Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-09-26

him. He was pinned like beetle c., :.
card. OF course he was quite dead al. /
/ had been so from the instant that he
had uttered that last yell of agony.
II know your methods, sir, and l ap-
piled them. Before l permitted any
thing to be moved / examined most
carefully the ground outside and also
the floor of the room. There were no
footmarks"
Meaning that you saw noneT"
II assure you, sir, that there were
none"
MY good Hopkins, 1 have investi-
gated many crimes, but I have never
yet seen one which was committed by
a flying creature. AS long as the GRIM
inal remains upon two legs SO long
must there be some indentation, some
abrasion, some trifing displacement
which can be detected by the scientific
searcher 1t is Incredible that this
blood despatched room contained no
trace which could have aided us. I'M
derstand, however, from the inquest
that there were some objects which you
| failed to overlook"
The young inspector WINGED at my
companions ironical comments.
II was fool not to call you in at the
time, Mr.. Holmes. However, that's
past praying for now. Yes, there were
several objects in the room which call
ed for special attention. One was the
harpoon with which the deed was COM
mitted. 1t had been snatched down
from rack on the wall. Two others
remained there, and there was a va
cant place for the third. On the stock
was engraved IS. Sea Unicorn, Dun
dee This seemed to establish that the
crime had been done in a moment of
fury and thrt the murderer had seized
the first weapon which came in his
way. The fact that the crime was COM
mitted at i the morning, and yet Pc
ter Carey was fully dressed, suggested
that he had an appointment with the
murderer, which is borne out by the
fact that bottle of rum and two dirty
glasses stood upon the table,"
YES" said Holmes, ~ think that
both differences are permissible. Was
there any other spirit than rum In the
room?"
eyes, there was tantalus contain
ing brandy and whisky on the sea
chest. 1t is of no Importance to us,
however, since the decanters were full,
and it had therefore not been used"
For all that, Its presence has some
| significance" said Holmes. However,
let us hear some more about the objects
which do seem to you to bear upon the
case"
"There was this tobacco pouch upon
the table,"
"What part Of the table,"
at lay in the middle. 1t was of
coarse sealskin-the straight haired
skin, with leather thong to bind 1t.
Inside were p. c. on the flap. There
was half an ounce of strong ships to-
bacco in it,
Excellent! What more?"
Stanley Hopkins drew from his peck
ct drab covered notebook. The out
side was rough and worn, the leaves
discolored. On the first page were writ
ten the initials ~. Fl. N" and the date
1883" Holmes laid 1t on the table and
examined 1t in his minute way, while
Hopkins and I gazed over each shout.
der. On the second. page were the
tprinted letters &c. P. r." and Their
came several sheets of numbers. An
other heading was Argentine" anoth
er Costa RIGA" and another "Sar
Paulo," each with pages Of signs and
figures after it.
] what do you make Of these7" ask
ed Holmes.
"They appear to be lists Of stocl
Exchange securities. thought thai
j. H. NJ We're the initials of a broker
and that g. P. r. may have been hi
client"
'"rry Canadian Pacific railway" SAIL
Holmes.
Stanley Hopkins swore between hi
teeth and struck his thigh with hi
clinched hand.
What fool have been!" he cried
"Of course it is as you say. Yhel
j. II. NJ are the only initials we hav
to solve, ! have already examined tn
old Stack Exchange lists, and l cal
lind no one in 1883, either in the hous
: or among the outside brokers, who's
initials correspond with these. Yet
feel that the clew is the most impor
tant one that hold. You will admit
Mr.. Holmes, that there is possibilit
al that these initials are those of the sec
!. ond person who was present-in othe
] words, of the murderer. I would ais
' urge that the introduction into the cas-
Q of document relating to large masse
l of valuable securities gives us for th
! first time some Indication of motiv
: for the crime"
oil Sherlock Holiness face showed tina
n he was thoroughly taken aback by thi
j. new development,
:. II must admit both your points," sal
he. II confess that this notebook
!. which did not appear at the inques
modifies any views which I may hav
q formed. had come to a theory Of til
b crime in which can find no place fc
8 this. Have you endeavored to trae
g any of the securities here mentioned
n Inquiries are now being made I
e the offices. but | fear that the con
t. plete register Of the stockholders {
g these South American concerns is
l. South America and that some weel
I ~