Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-08-31

cases has found its way into your col
lection, and / must admit, Watson, that
you lave some power of selection,
which atones for much which l de-
plore in your narratives. our fatal
habit of looking at everything from the
point OF view Of a story instead Of as a
scientific exercise has ruined what
might nave been an instructive and
even classical series of demonstrations.
You slur owe work Of the utmost
finesse and delicacy, in order to dwell
upon sensational details which may ex-
cite, but cannot possibly instruct, the
reader"
why do you not write them your
self?" / said. with some bitterness.
II will. my dear Watson, | will. At
present l am, as you know, fairly busy,
but l propose to devote my declining
years to the composition of a text book,
which shall focus the whole art of de-
lection into one volume. Our present
research appears to be a case Of muir
der"
You think this Sir Eustace is dead,
them"
II should say so. Hopkins writing
shows considerable agitation, and he
is not an emotional Yes, I
gather there has been violence, and
that the body is left for our inspection.
A mere suicide would not have caused
him to send for me. AS to the release
of the lady, it would appear that she
has been locked in her room during the
tragedy. We are moving in high life,
Watson, cracking paper, 'E. b. mono
gram, coat-of-arms, picturesque adj
dress. l think that friend Hopkins will
live up to his reputation, and that we
shall AVE an interesting morning.
The crime was committed before
twelve last night"
How can you possibly tell"
by an inspection of the trains, and
by reckoning the time. The local po-
lice had to be called in, they had to
communicate with Scotland Yard, Hop
kins had to go out, and he in turn had
TO send for me. All that makes a fair
nights work. Well, here we are at
Chiselhurst station, and we shall soon
set our doubts at rest"
A drive of a couple of miles through
narrow country lanes brought us to a
park gate, which was opened for us by
an old lodge keeper, whose haggard
face bore the reflection of some great
disaster. The avenue ran through a
noble park, between lines of ancient
elms, n ended in a low, widespread
house, pillared in front after the fash
ion of Palladio. The central part was
evidently of great age, and shrouded in
ivy, but the large windows showed that
modern changes had been carried out,
and one wing of the house appeared to
be entirely new. The youthful figure
and alert, eager face of Inspector STAN
ley Hopkins confronted us in the open
doorway.
I'm very glad you have come, Mr..
Holmes. And you too, DR.. Watson.
But, indeed, if | had had my time over
again, l should not have troubled you,
for since the lady has come to herself,
she has given so clear an account of
the affair that there is not much left
for US to do. You remember that Lew
isham gang of burglars?'
What, the three RandaIls?"
Exactly; the father and two sons.
It's their work. | have not a doubt of
it. They did a job at Sydenham a fort
night ago, and were seen and described.
Rather cool to do another so soon and
so near, but it is they, beyond all
doubt. It's a hanging matter this
time"
Sir Eustace is dead, them"
Yes, his head was knocked in with
his " poker"
Sir Eustace -B:ackenstall, the driver
tells me-"
"EXactly-one Of the richest men in
Kent-Lady B~raCkenstall is in the
morning room. Poor lady, she has had
a most dreadful experience. n
seemed half dead when | saw her first.
| think you q best see her, and hear
her account of the facts. Then we will
examine the dining room together
Lady Brackenstall was no ordinary
person. Seldom have l seen so grace
full a figure, so WOmanly q presence,
and so beautiful a face. She was a
blonde, golden haired, blue eyed, and
would no doubt nav had the perfect
complexion which goes with such color
ing had not her recent experience left
her drawn and haggard. Her suffer-
ings were physical as we'll as mental,
for over one eye rose a hideous, plum
colored swelling, which her maid, a tall,
austere woman. was bathing assidu-
ously with vinegar and water. The
lady lay back exhausted upon a couch,
but her quick, observant gaze, as we
entered the room, and the alert express
sion of her beautiful features, showed
hat neither her wits nor her courage
had been shaken by her terrible ex-
perienCe. She was enveloped in a loose
dressing gown of blue and silver, but a
black sequin covered dinner dress was
hung upon the couch beside her.
Il have told you all that happened,
Mr.. Hopkins" she said, YEARLY, could
you not repeat it for me? Well, if you
think i; necessary, l will tell these
gentlemen what occurred. Have they
been in the dining room YETI"
Il thought they a better hear your
~ladyship's story first"
Il shall be glad when you can ar
range matters. 1t is horrible to me to
think of him still lying there" She
~shuddered and buried her face in her
hands. AS she did so, the loose gown
fell back from her forearms. Holmes
uttered an exclamation.
You have other injuries, madam
What is this? ?" Two vivid red spots
stood out on one of the white, round
limbs. She hastily covered 1t.
1T is nothing. 1t has no connection
with this hldeouS business tonight. II
you and your friend will sit down, |
VIII tell you all | can.
u am the wife OF Sir Eustace Brack-
enstall. l have been married about Il
year. | suppose that it is no use my
attempting to conceal that our mar
riage has not been a happy one. l fear
that all our ~neighbors would tell you
that, wen If l vert to attempt to deny
it. Perhaps Sult may be partly
mine. l was orodght up Il the freer,
less conventional atmosphere of South
Australia, and this English life, with
its proprieties and its primness, is not
c~ongenial to me. But the main rea-
son lies in the one fact, which is no.
torious TO every one, and that is tha
Sir Eustace was n confirmed drunkard.
To be with such a man for an hour is
unpleasant. Can you imagine what Ii
means for Il sensitive and high spirited
woman to be tied to him for day and
night? 1t is a sacrilege, a crime, n
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