Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-11-09

along" said Holmes. STOPPING over the
grass border. Our lady must have
picked her steps carefully, must she
not. since on the n side she would
leave a track or the path and on the
other an ever clearer one on the soft
bed"
Yes. sir; she must have been a cool
hand"
saw an intent look pass over
Holmes face.
You say that she must have come
back this way"
Yes. sir; there is no other"
"On this strip of grass:"
Certainly, Mr.. Holmes"
Hum. 1t was a very remarkable
performance-very remarkable. Well,
l think we have exhausted the path.
Let Us go farther. This garden door is
usually kept open. l suppose. Then
this visitor had nothing to do but to
walk in. The idea Of murder was not
in her mind or she would have provid-
ed herself with some sort of weapon
instead Of having to pick this knife of
ZIG WILLING IoOIS. one dlOuR
this corridor, leaving no traces upon
the cocoanut mating. Then she found
herself in this study. How long was
she there: We have no means Of judg-
ing.
Not more than a few minutes, sir.
1 forgot to tell you that Mrs. Marker,
the housekeeper, had been in there tidy
ing not very long before-about a quar-
ter Of an hour, she says"
We'll that gives US a limit. Our Ia
dy enters this room, and what does she
do: She goes owe to the writing table.
What for: Not for anything in the
drawers If there had been anything
worth her taking it would surely have
been locked up. No, it was for some
thing in that wooden bureau. Hello.
What is that scratch upon the face Of
it: Just hold a match, Watson. Why
did you not tell NE Of this. Hopkins:"
The mark which he was examining
began upon the brasswork on the right
hand side Of the keyhole and extended
for about four inches, where it had
scratched the varnish from the surface.
Il noticed it, Mr.. Holmes. but you'll
always find scratches round a key
hole"
This is recent, quite recent See how
the brass shines where it is cut. An
old scratch would be the same color as
the surface Look at it through my
lens. There's the varnish. too. like
earth on each side Of q furrow. Is Mrs.
Marker there
A sad faced elderly woman came in
to the room.
Did you dust this bureau yesterday
morning."
Yes. sir"
Did yol notice this scratch:"
NO, sir: l did not"
i am sure you did not. for q buster
would nave swept away these shreds
Of varnish. Who has the key Of this
bureau"
The professor keeps it on his watch
chain"
rs it a simple key"
NO. sir: it is a Chubb's key"
"Verv good. Mrs. Marker. you can
go. Now we are making q little prog
ress. Our lady enters the room. ad-
vances TO the bureau and either opens
it Or tries to do go. While she is thus
engaged young Willoughby Smith en-
tiers the oom. II her hurry TO with
draw the key she makes this scratch
upon the door. He seiZes her. and she,
snatching Up the nearest object. which
happens 70 be this knife. strikes at him
in order to make him let 90 his hold.
The blow is q fatal one. He falls. and
she escapes. either with Or without the
object for which size has come. Is Su-
san, the maid, there: Could any one
have got away through that door after
the time that you heard the cry, Su-
SAM"
No, sir; it is impossible. Before I
got down the stair I'd have seen any
L in the passage. Besides. the door
never opened Or would have heard
it."
THAT settles this exit. Then no
doubt the lady went OUT the way she
came. | understand that this other
passage leads only to the professors
room. There is no exit that way
no. sir,
we shall 60 down it and make the
acquaintance Of the professor. Hello,
Hopkins, this is very important-very
important indeed. The professors cor
ridor is also lined with cocoanut mat
ting"
"Wcll. sir, what of that
Don't YOU see any bearing upon the
case: We'll. well. l don't insist upon
it. No doubt l an wrong. And yet it
seems 10 me 10 be Suggestive. Come
with me and Introduce me-
We passed down the passage. which
Of the same length as that which
led to the garden. At the end wa3 q
short fight Of steps ending in a door.
Our guide Knocked and the Ishered
as into the professors bedroom.
II was q very large chamber lined
with lnnumcrab bic volumes. which had
oVerfiOWcd from the shelves aud lay In
piles in the corners or wore stacked all
round at the base Of the cases. The
bed was in the center Of the room, aud
In If IIrItIfGl III, ,ri,l, ,itt,-,.. r-,, 49,,