Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-12

8t--n touCntO-
I Dear me. IL is certainly a very IN
teresting case. Then there was a knife.
was there not3'
"A sheath knife. stsn in its sheath.
1t lay ar the feet OF the dead man.
Mrs. Carey has identified II as being
her husbands property"
Holmes was lost In thought for some
time.
well" said be at last. Il suppose
shall have to come out and have a look
at IT,"
Stanley Hopkins gave a cry OF Joy.
THANK you, sir. That will. indeed.
be weight OF my mind
Holmes shook his finger at the in
spector.
1T would have been an easier task
week ago." said he But even now
my visit may not be entirely fruitless.
Watson, if you can spare the time !
should he very glad Of your company.
II you will cali a four wheeler. Hop
kins. we shall be ready to start for
Forest Row in a quarter OF an hour"
Alighting at the small wayside sta
ton, we drove for some miles through
the remains of widespread woods
which were once part OF that great for
est which for so long held the Saxon
invaders at bay-the impenetrable
weald. for sixty years the bulwark
Of Britain. Vast sections Of it have
been cleared. for this is the seat of the
first iron works Of the country. and the
trees have been feiled 10 smelt the ore
Now the richer fields of the north have
absorbed the trade. and nothing save
these ravaged groves and great scars
in the earth shows the work Of the past
Here. in a clearing upon the green
slope OF a bill. stood long. low stone
house. approached by a curving drive
running through the fields. Nearer the
road and surrounded ON three sides by
bushes was a small clubhouse, one win
dow and the door facing in our direc-
ton II was the scene OF the murder
Stanley Hopkins led us first 70 the
house. where he introduced us to a bag
gard. gray haired woman. the widow
OF the murdered man. whose .gaunt and
deep lined face. with the furtve look of
terror in the depths OF her red trimmed
eyes. told Of the years OF hardship and
III usage which she had endured. With
her was her daughter. pale. fair hair
i
US as she told us that she was glad that
her father was dead AMI that she bless
ed the hand which had struck him
down. It was terrible household that
Black Peter Carey had made for him
self. and Il was with sense OF relief
that we found ourselves in the sunlight
again. making our way along a path
which had been worn across the nelds
by the feet OF the dead man
The clubhouse was the simplest OF
dwellings, wooden walled. single roof
ed. one window beside the door and one
on the farther side Stanley HOPKINS
drew the key from his pocket and had
stopped 20 the lock when he paused
with a look OF attention and surprise
upon his face
'some one has been tamperlng with
It." he said.
There could be no doubt OF the fact.
The woodwork was cut and the
scratches showed white through the
paint. as II they had been that instant
done. Holmes had been examining the
window.
"Some one has tried 70 force this
also. Whoever Il was has failed TO
make his way in He must have been
a very poor burglar"
This is a most extraordinary thing"
said the inspector. Il could swear
that these marks were not here yester-
day evening"
Some curious person from the vii
lage perhaps" l suggested
Very unlikely. Few OF them would
dare 10 set foot in the grounds. far
less try TO force their way into the
cabin. What do you think OF il, Mr..
HolmesT'
Il think that fortune is very kind to
u.s."
You mean that the person viii come
again7'
lit is very probable. He came ex-
pectlng to find the door open. He
tried to get IN with the blade OF
very small penknife. He could not
manage 1t. What would he doY'
Come again next night with a more
useful tool"
$50 / should say. IL will be our
fault II we are not there to receive
him. Meanwhile let me see the inside
OF the cabin"
The traces or the tragedy had been
removed, but the furniture within the
little room still stood as 1t had been
on the night OF the crime For two
hours with most intense concentration
Holmes examined every object in turn,
but his face showed that his quest was
not q successful one. Once only he
paused In his patient Investigation.
Have you taken anything or this
shelf, Hopkinsy''
mo; have moved nothing"
Something has been taken. There is
less dust in this corner OF the shelf
than elsewhere. II may have been a
book lying on its side IL may have
been a box. Well, well, can do moth
ing more. Let US walk in these beau
tiful woods, Watson, and give few
hours TO the birds and the flowers We
shall meet you here later, Hopkins,
and see If we can come TO closer quar-
tiers with the gentleman who has paid
this visit in the night"
1t was past IL o'clock when we form