Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-08

they had conveyed their injured mis-
tress to her room. Both she and her
husband had occupied the bed. She
was clad in her dress, he In his dress
ing gown. over his night clothes. Moth
ing had been moved In the study. Sc
far as they knew, there had never been
any quarrel between husband and wife.
They had always looked upon them as
very united couple.
These were the main points Of the
servants evidence. In answer to In
spector Martin they were clear that ev-
cry door was fastened upon the inside
and that no one could have escaped
from the house. In answer TO Holmes
they both remembered that they were
conscious Of the smell Of powder from
the moment that they ran out OF their
rooms upon the top door. II commend
that fact very carefully to your atten-
tion," said Holmes to his professional
colleague. "And now I think that we
are In position to undertake a thor
ough examination OF the room"
The study proved to he a small cham
Der lined on three sides with books
and with writing table facing an or
binary window, which looked out upon
the garden. Our first attention was
given to the body of the unfortunate
squire. whose huge frame lay stretch
cd across the room. His disordered
dress showed that he had been hastily
aroused from sleep. The bullet had
been fired Mt him from the front and
had remained in his body after pene-
trating the heart. His death had GER
tainly been instantaneous and painless.
There was no powder marking either
upon his dressing gown or on his
hands. According to the country sur
geon, the lady had stains upon her
face, but none upon her hand.
1.-The absence of the latter means
nothing though its presence may mean
everything" said Holmes. "Unless the
powder from a badly fitting cartridge
happens to squirt back ward one may
fire many shots without leaving sign
I would suggest that Mr.. Cnbitts body
may now be removed. suppose. doc.
tor. you have not recovered the bullet
which wounded the lady,"
"a serious operation will he necessa
ry before that can be done. But there
are still four cartridges in the revolver
| Two have been fired and two wounds
| inflicted. so that each bullet can be &C
counted for.
$50 it would SEEM" said Holmes
"Perhaps you can account also for the
bullet which has SO obviously struck
the edge OF the Window"
He had turned suddenly. and his
long, thin finger was pointing to hole
which had been drilled right through
the lower window sash about an incl
above the bottom.
by George" cried the inspector
"How ever did you see that?'
because looked for it,
"Wonderful". said the country doc
tor. You are certainly right. sir. Their
third shot has been fired. and there
fore third person must have beer
present. But who could that have beel
and how could he have got away"
THAT is the problem which we ar
Holmes. You remember, Inspecto
Martin, when the servants said that o.
leaving their room they were at ono
conscious OF a smell of powder I re
marked that the point was an extreme
" important one:'
Yes. sir; but confess did no
quite follow YOU"
1T suggested that at the time Of tn
firing the window as we'll as the doc
of the room had been open. Otherwis
the fuuMs of powder could not hav
been blown so rapidly through tn
house. A draft in the room was nee
essary for that. Both door and wiz
dow were only open for very shor
time, however"
How do you prove that?"
Because the candle was not gut
tered"
"Capitalw cried the inspector. "Car
ital"'
"Fecling sure that the window ha
been open at the time Of the tragedy
l conceived that there might have bee
q third person in the affair, who stoo
|
1t. ANY shot directed Mt this perso
might hit the sash. looked, and Their,
sure enough. was the bullet mark"
But how came the window to b
shut and fastened?"
THE woman's first instinct would l.
to shut and fasten the window. Blu
hello What ia this?"
1t was lady's hand bag which stoo
upon the study table-a trim little han
bag of crocodile skin and silve
Holmes opened it and turned the col
tents out. There We're twenty Mt
pound notes of the Bank Of Englan'
held together by an india rubber band
nothing else.
"This must be preserved, for it wi
: figure in the trial." said Holmes as L
handed the bag with its contents to II
inspector. ut Is now necessary thu
we should try to throw some light upo
this third bullet, which has clearl.
from the splintcring Of the wood, bee
fired from inside the room. l Shout
: like to see Mrs. King, the cook. agail
You said, Mrs. King, that you wei
, awakened by loud explosion. Whe
t you said that did you mean that
, seemed to you to be louder than II
second one!"
I DWELL, sir, 1t Weakened me from m
I. sleep. and so it is hard to Judge. III
I 1t did seem very loud"
+, "YOu don't think that il might hay