Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-07-27

as nc turned his white name and his
glowing eyes toward us. The eternal
cigarette smoldered in his mouth. He
had been dressed and was seated In
an armchair by the fire.
"Well, Mr., Holmes. have YOU solved
this mystery YETI" He showed the large
tin Of cigarettes which stood on table
beside him toward my companion.
Holmes stretched out his hand at tho
same moment. and between them they
tipped the box over the edge. For a
minute or two we were all on our
knees retrieving stray cigarettes from
impossible places. When we rose again
I observed Holmes eyes were shining
and his cheeks tinged with color. Only
at n crisis have I seen those battle sig
mails flying.
YES" said he. ~ have solved H."
Stanley Hopkins and I stared in
amnzement. Something like sheer
quivered over the gaunt features Of tho
old professor.
"Tndeed! In the garden2"
"No. here"
''Tfcrc. When?"
''Ihis instant"
"You are surely joking, Mr. Sherlock
Holmes. You compel mo to tell You
that this Is too serious matter to be
treated In such a fashion
II have forged and tested every link
Of my chain. Professor Coram. and I
am sure that II is sound. What your
motives are or what exact part YOU
play in this strange business am not
yet able to say. In few minutes 7
shall probably hear 1t from your own
lips. Meanwhile will reconstruct what
Is pnst for yonr benefit. so that you
may know the information which | still
require
"a lady yesterday entered your study.
She came with the intention of pos
sesslng herself of certain documents
which were in your bureau. She had
a key OF her own. have had an op.
portunity of examining yours. and I
do not find that slight discolorat ton
which the scratch made upon the var.
nish would have produced. You were
not un accessory, therefore. and she
came. so far as can read the evil
dence, without your knowledge to rot
you"
The professor blew n cloud from his
lips. This is most interesting and In.
structive." said he Have YOU no
more to add? Surely. having traced
this lady so far. you can also say what
has become Of her"
~ will endeavor to do 40. In the
first place, she was seized by your Sec
rotary, and stabbed him in order to es-
cape. This catastrophe am inclined
to regard as an unhappy accident. for
l am convinced that the lady had no
intention of intiicting SO grievous an
injury. An assassin does not come un.
armed. Mortified by what she had
done. she rushed wildly away from the
scene Of the tragedy. Unfortunately
for her, she had lost her glasses in the
scuffle, and as she was extremely
short sighted she was really helpless
without them. She ran down n CORR.
dor which she imagined to be that by
which she had come-both were lined
with cocoanut matting-and it was
only when 1t was too late that she I'm.
derstood that she had taken the wrong
passage and that her retreat was cut
of behind her. What was she to dol
She could not go back. She could not
remain where she was. She must &c
on. She went on. She mounted
stair, pushed open door and found
herself in your room"
The old man sat with his mouth open.
staring wildly at Holmes. Amusement
and fear were stamped upon his ex-
pressve features. Now with an effort
he shrugged his shoulders and burst
into insincere laughter.
'All very fine. Mr.. Holmes" said he.
hut there is one little flaw in your
splendid theory. was myself in my
room. and l never left it during the
day"
Il am aware Of that, Professor Co.
:am."
And you mean to say that l could
that woman had entered my room"
Il never said so. You We're aware OF
it. You spoke with her. You recog.
nized her. You aided her TO escape"
Again the professor burst into high
keyed laughter. He had risen to his
feet, and his eyes glowed like embers.
You are mad he cried. You are
talking insanely. ! helped her to es.
cape? Where is she now
she Is there" said Holmes. and he
pointed to high bookcase in the
corner of the room.
saw the old man throw up his arms;
terrible cOnv,llson passed over his
grim face. and he fell back i'll his
chair. At the same instant the book
case at which Holmes pointed swung
round upon hinge and woman
rushed out into the room. You ara
right she cried in strange foreign
voice. You are right. l am here"
She was brown with the dust and
drapcd with the cobwebs. which had
come from the walls of her hiding
place. Her face, too was streaked
never have been handsome. for she had
the exact physical characteristics
which Holmes had OWNED, with. in
addition, long and obstinate chin.
What with her natural blindness. and
what with the change from dark to
light, she stood as one dazed, blinking
about her to see where and who we
were. And yet. in spite Of all thess
IiSna,upt a uoS thnro vvnS n cortuin M.