Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-07-01

| worst fears left him in a blank melan
choly. He leaned back in his seat, los
in gloomy speculation. Yet there wa
much around to interest us, for W.
were passing through as singular ,
countryside as any in England wher'
few scattered cottages represented
the population of today, while on ev
cry hand enormous square lowered
churches bristled up from the fiat
green landscape and told Of the glory
d.: and prosperity of old East Anglia. A
last the violet rim of the German
ocean appeared over the green edge OF
the Norfolk coast, and the driver point
ed with his whip to two old brick and
timber gables which projected from a
grove of trees. '',That's Riding Thor
Manor. said he.
AS we drove up to the pOrticoed front
door observed in front of it, beside the
tennis lawn, the black tool house and
the pedestaled sundial with which we
had such strange associations. A dap
| per little man, with a quick, alert
manner and a waxed mustache, had
Just descended from high dogcart.
He introduced himself as Inspector
Martin of the Norfolk tabulary,
and he was considerably astonished
when he heard the name of my COM
panion.
'Why, Mr.. Holmes, the crime was
! only committed at 3 this morning. How
could you hear of it in London and get
to the spot as soon as II"
Il anticipated it. I came in the hope
OF preventing it."
'Then you must have important evil
dence of which we are ignorant, for
they were said to be a most united
couple"
81 have only the evidence Of the dane
ing men," said Holmes. 81 will ex-
plain the matter to you later. Mean
while, since it is too late to prevent this
tragedy, l am very anxious that I
should use the knowledge which 1 pos
sess in order to insure that justice be
done. Will you associate me in your
Investigation or will you prefer that
should act independently?
NC pIOUIl " ICCl LlICtL VIC
were acting together, Mr.. Holiness"
said the inspector earnestly.
I'm that case should be glad to hear
the evidence and to examine the prem
ises without an instant of unnecessary
delay"
Inspector Martin had the good sense
to allow my friend to do things in his
own fashion and contented himself
with carefully noting the results. The
local surgeon, an old, white haired
man, had just come down from Mrs.
Hilton Cubitt's room, and he reported
that her injuries were serious, but not
necessarily fatal. The bullet had
passed through the front of her brain,
and it would probably be some time be-
fore she could regain consciousness.
On the question of whether she had
been shot Or had shot herself he would
not venture to express any decided
opinion. Certainly the bullet had been
discharged at very close quarters.
There was only the one pistol found in
the room. two barrels Of which had
been emptied Mr.. Hilton Cubitt had
been shot through the heart. It was
equally conceivable that he had shot
her and then himself or that she had
been the criminal, for the revolver lay
upon the floor midway between them.
''Has he been moved?" asked Holmes.
"We have moved nothing except the
lady. We could not leave her lying
wounded upon the floor"
''How long have you been here, doc
tori"
'Since o'clock"
''Any one else?
eyes, the constable here"
sand you have touched nothing"
Nothing
''You have acted with great discre-
ton. Who sent for you?'
'"The housemaid, Saunders
''Was it she who gave the alarm?"
"She and Mrs. King, the cook"
"Where are they now?"
"In the kitchen, believe"
'"Then l think we had better hear
their story at once"
Inc old nall, oak paneled and high |
had been turned into a court |
Of investigation. Holmes sat in a
great, old fashioned chair, his inexora-
BILE eyes cleaning out of his haggard
face. l could read in them a set pur-
pose to devote his life to this quest |
until the client whom he had failed to
save should at last be avenged. The |
trim Inspector Martin, the old, gray |
headed country doctor, myself and
stolid village policeman made up the
rest Of that strange company.
The two women told their story clear.
y enough. They had been aroused |
from their sleep by the sound Of an
explosion, which had been followed
minute later by a second one. They
slept in adjoining rooms, and Mrs.
King had rushed into Saunders. To-
yether. they had descended the stairs.
The door Of the study was open, and
l candle was burning upon the table.
Their master lay upon his face in the
,enter Of the room He was quite
yAOd no I,sc |