The San Francisco call., 1905-05-21

from the commonplace to the exceed
ingly remarkable, for it can only mean
that Lady Brackenstan and her maid
have deliberately lied to u.s. that not
one word ~of their story Is to be be-
lieved. that they have some very strong
and that we must construct our case
for ourselves without any help from
them. This is the mission which now
lies before us, and here. Watson. issthe
Sydenham train" ~
The household at the Abbey Grange
were much surprised at our return,
but Sherlock Holmes, finding that
Stanley Hopkins had gone off TO
report to headquarters, took pos
session of the dining-room. locked
the door upon the inside, and de-
voted himself for two hours to one, of
those minute and laborious inyestiga-
tions which form the solid basis on
which his brilliant eGifices of deduc-
ton were reared. Seated in a. corner
like an interested student who observes
the demonstration of his professor,
followed every stepSof that remarka BILE
research. :. The. window, the curtains.
the CARPET. the chair, the rope-each in
turn was Smhfuteiy. examined and duly
pondered. The body Of the unfortunate
baronet had been removed and all else
remained as We had seem 1t in the
morning. Finally, TO my astonishment,
Holmes climbed UP on to the massive
mantelpiece. Far above his head hung
the few inches of red cord which, were
still attached to the wire. For a long
time he gazed upward at 1t, and then
in am attempt to get nearer to it he
rested his knee upon a wooden bra cket
on. the. wall. This brought his hand
within few inches of the
broken end of the rope, but it was
not, this so much as the bracket itself
which seemed to engage his attention.
Finally he sprang down with an ejacu-
lation of satisfaction. -
Its all right, Watson." said he. I'VE
have got our case-one OF the most re-
markabie in our collection. But, dear
me, how slow witted have been, and
how nearly ! have committed the blum
der of my lifetime! Now. think that,
with a few missing links. my chain is
almost complete" a.
You have got your men?"
Man, Watson, man. Only one, but
a very formidable person. Strong as a
iion-witness' the blow that bent that
poker, Six foot three in height, active
as a. squirrel, dexterous with his fin
gers, finally, remarkably quick-witted,
for this whole ingenious story is of his
concoetion. Yes. Watson,.s we have
come upon the handiwork Of a very re-
markable Individual And yet, in that
bell rope, he has given us q clew which
should not have left us a doubt
where was the clew?"
well, if you were to pull down a
bell rope, Watson, where would you
expect it to break? Surely at the spot
where it is attached to the wire. Why
should IT break three inches from the
top, as this one has done?
because 1t is frsyed there?"
Exactly. This end, which we can
examine, is frayed. He was cunning
enough to do that with his knife. But
not observe that from here, but if you
were on the mantelpiece you would see
that it is cut clean off without any
mark Of fraying whatever. You can
reconstruct what occurred. The man
needed the rope. He would not tear ii
down for fear of giving the alarm by
ringing the bell What: did he do? He
sprang up on the mantelpiece, could
not quite reach 1t, put his knee on the
bracket-you Will see the impression in
the dust-and so got his knife to bear
upon the cord. could not reach the
place by at least three inches-from
which infer that he is at least three
inches a bigger man than I. Look
at. that mark upon the seat of the
oaken chair! What is 1t ?"
Blood" =:
Undoubtedly 1t is blood. This alone
puts the lady's story out of court. II
she were seated on the chair when the
crime was done, how comes that mark
No, no. she was placed in the chair
after the death of her husband. I'll
wager that the black dress shows a
corresponding mark to this. We have
not yet met our Waterloo, Watson, but
this is our Marengo. for 1t begins in
defeat and ends in victory. 1 should
like now to have a few words with the
nurse, Theresa We must be wary for
awhile. il we are to get the informa-
ton which we want"
She was an interesting person, this
stern Australian nurse-taciturn, sus-
picious, ungracious, it took some time
before Holmes pleasant manner and
frank acceptance of all that she said
sthawed her into corresponding amia-
bility. She did not attempt to conceal
her hatred for her late employer
"Yes. SIR. 1t is true that he threw
the decanter at me. I heard him call
my mistress a name, and I told him
that he would not dare to speak so if
her brother had been there. Then it
was that he threw it at me. He might