Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-21
By A. CONAN DOYLE,

lue three grasses were grouped to-
 gether, all of them tinged with wine
 and one of them containing some dregs
 of beeswing The bottle stood near them, two-thirds full, and beside it lay
 long, deeply stained cork. It's ap- pearance and the dust upon the bottle
 showed that was no common vintage
 which the murderers had enjoyed.
 A change had come over Holmes
 manner. He had lost his listless ex-
 precision. and again I saw an alert
 light of interest in his keen, deep set
 eyes. He raised the cork and exam
 ined it minutely.
 How did they draw it?' he asked.
 Hopkins pointed to half opened drawer. In it lay some table linen and a large corkscrew.
 Did Lady Brackenstall say that screw was used" ..
 No; you remember that she was senseless at the moment when the bot
 tie was opened"
 Quite so. AS matter of fact, the screw was not used. This bottle was opened by pocket screw, probably contained in knife and not more than an inch and half long. If you will examine the top of the cork, you will observe that the screw was driven in three times before the cork was ex- tracted. It has never been transfixed. This long screw would have transfixed it and drawn it up with a single pull. When you catch this fellow you will find that he has one of these multiplex knives in his possession"
 "Excellentw said Hopkins.
 But these glasses do puzzle me, confess. Lady Brackenstall actually saw the three men drinking, did she not:"
 Yes; she was clear about that"
 Then there is an end of it. What more is to be said? And yet you must admit that the three glasses are very Hopkins. What? You see remarkable? We'll, we'll, let it pass. Perhaps when man has special knowledge and special powers like my own it rather encourages him to seek a complex explanation when simpler one is at hand. Of course it must be a mere chance about the glasses. We'll, good morning, Hopkins I don't see that can be of any use to you, and you appear to have your case very clear. You will let me know when Randall is and any further developments which may occur. I trust that I shall soon have to congratulate you upon a successful conclusion. Come, Watson; fancy that we may employ ourselves more profitably at home" y. ..,--
 During our return journey could see by Holmes face that he was much puzzled by something which he had observed. Every now and then by an effort he would throw off the impress sion and talk as if the matter were clear. but then his doubts would settle down upon him again, and his knitted orows and abstracted eyes would show that his thoughts had gone back once more to the great dining room of the Abbey Grange in which this midnight tragedy had been enacted. At last by sudden impulse just as our train was crawling out of q suburban station he sprang on to the platform and pulled me out after him.
 Excuse me, my dear fellow" said he as we watched the rear carriages of our train disappearing round curve.
 T am sorry to make you the victim of what may seem a mere whim: but, on my life, Watson, simply cant leave that case in this condition. Every in stinct that l possess cries out against t. It's wrong-it's all wrongful swear that it's wrong And yet the ady's story was complete, the maids was sufficient. the detail was fairly exact What have to put ID against that: Three wineslasses- that is all. But if had not taken things for granted. if had examined everything with the care which should have shown had we approached the rase do novo and had no cut and dried story 10 warp my mind. should I not then have found something more def nite to gO upon? or course I should. Sit down on this bench. Watson. until a train for Chiselhurst arrives. and allow me tn lag ihe evidence before rou. imploring you in the first instance 10 dismiss from your mind the idea hat anything which the maid or her mistress may have said must neces- 'arily he true The lady's charming must not be permitted 10 -arp our judgment.
 Surely there are details In her stO- ' which. if we looked al in cold blood. would excite our suspicion. These bur .lars made a considerable haul at Sy- lenham a fortnight ago. Some account f them and of their appearance was D the papers and would naturally oc- TIT to any one who wished to invent a tory in which imaginary fobbers hould play a part. As a matter of net. burglars who have done a good troke of business are. as a rule. only co glad to enjoy the proceeds in peace . nd quiet without embarking on snoth- r perilOus undertaking. Again. it is , for burglars to operate at so arly an hour. it is unusual for bur .isrs to strike a lady 10 prevent her cresming- since enc would imagine . hat was the sure wsy to make her cream. fl Is unusual for them 10 com I nit murder when their numbers are uficient to Overpower one man: it is nusuaI for them to be content with a