronet again,
my conjecture became a certainty
And who could II be who was her con-
feeerate? lover evidently. for who else
could outweigh tire love and gratitude which
shs must feel to youP knew that you
went out little. and that your circle of
friends was a very limited one But
among them was Sir George Rurnwell |
had heard of him before being a man OF
evil reputation among women. 1t must have
been he no wore those boots
the missing gems. Even though he knew
that Arthur had discovered him, he might
still fiatter himself that he was safe. for
the lad could not say a word without COM
promising his own family.
well, your own good sense Will suggest
what measures l took next | went in the
shape of a loafer to Sir Georges house
managed to pick up acquaintance with
his valet, learned that his master had cut
his head the night before, and finally at the
expense OF six shillings. made all sure by
buying pair of his CASTOR shoes With
these journeyed down to Streetham. and
saw that they exactly fitted the tracks"
saw an addressed vagabond in the
lane yesterday evening" said Mr. Holder
Precisely. 1t was /. l found that | had
my man, so l came home and changed nv
clothes. 1t was delicate part which I had
to play then. for l saw that a prosecution
must be avoided to avert scandal and 7
knew that so aStute a villain would see
that our hands were tied in the matter
went and saw him. At first of course no
aenleu everything. But when | gave him
every particular that had occurred he tried
TO buster, and took down a life preseryer
from the wall. l knew my man however
ana L capped a pistol TO his head before
ne could strike. Then he became a Uttle
more reasonable. l told him that we wouId
give MIN a price for the stones he held
Elooo apiece. That brought out the first
signs OF grief that he had shown. Why
cash II al' said he, I've let them 90 81
SIX hundred for the three, I soon mana,es
TO get the address of the receiver who rad
them. on promising him that there would
De no prosecution. Off I set to him. and
after much chaffering / got our stones ar
flOU apiece. Then looked in upon yonr
son. and told him that all was right ana
eventually got to my bed about . n'clocl,
after what l may call a really hard days
work. N nay
A day which has saved England from n
great public scandal" said the hanger
rising. Sir, / cannot find words to thank
you, but you shall not find me ungratefuI
Tor what you have done Your skill has
indeed exceeded all that have heard of n
And now | must fly to my dear bow to
apologize to him for the wrong which r
have done him. As to what you tell me OF
poor Mary, II goes to my very heart NOT
even your skill can inform me where She
Is now"
Il think that may safely saw" re-
turned Holmes, that she Is wherever Sir
George Burnwel is 1t IS equally certain
too, that whatever her sins are they will
soon receive more than sufficient pun
ishment.'