Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-10-19

H~SR SNA SpVAu SollC "SSAS ~ cllS
- of our great university
towns, and it was during this time that
the small but instructive adventure
which l am about to relate befell us.
1t will be obvious that any details
which would help the reader to exact
ly identify the college or the criminal
would be iniudicious and offensive. SO
painful a scandal may we'll be allowed
to die out. With due discretion the in
cident itself may, however. be describ-
ed, since it serve to illustrate some Of
those qualities for Which my friend
was remarkable. I will endeavor in
my statement to avoid such terms as
would serve to limit the events to any
particular place or give a clew as to
the people concerned.
We were residing at the time in fur
nished lodgings close to a library where
Sherlock Holmes vas pursuing some
laborious researches in early English
charterS-researcheS which led to re-
suits so striking that they may be the
subject Of one Of my future narratives.
Here it was that n evening we re-
ceived 4 visit from an acquaintance,
Mr.. Hilton Soames, tutor and lecturer
at the College Of st. Luke's. Mr.. Soames
was a tall, spare man, Of a nervous and
excitable temperament. l had always
known him to be restless in his man
ner, but on this particular occasion he
was in such a state of uncomfortable
agitation that it was clear something
very unusual had occurred.
II trust, Mr.. Holmes, that you can
spare me a few hours of your valuable
time. We have had a very painful in
cident at st. Luke's, and really, but
for the happy chance of your being in
town, l should have been at a loss
what to do"
Il am very busy just now, and I de-
sire no distractions" my friend an
swered. 81 should much prefer that
you called in the aid of the police"
mo, no, my dear sir; such a cours
Is utterly impossible. When once the
law is evoked it cannot be stayed
again, and this is just one Of those
cases where, for the credit Of the col
lege, it is most essential to avoid
AoA. AOu1 u1SClSI1Ou ID dS "Sll AlOWu
as your powers, and you are the one
nan in the world who can help me.
1 beg you, Mr.. Holmes, to do what you
can"
My friends temper had not improv-
ed since he had been deprived of the
congenial surroundings of Baker
street. Without his scrapbook, his
ohnnoioo1 c on1 hic hor,o1- ,,p+;1;rooc
he was an uncomfortable man. He
shrugged his shoulders in u%ngracious
acquiescence, while our visitor in hur-
ried words and with much excitable
gesticulation poured forth his story.
Il must explain to you, Mr.. Holmes,
that tomorrow is the first day Of the
examination for the Fortescue scholar
ship. I I'M one of the examiners. NY
subject is Greek, and the first of the
papers consists Of a large passage of
Greek translation which the candidate
has not seen. This passage is printed
on the examination paper, and it
would naturally be an immense adj
vantage If the candidate could prepare
1t in advance. For this reason great
N"i> - h"hSd " NSCp IC paper SSSlSl.
To-day about 3 o'clock the proofs
of this paper arrived from the printers.
The exercise consists of half a chapter
of Thucydides. l had to read it over
carefully, as the text must be abso-
lute!y correct. at 1870 my task was
not yet completed. | had, however,
promised TO take tea in a friends
rooms, SO I left the proof upon my
desk. l was absent moro THAI al hour.
You are aware, Mr.. Holmes, that
our college doors are double-a green
baize one within and 4 heavy oak one
without: AS l approached my outer
door was amazed to see a key in it.
For an instant | imagined that | had
left my own there, but on feeling in my
pocket | found that ii was all right.
The only duplicate which existed, so
far as knew, was that which belonged
to my servant, BanniStcr, Il man who
has looked after my room for ten years
and whose honesty is absolutely above
suspicion. | found that the key was
indeed his, that he had entered my
room to know if l wanted tea and that
he had very %carelesSly left the key in
the door when he came out. Ills visit
to my room must have been within a
very few minutes of my leaving it. His
fOrgetfulneSS about the key would have
mattered little upon any other occa-
sion, but ON this m day it has pro-
duced the most deplorable conse-
quences.
"Thc moment l looked at my table I
was aware hat some one had rum
mayed among my papers. The proof
was in three long slips. | had left
them all together. Now l found that
one Of them vas lying on the floor, one
was on the side table near the window
and the third was where l had left it,"
Holmes stirred for the first time.
"Ihc first page III the floor, the sec
ond in the window, the third where you
left it," said he.
Exactly, Mr.. Holmes. You amaze
me. How could you possibly know
that?'
PRAY continue your very interesting
statement"