The San Francisco call., 1905-04-30


came from behind it, Il don't care
who you are You can go to blazesi"
roared the angry voice. .To-morrow's
the exam, and4I won't be drawn by
any one"
"A rude fellow" said our guide.
flushing with anger as we withdrew
down the stair. "Of course he did not
realize that 1t was / who was knock
ing, but none the less his conduct was
very uncourteous. and indeed. under
the circumstances rather suspicious.
Holmes response was curious one.
Can you tell me his exact height?"
he asked.
Really, Mr.. Holmes, I cannot under
take 10 say. He is taller than the In
dian. not so tall as Gilchrist- sup
pose five foot six would be about It,
That is very important" said
Holmes. And now. Mr.. Soames. 1
wish you good night"
Our guide cried aloud in his aston
ishment and dismay. Good gracious.
Mr.. Holmes, you are surely not going
to leave me in this abrupt fashion.
You don't seem to realize the position
Tomorrow is the examination. must
take some definite action tonight I
cannot allow the examination to be
held II one Of the papers has been tam
pered with The situation must be
faced
you must leave it as it is. I shan
drop round early tomorrow morning
and chat the matter over. 1t Is pos
sible that 1 may be IN position then
to indicate some course OF action.
Meanwhile you change nothing-noth-
ing at ALL"
Very good, Mr. Holmes"
You can be perfectly easy in your
mind. We shall certainly find some
way out of your difficulties. I will take
the black clay with me, also the pencil
cuttings Good-by-"
When we were out in the darkness OF
the quadrangle we again looked up at
the windows The Indian still paced
his room- The others were invisible.
well, Watson, what do you think OF
it?" Holmes asked as we came out into
the main street. Quite little parior
game-sort of three-card trick. Is IL
not? There are your three men IL must
be one Of them You take your choice.
Which is yours?''
THE foul-mouthed fellow at the top.
He is the one with the worst record
And yet that Indian was a sly fellow
also Why should he be pacing his
room all the time?"
There is nothing In that. Many men
do 1t when they are trying to learn any
thing by heart"
He looked at US in a queer way"
so would you il a flock OF strangers :
came in on you when you were pre-
pairing for an examination next day
and every moment was OF value. No,
see nothing in that. Pencils, toe. and
knives-aH was satisfactory. But that
fellow does puzzle me-
-''Who?"
why. Bannister. the servant. what's
his game in the matter?"
He impressed me as being a per-
fectly honest man.
so he did me. That's The puzslinx
part. Why should perfectly honest r
MAXWELL, well. here's a large station
er's. We shall begin our researches
here"
There were only four stationers Of
any consequence in the town, and at
each Holmes produced his pencil chips
and bid high for duplicate. All were
agreed that one could be ordered, but
that 1t was not a usual size of pencil
and that Ii was seldom kept in stock.
My friend did not appear to be de-
pressed by his failure, but shrugged his
shoulders in half humorous resignation.
mo good. my dear Watson. This, the
best and only final clew. has run to
nothing But, indeed, have little
doubt that we can build up a sufficient
case without it. By Jovel my dear fell
low, 1t Is nearly 9, and the landlady
babbled Of green peas at 1880. What
with your eternal tobacco. Watson, and
your irregularity at meals expect that
you VIII get notice to quit. and that U
shall share your downfall-not, how
ever, before we have solved the prob
lem Of the nervous tutor. the careless
servant and the three enterprising STU
dents"
Holmes mace no further aliusfon 10
the matter that day, though he sat lost
in thought for a long time after our be-
lated dinner. At 8 in the morning he
came into my room just as finished
my toilet.
''well, watson said he. ct is time
we went down to st. Luke's. Can you
do without breakfast
Certainly"
'Soames will be in a dreadful idxet
until we are able to tell him something
positive
Have you anything positive to tell
him?"
IT think So"
You have formed a conclusion?"
Yes. my dear Watson. have solved
the mystery"
But what fresh evidence could you
have got?''
AHA! 1t is not for nothing that I havs
turned myself out Of bed atNthe untine-
ly hour of g. have put in two hours
hard work and covered at least i've
miles, with something to show for IT.
Look at thati
He held out his hand. On the palm
were three little pyramids Of black.
doughy clay.
why. Holmes. you had only two
yesterday"
And one more this morning It Is a
fair argument that wherever No. 3
came from Is also the source OF Nos
/ and 2 Eh, Watson? Well. come along
and put friend Soames out OF his
pain"
The unfortunate tutor was certainly
j. in q state of pitiable agitation when We
found him in his chambers In a few
hours the examination would COM
mence, and he was still IN the dilemma
between making the facts public and
allowing the culprft to compete for the
valuable scholarship. He could hardly
stand still, so great was his mental
agitation, and he ran toward Holmes
with two eager hands outstretched.
"Thank heaven, that you have comet
feared that you had given IL I'D In
despair What am I to do? Shall the
examination proeeed1 --
yes, let it proceed. by all means
but this rascal?
HE shall not compete