Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-08
The Adventure OF
the Priory School
No. S of the Series

lcssyy;sbt, 1905, BY NE Clar.. Phillips . Coz
We continued our systematic survey
Of the edge Of the sodden portion Of the
moor, and soon our perseverance was
gloriously rewarded. Right across the
lower part Of the bog lay a miry path.
Holmes gave cry Of delight as he APP
preached it. An impression like fine
bundle Of telegraph wires ran down the
center Of 1t. 1t was the Palmer tire.
''Here is Herr Heidegger, sure
enoughw cried Holmes exultantly. "My
reasoning seems to have been pretty
sound, Watson"
II congratulate you"
''But we have long way still to 60.
Kindly walk clear of the path. Now let
us follow the trail. fear that It will
not lead very far"
We found, however. as we advanced
that this portion of the moor Is inter-
Sected with soft patches, and, though
we frequently lost sight of the track.
we always succeeded In picking it up
once more.
"Do you observe" said Holmes, shat
the rider Is now undoubtedly forcing
the pace? There can be no doubt of it.
Look at this impression, where you get
both tires clear. The one Is as deep as
the other That can only mean that the
rider Is throwing his weight on to the
handle bar, as man does when he is
sprintlng BY Jove, he has had fall!"
There was a broad, irregular smudge
covering some yards Of the track. Then
there were a few footmarks, and the
tire re.appeared once more.
"a side Slip" suggested.
Holmes held up crumpled branch
Of, Towering gorse. To my horror I
perceived that the yellow blossoms
were all dabbled with crimson. On the
path, too, and among the heather were
dark stains Of clothed blood.
''Eal!' said Holmes. Bad! Stand
clear, Watson! Not an unnecessary
footstep! What do read here? He
fell wpunded-he stood up-he remount-
ed-he proceeded. But there is no
other track. Cattle on this side path.
He was surely not gored by a bull?
Impossihle! But see no traces of
any one else We must push on, Wat
son. Surely, with stains as we'll as the
track to guide, he cannot escape US
now
Our search was not a very long one.
The tracks of the tire began to curve
Realistically upon the wet and shining
path. Suddenly, as looked ahead,
the CLEAN Of metal caught my eye from
amid the thick gorse bushes. Out Of
them we dragged bicycle, Palmer
tired, one pedal bent and the whole
front Of it horribly smeared and slob-
bered with blood. On the other side
OF the bushes a shoe was projecting.
We ran round and there lay the UNI
fortunate rider. He was tall man,
full bearded, with spectacles, one glass
Of which had been knocked out The
cause Of his death vas frightful
blow upon the head, which had crush
ed in part of his skull. That he could
have gone on after receiving such an
injury said much for the vitality and
courage OF the man. He wore shoes,
but no SOCKS. and his open coat dis
closed nightshift beneath, it. 1t was
undoubtedly the German master.
Holmes turned the body over rever-
entity and examined it with great at
tention. He then sat in deep thought
for time, and | could see by his ruff
fed brow that this grim discovery had
not, iii his opinion, advanced US much
In our inquiry.
..It is a little difficult to know what
to do. Watson said he at last. My
own indications are to push this in
quiry on, or we have already lost so
much time that we cannot afford to
waste anorDer hour. On the other hand,
we are bound to inform the police OF
the discovery and to see that this poor
fellows body is looked after"
II could take note back"
'But | need your company and as
sistance. Wait Bit There is fell
low cutting peat up yonder. Bring him
over here. and he will guide the po-
lice"
brought the peasant across. and
Holmes dispatched the frightened man
with {, note to DR.. Huxtable.
Now, Watson" said he, I'VE have
picked up two clews this morning. One
is the bicycle with the Palmer tire,
and we see what that has led to. The
other is the bicycle with the patched
Dunlop. Before we start to investi-
gate that let us try to realize what we
do know, so as to make the most Of it
and to separate the essential from the
accidental"
First of all, wish to impress upon
you that the boy certainly left of his
own free will. He got down from his
window, and he went off either alone
or with some one. That is sure"
I assented.
"Well, now, let us turn to this I'M
fortunate German master. The boy
was fully dressed when he fed. There
fore he foresaw what he would do.
But the German went without his
socks. He certainly acted on very
short notice.
Undoubtedly"
"Why did he go? Because from his
bedroom window he saw the fight OF
the boy. because he wished to over
take him and bring him back. He
seized his bicycle, pursued the lad and
In pursuing him met his death.
$50 1t would seem"
sNo,v I come to the critical part Of
+ ~ a