The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-16

recommend them, Tor | have them eS-
pecially prepared by Ionides Of Alex
andria. He sends me thousand at a
time, and l grieve to say that 1 have
to arrange for fresh supply every
fortnight. Bad, sir, very. bad, but an
old man has few pleasures. Tobacco
and my work-that is all that is left
to me!'
Holmes had lit a cigarette, and was
shooting little darling chances all over
the room.
'Tobacco and my work, but now
only tobacco" the old man exclaimed.
"Alas what q fatal interruption Who
could have foreseen such a terrible
catastrophe? SO estimable a young
man! assure you that, after a few
months training he was an admirable
assistant What do you think Of the
matter, Mr.. Holmes?
81 have not yet made up my mind"
II shall indeed be indebted to you
if you can throw a light where all is
so dark to us. TO a poor bookworm
and invalid like myself such a blow
is paralyzing l. seem to have lost
the faculty of thought. But you are
a man of action-yOu are a man of af-
fairs. 1t is part of the everyday rou-
tine of your life. You can preserve
your balance in every emergency. We
are fortunate, indeed, in having you
at our side"
Holmes was pacing up and down
one side of the room whilst the old
Professor was talking. l observed that
he was smoking with extraordinary
rapidity. 1t was evident that he
shared our hosts liking for the fresh
AleXandrian cigarettes.
Eyes, sir, il is a crushing blow"
said the old man. THAT is my mag
mum opus-the pile of papers on the
side table yOnder. 1t is my analysis
| Of the documents found in the COptic
monasteries of Syria and Egypt,
work which will cut deep at the very
foundation Of revealed religion. With
my enfeebled health ] do not know
whether / shall ever be able to COM
plete it, now that my assistant has
| been taken from me. Dear me! Mr..
Holmes, why, you are even q quicker
| smoker than | am myself.
Holmes smiled.
| 81 am a connoisseur, said he, TAX
| ing another cigarette from the box
his fourth-and lighting it from the
| stub of that which he had finished. Il
| will not trouble you with any lengthy
| cross-examination, Professor Coram
since | gather that you were in bed
| at the time of the crime, and could
| know nothing about it. I would only
F.! ask this. What do you imagine that
! this poor fellow meant by his last
| words The Professor-it was she p
The Professor shook his head
| Susan is a country girl said he,
! land you know the incredible stupid
! ity of that class | fancy that the
! poor fellow murmured some incOher-
| ent, delrious words, and that she
| twisted them into this meaningless
i message"
Il see. You have no explanation
yourself Of the tragedy"
Possibly an accident, possibly
only breathe it among ourselves
suicide. Young men have their hidden
| troublesome affair of the heart,
perhaps, which we have never known.
it is a more probable suppositiOn than
! murder"
| But the eye-g glasses ?"
| "Ah! | am only a student--a man
| of dreams. l cannot explain the prac-.
| teal things of life. But still, we are
aware, my friend that voyages may
! take strange shapes. By all means
| take another cigarette. 1t is a pleas
ure 30 see anyone appreciate them so.
| A fan, a glove. glasses-whO knows
| what article may be carried as to-
| ken or treasured when a man puts an
| end to his life? This gentleman speaks
| of footsteps i'm the grass, but, after
| all, it is easy to be mistaken on such
| a point. AS to the knife, it might well
man as he fell. 1t is possible that |
| speak as a child, but to me it seems
| that Willoughby Smith has met his
| fate by his own hand"
Holmes seemed struck by the the
| DRY thus put forward, and he contin-
ued to walk up and down for some
time, lost in thought and consuming
! cigarette after cigarette.
Tell me, Professor" he said at last,
| what is in that cupboard in the bu-
reau?"
Nothing that would help thief.
Family papers, letters from my poor
wife. diplomas of universities which
have done me honour. Here is the
key. You can look for yourself"
Holmes picked up the key, and
looked at it for an instant, then he
handed it back.
mo, l hardly think that it would
help me-" said he. II should prefer
to go quietly down to your garden, and
turn the whole matter over in my
head There is something to be said
for the theory of suicide which you
have put forward. We must apologize
for having intruded upon you, Pro
fessor CoTam, and / promise that we
won't disturb you until after lunch.
At two o'clock we will come again, and
report to you anything which may
have happened in the interval.
we walked up and down the garden
path for some time in silence.
''Have you a clue?" L asked, at last.
at depends upon those cigarettes
that I smoked said he. at is pos
sible that / am utterly mistaken. The
cigarettes will show me-"
MY dear Holiness" I exclaimed,
"how on earth"
"Wel well, you may see for your
self. If not. there's no harm done.
Of course, we always have the opti-
clan clue to fall back upon, but l take
short cut when ! can get it. All,
here is the good Mrs Marker! Let
us enjoy five minutes of instructive
conversation with her"
| may have remarked before that
Holmes had when he liked, a pecul-
iarIy ingratiating way with women,
and that he very readily established
terms Of confidence with them In
half the time which he had named,
he had captured the housekeeper's
goodwill, and was chatting with her
as if he had known her for years.
Yes, Mr.. Holmes, it is as you say,
sir. He does smoke something ter
rihlp All d9V and op,afipoaS all