The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-08
Sherlock Holmes.

To DartmooT, 10 Kings Pyland.
vas not surprised Indeed. my only
wonder was that he had not already
been mixed up in this extraordinary
case, which was the one topic of CON
Versation through the length and
breadth OF England. For a whole day
my companion had rambled about the
room. with his chin upon his chest and
his brows knitted, charging and re-
charging his pipe with the strongest
black tobacco and absolutely deaf 10
any Of nv questions or remarks. Fresh
editions OF every paper had been sent
up by our news agent. only 10 be
glanced over and tossed down into Il
corner. Yet, silent as he was, / knew
perfectly we'll what il was over which
he was brOOdiue. There was bat one
problem before the public which could
challenge his powers of analysis, and
that was the singular disappearance
of the faVOrite for the WesseX cuX and
the tragic murder of its trainer. Whcl,
therefore. ne suddenly amounted his
Intention of setting out for tee scene
OF the drama il was only what / had
both expected and hoped for.
I should be most happy 10 go down
With YOU if l should not be in the way
said l.
My dear Watson, you would confer
a great favor upon me by coming. And
I think that your time viii not be mis-
spent, for there are points about the
case which promise 20 make IL an aD-
solutely unique one. We have, 1 think,
Just time TO catch our train at Pad
dington and I will go further into the
matter upon our journey. You would
Oblige me by bringing with you your
Negy excellent field glass
.hnd SO it happened that an hour or
50 later ! found myself in the corner
Of a frst-class carriage, flying along en-
route for Exeter while Sherlock
Holmes, with his sharp, eager face
framed in his ear-happed travelling cap,
dipped rapidly into the bundle Of fresh
papers which he had procured at Pad
dington. We had left Reading far be-
hind US before he thrust the last one OF
them under the seat and offered me his
cigar case.
I'VE are going we'll" said he, looking
out of the window and glancing at his
watch. "Our rate at present is fifty
three and a half miles an hour"
II have not observed the quarter
mile posts, said /.
Nor have !. But the telegraph posts
upon this line are sixty yards apart
and the calculation is a simple one.
presume that You have looked into the
matter of the murder of John Sraker
and the disappearance Of Silver Blaze
II have seen what the Telegraph and
the Chronicle have TO say
1T Is one of those cases where the
art of the rCasoner should be used
rather for The Sitting of details than
for the acquiring of fresh evidence.
The tragedy has been So uncommon. So
complete and Of such personal import
an
suffering from a plethora OF surmlse,
conjecture and hypothesis The diff
Guilty is 10 detach The trameWOrk of
fact, Of absolute undeuiable fact, from
the embellishments Of theorists and re-
pOrters. Then having established our
selves upou this sound basis. IL is our
duty 20 see what differences may be
drawn and what are the special points
upon which the whole mystery turns.
ON Tuesday evening I received tele-
grams from both Colonel Ross, the
owner Of the horse and from Inspector
Gregory, who is looking after the case,
inviting my cooperation
TUESDAY evening ! exclaimed,
And this is Thursday morning. Why
didn't YOU go down yesterdays
Because ] made g. blunder. my dear
Natson-Wh ich is, I am afraid, mora
common occurrence than anyone would
think who only knew me through Your
memoirs. The fact is that l could not
believe il possible thar the most re
markable horse in England could long
remain concealed, especially in so
Sparsely inhabited a place as the north
Of DartmoOr From hour 10 hour yes
terday / expected 10 hear that he had
been found, and that his abductOr was
the murderer Of John SudkeT When,
however, another morning had come
and / found that beyond the arrest Of
Young FitZTOy Simpson nothing had
been done. I felt that il was time foI
me to take action Yet iu some ways ]
feel that yesterday has not been
wasted"
You have formed a theory, then 30
AT least 1 have got grip of the es-
sential facts of the case. / shall emu
merate them 10 you, for nothing clears
up "a case so much as stating IL TO au-
other person, and I can hardly expect
YOUR cooperation If / do not show you
the position from which We start"
lay back against the cushions, puff
ing al my cigar, while Holmes lean
ing forward. with his long. thin fore
ringer checking of the points upon the
palm of his left hand, gave me sketch
Of the events which had led 20 Ou-
Journey.
Silver Blaze" said he, lis from the
E
record as his famous ancestor He IS
now i'm his dftu year. and has brought
ia turn each of the prizes OF the turf "a
Colonel Ross. his fortunate owner. u
10 the time Of the catastrophe he was
The first favorite for the WesseX cup
The betting being three 90 one ON him.
He has always, however, been a prime
fayorite with the racing public, and
has never yet disappointed them, SO
that even at those odds enormous sums
Of money have been laid upon him. IL
is obvious. therefore, that there were
many people who had the strongest iu-
terest in preventing Silver Blaze from
being there al the fall of the flag next
Tuesday.
The fact was Of course appreciated
al Kings PylaUd, where the colOneIs
training stable is situated, Every pre-
caution was taken 10 guard the favor
ite. The trainer. John Suaker. is q re-
tired jockey. who rode I'm Colonel Ross
colOrs before he became too heavy for
the Weighing chair. lie has served the
colonel for five years as jockey and for
seven as trainer, ana has always shown
himself to be a jealous and honest
servant Under him were three lads
for the establishment was a small one
containing only four horses i'm all. One
of these lads sat up each night i'm the
stable, while the others slept in the loft
All three bore excellent characters
John Straker who is married man.
lived in a small villa about 200 yards
from the stable. He has no children
keeps one maid servant, and is com
fortably off. The country round is very
lonely, but about half a mile TO the
north there is a small cluster of villas
which have been built by a TaVistOck
contractor for the use of inNalids and
others who may wish 10 enjoy the pure
Dartmeor air. Tavistock itself lies two
miles 10 the west, while across the
moor. also about two miles distant, Is
lbe larger training establishment OF
r.rbfab kalanae O.. z ord nEa1Er