The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-06-02

treSS To her room. Both she ana nef
husband had occupied the bed She
was clad in her dress. he in his dress
ing gown. over his night clothes. Moth
ing lad been moved in the study 50
far as they knew. there had never been
any quarrel between husband and wife.
They had always looked upon them as
q very united couple.
These were the main points Of the
servants evidence. In answer 70 IN
spector Martin they were clear that ev-
erv door was fastened upon the inside
and that no one could have escaped
from the house. IL answer 10 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 foor. Il commend
that fact very carefully 70 your atren-
ton said Holmes 10 his professional
colleague. And now I think that We
are in a position 10 undertake a thor
ough examination Of the room
The study proved 10 be a small cham
her lined On three sides with books
and with q writing table facing an or
binary window. which looked ont upon
the garden. Our first attention was
given 10 the body Of the unfortunate
squire. whose huge frame lay stretch
cd across the room His dis0rdered
dress showed that be had been hastily
aroused from sleep. The bullet had
been fired al him from the front and
had remained in his body after pene-
tratiug 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 10 the country sur
geon. tie lady had stains upon her
face. but none upon her hand.
.Tle absence Of the latter means
nothing. though lis presence may mean
everything" said Eolues. Unless tie
powder from q badly fitting cartridge
happens 70 squirt backward one may
fire many shots without leaving a sign.
would suggest that Mr. Cubitrs body
may now be removed. suppose. doc
tor. you have lot recovered the bullet
which wounded the LADY,:
- serious operation VIII be neeessa-
~ before that can lie done Bur there
are still four cartridges in the revolver
Two have been fred and two wounds
inflicted. 50 that each bullet can be &C
counted for.
80 II would seen" said Holmes.
perhaps you can account also for the
bullet which has 80 obviously struck
the edge # the Window
He Lad turned Suddenly. and his
long. thin finger was pointing 70 a hole
which had been drilled right through
the lower window sash about an inch
above the bottom.
by Geor9e."' cried the inspector.
How ever did you see that:"
Because I looked for il"
"Wonderful.-' said the country doc
tor. You are certainly right 81. Then
q third shot has been fired. and there
fore q third person must have been
present. But who could that have been
and how could he have got away"
THAT is Tie problem which we are
aow about 70 solve" said Sherlock
Holmes. You remember. Inspector
Martin. when tie servants said that on
leaving their room they We're n once
conscious Of a smell Of powder l re-
marked that the point was al extreme
y important oueE'
Yes sir: but I confess I did not
quite follow you.
II suggested that al the time Of the
firing The window - well as the door
Of the room had been open. Otherwise
the fumes Of powder could not have
been blown 80 rapidly through the
house. = draft il the room was nee
essary for that. Both door and win
dow were only open for d very short
time however"
How do you prove that?"
Because The candle was not gut
tered.
Capital" cried the inspector. Cap
ital:
Feeling sure that the window had
been open al the time Of the tragedy.
! conceived that there might have been
& third person in the affair. who stood
outside this opening and fired through
il. Any shot directed al this person
might hit the sash looked. and there,
sure enough. was the bullet mark
But how came the window 10 be
shut and fasJened:'
The wonau's hrst instinct would be
10 shut and faSten the window. But,
hello. What Is this"
Il was q lady's hand bag which stood
upon the study table-a trim little hand
bag Of crocodile skin and silver.
Holmes opened il and turned the con-
tents out. There were twenty fifty
pound notes Of the Bank OF England.
held together by al india rubber band
nothing else.
This must be preserved. for it will
figure in the trial. said Holmes as he
handed the bag with is contents TO the
inspector. 1t Is now necessary that
We should Try TO throw some light upon
this third bullet which has clearly,
from the spIinTering Of the wood, been
fred from inside the room. l should
ike 10 see Mrs. King. the cook again.
You said, Mrs. King. that you were
awakened 10y loud explosion. When
] you said that did you mean that il
/ seemed 10 you 10 be louder than the
/ second one:"
We'll, sir, it Weakened me from my
sleep. and SO it is hard TO judge. But
il did seem very loud"