Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-26

| outside this opening and fired through
1t. Any shot directed at this person
might hit the sash. l looked, and there,
sure enough, was the bullet mark!
"But how came the window to be
shut and fastened?"
THE woman's first instinct would be
to shut and fasten the window. But,
hello! What is ths?"
1t was Il ladys hand bag which stood
upon the study table-a trim little hand
bag of crocodile skin and silver.
Holmes opened 1t and turned the con-
tents out There were twenty fifty
pound notes OF the Bank of England,
held together by an india rubber band
nothing else.
"tThis must be preserved, for it will
| figure in the trial." said Holmes as he
handed the bag with its contents to the
inspector. ut is now necessary that
we should try to throw some light upon
this third bullet, which has clearly,
from the splintering of the wood, been
| fired from inside the room. l should
| like to see Mrs. King, the cook, again.
You said, Mrs. King, that you We're
awakened by Il loud explosion. When
you said that did you mean that it
seemed to you to be louder than the
| second one:"
"Well, sir, it Weakened me from my
sleep, and so it is hard to judge. But
| it did seem very loud"
"You don't think that it might have
of no ca, q,
instant?"
II am sure l couldn't say. sir"
| II believe that it was undoubtedly
| so. | rather think, Inspector Martin,
| that we have now exhausted all that
| this room can teach us. If you will
kindly step round with me, we shall
| see what fresh evidence the garden has
| to offer"
| A flower bed extended up to the
| study window, and we all broke into
an exclamation as we approached It,
| The flowers were trampled down, and
the soft soil was imprinted all over
| with footmarks. Large. masculine feet
they WERE with peculiarly long sharp
toes. Holmes hunted about among tine
grass and leaves like retriever after
wounded bird. Then, with Cry of
satisfaction, he bent forward and pick
ed up little brazen cylinder.
II thought so," said be. "The re-
volver had an ejector, and here Is the
third cartridge. I really think. In
spector Martin, that our case is almost
complete"
The country inspectors face had
shown his intense amazement at the
rapid and masterful progress of Holmes
investigation. At first he had shown
some disposition to assert his own posi-
| ton. but now he was overcome with
admiration and ready to follow with
out question wherever Holmes led.
sWhom do you suspect?" he asked.
..I'll go into that later. There are
several points in this problem which |
have not been able to explain to you
vet. Now that l have got so far l
had best proceed on my own lines and
then clear the whole matter up once
and for all"
"Just as you wish, Mr.. Holmes, so
long as we get our man.
Il have no desire to make mysteries,
but it is impossible at the moment of
action to enter into long and complex
explanations 1 have the threads of
this affair all in my hand. Even If
this lady should never recover con
seriousness we can still reconstruct the
events of last night and insure that
justice be done First of all, I wish to
know whether there is any inn in this
neighborhood known as Elriges?"
The servants were cross questioned.
but none of them had heard of such
place The stable boy threw light up
on the matter by remembering that a
farmer of that name lived some miles
off in the direction Of East Ruston.
is it, lonely farn?"
every lonely, sir"
perhaps they have not heard yet of
all that happened here during the
night?"
"Maybe not, sir
Holmes thought for little, and then
a curious smile played over his face.
Saddle a horse, my lad,' said he. II
shall wish you to take note to Ell
RIGGS farm"
He took from his pocket the various
slips of the dancing men. With these in
front of him be worked for some time
at the study table. Finally he handed
a note to the boy, with directions to
put it into the hands of the person to
whom it was addressed, and especially
to answer no questions of any sort
which might be put. to him. saw the
outside of the note addressed in strag
Cling, irregular characters, very unlike
Holmes usual precise hand. 1t was
consigned to Mr.. Abe Slaney, Elrige's
farm, East Ruston, Norfolk.
Il think, inspector" Holmes remark
ed, that you would do we'll to tele-
graph for an escort, as, if my calcula-
tions prove to be correct, you may have
a particularly dangerous prisoner to
convey to the county Jail. The boy
who takes this note could no doubt for
ward yous telegram. If there is an aft
ernoon train to town, Watson, l think
we should do well to take it, as have
a chemical analysis of some interest to
finish, and this investigation draws rap
ly to a close"
ITO be Concluded Monday.1