The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-07-19
by A. CONAN Y
copydsht. 1908.
By Mcclure. Phillips a Co.

knIvcs-all was satisfactory. But tina
fellow does puzzle me-"
Who"
why. Bannister. the ervant. What
his game In the natter"
lie Impressed me as being n per,
fcctly honest man"
$50 ne did me. That's the puzzllnG
part. Why should n perfectly homes
MAXWELL. well. here's n large sta
toner's. We shall begin our rcsearche,
here"
There were only four statloners ~
any consequence In the town. and M
each Holmes produced his pencil chips
and bid high for n duplicate. All wer,
agreed that one could be ordered. buI
that II was not n usual size OF pencil
and that II was seldom kept I'm stock
Ny friend did not pea To be de-
pressed by his failure, but shrugged
his shoulders In half Humorous resig'
nation.
mo good. my dear Watson. This
the bcst and only fnal clue. has run q
nothing. hut. indeed. I have ilttl,
doubt hat We can build w a sufficient
cnsc without ~. by Jovc' my dear
fellow. II IL nearly .. and the laniiadS
bubblcd OF green peas at I:30. What
with your eternal tobacco. Watson
and your irregularity at meals. ] ex-
poet hat you will get notice TO quit
and that I shall share your downfall
not. nov ever. before We have solved tbs
problem of the nervous tutor. the care
less servant. and the three entcrprising
students"
the matter hat day. though he sat lost
In thought for n long time after oui
belated dinner. At 5 In the morninE
he came into my room just M ] nm
ished Iny toilet.
well. Watson" said ne. lit IN time
W went Town to 81. Luke's. Can you
do without breakfast"
Certainly"
"Soames will be In n dreadful fdge,
until we are able to tell him something
positive"
Have you anything positive to tell
him.
II think so.'
you have formed n conclusion"
Yes. my dear Watson. ! have solved
the mystery"
But what fresh evidence could you
have gotg"
"Ahnl II IL not for nothing that !
have turned myself out OF bed nj the
untimcly hour Of 6. have put In two
rours' hard work and covered NJ least
Ave miles. with something to show for
81. Look Mt thnt!"
lie he'd out his hand. on the palm were
three llstlc pyramids OF black. doughty
clay.
why. Holmes. o had only two yes
,crday."
And one moro this morning. II IL a
fair argument that wherever No. : came
from II also the source Of Nos. I AMI . Eth.
Watson, Well. come along and put
friend Soames out OF his pain"
The unfortunate tutor was certainly In
n state OF pitiablc agitation when we found
h.m In his chambers. In n few hours the
examination would commence. and he was
still In the dilemma between making the
facts public and allowing the cuprit 20
compete for the valuable scholarship. He
could hardly stand stili. so great was his
mental agitation. and he ran towards
Holmes with two age hands outstretch-
ed.
Thank Heaven. that you have come. ]
feared that you had given II IN In despair.
What am I to do? Shall the examination
procccdT'
Eyes. let Il proceed. by all means"
But this rascal -"
He shall not compete"
you know him7"
II hin 30. II this matter IL not TO be-
come public. we must give ourselves Ger
tain powers. and resolve ourselves into A
small private court martial. You there.
II you please. Soames! Watson. you here!
I'll n the armchair In the middle. !
think that we are now sufficiently i'm
posing TO strike terror into a guilty
breast Kindly ring the bcil!''
BannIster entered. and shrank back In
evident surprise and fear AZ our judicial
appearance.
You Will kindly close the door, said
Holmes. Now. Bannlstcr. viii you please
tell us the truth about yesterdays incl
dcntg'
The man turned white to tho roots OF his
hair.
II have told you everything. sir"
Nothing TO add7"
Nothing AT all. SIR"
Well. then. / must make some sug-
Rcst.on 20 you. when you sat down on
that chair yesterday. did you do so In or
der to conceal some object which would
have shown who had been In the 80
Bannistcr's face was CHASTITY.
NO. sir. certainly not"
1T u only a suggestion" said Holmes.
suavely. II frankly admit that I am un-
able to prove a.. But IL seems probable
enough. since the moment that Mr.
SOamcs' back was turned. YOU released the
man who was hiding In that bedroom
Bann.stcr licked his dry lips.
There was no man. SIR"
"Ah. that's a pity. BannIster. Up to
now you may have spoken the truth. but
now ! know that you nave lied"
The mans face set In Sulicn defiance.
There was no man. SIR"
Come. come. Bannlstcr.'
Ne. sir. there was no one"
In h case, you can give Us no fur
ihcr Information. Would you please re-
main I'm the room. Stand over there near
the bedroom door. Now. SoAmca. I am go-
ms TO ask o 10 ave the great kindness
TO go up TO the room Of young Gilchrist.
and TO ask him TO step down into yours"
An instant later the tutor returned.
bringing with him the student. lie was a
fine figure 81 "A man. tall. 1.-THE. and agile.