The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-06-23

her husbands property"
Holmes WAS lost in thought for some
time
We'll" said he al last i suppose
shall have to come out and have look
at it
Stanley Hopkins gave a cry of joy
"'FhanE YOU, sir That will, indeed.
be weight off my mind"
Holmes shook his finger at the in
spector.
III would have been an easier task a
week ago said he But even now
my visit may not be entirely fruitless.
Watson, if YOU can spare the time l
should be very glad of your company.
If you will call -four wheeler Hop
kinS. we shall be ready to start for
Forest Row in quarter of an hour"
Alghting nj the small wayside sta
ton. we drove for some miles through
the remains of widespread woods
which We're once part of that great for
est which for so long held the Saxon
invaders at bay-the impenerable
weald, for sixty years the bulwarli
Of Britain. Vast sections of it have
been cleared for this is the seat Of the
first iron works of the country. and the
trees have been felled to smell the ore.
Now the richer fields of the north have
absorbed the trade. and nothing save
these ravagel groves ana great scars
in the earth shows the work of the p1St.
Here, in clearing upon the green
slope OF hill, stood long. low stone
house. approached by curvng drive
running through the fields Nearer the
road and surrounded on three sides by
bushes was small clubhouse. one win
dow and the door facing in our direc-
ton II was the scene of the murder.
Stanley Hopkins led us first to the
house. where he introduced us to bag
gard. gray haired woman, the widow
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 of hardship and
i'll usage which she had endured. With
her was her daughter. Il pale. fair hair
ed girl. whose eyes blazed defiantly at
us as she told us that she was glad that
her father was dead and that she bless
/ cd the hand which had struck him
down. It was terrible household that
Black Peter Carey had made for him
self. and it was with a sense of relief
that we found ourselves in the sunlight
again making our way along path
! whhh had been worn across the fields
by NE feet of the dead man.
The outhouSe was the simplest Of
dwellings. wooden walled. Shngle roof
ed, one window beside the door and one
on the farther side. Stanley Hopkins
drew the key from his pocket and had
stopped 10 the lock when he paused
with look of attention and surprise
upon his face.
"Some one has been tamperng with
it," he said
There could be no doubt of the fact.
The woodwork was cut, and the
scratches showed white through the
paint. as if they had been that instant
done. Holmes had been examining the
window
"Some one has tried to force this
also. Whoever it was has failed to
make his way in He must have been
a very poor burglar"
This is most extraordinary thing.
said the inspector II could swear
that these marks were not here yester-
day evening"
Some curious person from the viii
lage, perhaps | 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 it. Mr..
Holmes?"
Il think that fortune is very kind to
u.s."
You mean that the person will come
again?"
ut is very probable. He 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 do?"
Come again next night with more
useful tool"
80 l should say It will be our
fault if we are not there to receive
him. Meanwhile let me see the inside
of the cabin"
The traces of the tragedy had beer
removed. but the furniture within the
little room still stood as it had beer
on the night of the crime. For two
! hours with most intense concentration
Holmes examined every object in turn
but his face showed that his quest was
not a successful one Once only be
paused in his patient investigation
"Have you taken anything off this
shelf, HopkinsT"
NO; have moved nothing"
Something has been taken. There i!
less dust in this corner of the shell
than elsewhere. 1t may have been /
book lying on its side. 1t may hav'
been box. Well, well, can do moth
ing more. Let us walk in these beau
tiful woods. Watson. and give a few