The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-07-14


in roll he could not possibly know
what they We're. On the other hand. it
seemed an unthinkable coincidence
that man should dare to enter the
room. ana that by chance on that very
day the papers were on the table. |
dismissed that. The man who entered
knew that the papers We're there How
did he know?
when l approached your room 1
examined the window You amused
me by supposng that was contem-
plating the possibility of some one hav-
ing in broad daylight, under the eyes
of all these opposite rooms, forced him
self through it, Such an idea was alb
surd. | was measuring how tall
man would need to be in order to see
as he passed what papers We're on the
central table l am six feet high, and
l could do it with an effort No one
less than that would have chance
Already, you see, had reason to think
that if one of your three students was
man of unusual height be was the
most worth watching of the three.
Il entered, and | took you into my
confidence as to the suggestions of the
side table, OF the center table could
make nothing until in your description
of Gilchrist you mentioned that he was
a long distance jumper. Then the
whole thing came to me in an instant,
and only needed certain corroborative
proofs, which / speedily obtained.
what happened was this: This young
fellow had employed his afternoon at
the athletic grounds, where he had
been practicing the jump. He return
ed carrying his jumping shoes, which
are provided, as You are aware, with
several sharp spikes. As he passed
your window he saw, by means of his
great height, these proofs upon your
table and conjectured what they were.
No harm would have been done had it
not been that as he passed your door he
perceived the key which had been left
by the carelessness of your servant.
A sudden impulse came over him to en-
ter and see if they were indeed the
proofs. 1t was not a dangerous ex-
plot, for he could always pretend that
he had simply looked in to ask a ques-
ton.
well, when he saw that they were
indeed the proofs it was then that he
yielded to temptation. He put his
shoes on the table. What was it you
put on that chair near the Window
cai 4h.
Holmes looked triumphantly at Ban
mister. HE put his gloves on the chair,
and he took the proofs, sheet by sheet,
to copy them. He thought the tutor
must return by the main gate and that
he would see him. As we know, he
came back by the side gate. Suddenly
he heard him at the very door, There
was no possible escape. He forgot his
gloves, but he caught up his shoes and
darted into the bedroom. You observe
that the scratch on that table is slight
at one side, but deepens in the direction
Of the bedroom door, That in itself is
enough to show us that the shoe had
been drawn in that direction and that
the culprit had taken refuge there. The
earth round the spike had been left on
the table, and second sample was
loosened and fell in the bedroom.
may add that l walked out to the ath-
letic grounds this morning, saw that
tenacious black clay is used in the
jumping pit and carried away a speci-
men of it. together with some of the
fine tan or sawdust which is strewn
over it to prevent the athlete from
slipping. Have l told the truth, Mr.
Gilchrist?'
The student had drawn himself erect
eyes, sir; it is true" said he
"Good heavens Have you nothing
to addT' cried Soames.
Eyes, sir | have. but the shock of
this disgraSeful exposure has bewilder-
ed me. / have letter here Mr.. Soames.
which | wrote to you early this morn
ing in the middle of restless night
1t was before | knew that my sin had
found me out. Here it is, sir. You will
see that l have said 4 have determined
not to go in for the examination. l
have been offered commission in the
Rhodesian police, and l am going out
to South Africa at once"
81 am indeed pleased to hear that you
did not intend to profit by your unfair
advantage" said Soames. But why
did you change your purposeY
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister
"There is the man who set me in the
right path" said he.
"Come now, Bannister," said Holmes
at will be clear to you from what
have said that only you could have let
this young man out, since you were
left in the room and must have locked
the door when you went out. AS to his
escaping by that window, it was in
credible. Can you not clear up the
last point in this mystery and tell us
the reasons for your action?"
1T was simple enough, sir, if you
only had known, but with all your
cleverness it was impossible that you
could know. Time was, sir, when
was butler to old Sir Jabez Gilchrist,
this young gentleman's father. When
he was ruined l came to the college as
servant, but l never forgot my old en-
ployer because he was down in the
world. l watched his son all could
for the sake of old days. Well, sir,
when came into this room yesterday,
when the alarm was given, the very
first thing | saw was Mr.. Gilchrist's
tan gloves a-lying in that chair.
knew those gloves well, and under
stood their message. If Mr.. Soames
saw them the game was up. l Topped