The citizen., 1905-08-04

preston, ana again L 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 a matter of fact. the
screw was not used. This bottle was
opened by pocket screw. probably
contained in a knife and not more than
an inch and"a half long If you viii
examine the top of the cork. you will
observe that the screw was driven in
three times before the cork was ex-
tracted. 1t has never been transtixed.
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"
Excellent" 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
! remarkable, Hopkins. What? You see
nothing remarkable? Well. well. let it
pass. Perhaps when man has special
knowledge and special powers like my
own il rather encourages him to seek
a complex explanation when Il simpler
one is ut hand. OF course it must be
mere chance about the glasses. Well.
good morning. Hopkins. | don't see
that I can be of any use to you. and
you appear 10 have your case very clear.
You will let me know when Randall is
arrested and any further developments
which may occur. / trust that | shall
soon have to congratulate you upon a
successful conclusion Come. Watson:
l fancy that we may employ ourselves
more proftablv at home"
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 impres-
sion and talk as if the matter were
clear. hut then his doubts would settle
down upon him again. and his knitted
brows and distracted eyes would show
that his thoughts had gone back once
more 10 the great dining room of the
Abbey Grange in which this midnight
tragedy had been enacted At last by
sudden impulse just AZ our train was
crawling ont of suburban station he
sprang on to the platform ana pulled
me out after him
"FN"USc me, my dear fellow" said
he as Wa w"tchod the rear cnr~iages of
onr t"m disappearing round curve
II an sorry TO make you the victim Of
wh1t may seem Il mere whm: hut, on
my Ii", Watson ! simply can't leave
that ease in this condition. Every in
ll'l~Nf.NN
it. It's wron9-ifs Ill Wrongful
swear that its wrong And yet the
lad ~'s story was cnwpletc. the maids
cor" .53ration was su'iricnt the detail
was fairly exact. What have I to put
uN rgaintt that? Tlrec wne@lasses-
tbot IS all But if I had not taken
things for granted, II | had examined
evc'yth'nc with tic care which | should
have shown had we approached the
ease do nov3 and had no cut ana dried
story to warp my mind, should | not
then have found something more def
mite to % upon: OF course I should.
Sit down on this bench. Watson, until
train for Chisclhurst arrives, and
allow me to lay ihe evidence before
you. imploring you in the first instance
to dismiss from your mind the idea
that anything which the maid or her
mistress may have said must neces-
sarily be true The lady's charming
personality must not he permitted to
warn our judgment.
"Surely there are details in her sto-
ry which. if we looked at in cold blood,
would excite our suspicion. These bur
glars made considerable haul at Sy-
denham a fortnight ago. Some account
of them and of their appearance was
in the papers and would naturally oc-
cur to any one who wished to invent
story in which imaginary robbers
should play a part. As matter
fact. burglars who have done good
stroke of business are. as n rule. only
too glad to enjoy the proceeds In peace
and quiet without embarking on anoth-
er perilous undertaking. Again, it is
unusual for burglars to operate at so
early an hour: it is unusual for bur-
glars to strike a lady to prevent her
screaming, since one would imagine
that was the sure way to make her
scream; It is unusual for them to COM
NIT murder when their numbers are
sufficient 10 overpower one man: It Is
unusual for them TO be content with a
limited plunder when there was much
more within their reach, and, finally, I
should say that it was very unusual
for such men to leave a bottle half
empty. How do all these unusuals
strike you, Watson?"
Their cumulative effect is certainly
considerable and yet each of them is
quite possible in itself The most unu-
sual thing Of all, as it seems to me, is
that the lady should be tied to the
chair -