The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-03-09

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low. 1t Was pretty clear where he was.
I thought he had not the nerve to lie
quiet before IN alarm OF fro. We could,
of course have gone in and taken him.
but it amused me to make him reveal
h~iraself. besides. I owed you a little
mystifcation. Lestrade. for your chaff
in the morning"
Well. sir. you certainly got equal
did you know that he was In the house
at all?"
THE thumb mark, Lestrade. You
said 1T was final: and so 1t was. in a
very different sense. l knew 1t had
not been there the day before. / pay q
good deal of attention to matters of de-
tail, as YOU may have observed, and I
had examined the hall. and was sure
that the wall was clear. Therefore, 1t
had been put on during the night"
But how?'
Very simply. When those packets
were sealed up, Jonas Oldacre got
McFTarlane to secure one Of the seals
by putting his thumb upon the soft
wax. 1t would be done so quickly and
SO naturally that I dare say the young
man himself has no recollection of it.
Very likely 1T just so happened, and
Oldacre had himself no notion Of the
use he would put 1t to. Breeding over
the case in that den Of his. it suddenly
| struck him what absolutely damning
evidence he could make against
McFarlane by using that thumb mark.
1t was the simplest thing in the world
for him to take a wax impression from
the seal. to moisten 1T in as much blood
az he could get from q pin prick, and
to put the mark upon the wall during
the night, either with his own hand
or with that of his housekeeper. II you
examine among those documents which
he took with him into his retreat, I
will lay you a wager that you find the
seal with the thumb mark upon It,"
"Wonderful!" said Lestrade. won
derfuY! It's all as clear as crystal, as
you put 1t. But what is the object OF
this deep deception, Mr.. Holmes?"
detectives overbearing manner had
changed suddenly to that OF q child
asking questions OF its teacher.
Well. I don't think that is very hard
to explain. a very deep, malicious,
who is now waiting US downstairs.
You know that he was once refused by
McFarlane's mother? You don't? I
told you that you should go to Black
heath first and Norwood afterwards.
Well, this injury, as he would consider
it, has ranked in his wicked, scheming
brain, and all his life ne has longed for
vengeance, but never seen his chance.
During he last year or two things
have gone against him-secret specula-
ton. I think-and he finds himself in
a bad way. He determines to swindle
his creditors, and for this purpose he
pays large checks to q certain Mr..
Cornelius. who is, l imagine. himself
under another name. l have not traced
that they We're banked under that name
at some provincial town where Old
acre from time to time led q double
existence. He Intended to change his
name altogether. draw his money. and
vanish. starting life again e~lsewhere."
We'll, that's likely enough"
1T would strike him that IN dlsap-
pearing he might throw all pursuit off
his track. and at the same time have
an ample and crushing revenge upon
impression that he had been murdered
by her only child. 1t was a master
piece of villainy, and he carried it out
like a master. The idea of the will.
which would give an obvious motive
for the crime, the secret visit unknown
to his own parents. the retention OF
the stick, the blood, and the animal re-
mains and buttons in the wood pile,
all We're admirable. 1t was n net from
which it seemed to me, a few hours
g that there was no possible escape.
But he had not that supreme gift of
the artist, the knowledge Of when to
stop. He wished to improve that
which was already perfect-to draw the
i rope ll8llISI SeI dlOuAu tAe uSCk Ol lllS
unfortunate victin1-and so he ruined
all. Let us descend, Lestrade. There
are Just n or W. questions that /
would ask him"
The malignant creature was seated
In his own parlor, with a policeman
upon each side OF him.
1T was a joke, my good sir-a prac-
teal joke. nothing more he whined
necessarily. II assure you, SIR, that !
simply concealed myself in order to see
Il tho afToot ~ - q 1jco orao W :, oo o-1
I am sure that you would not be SO
unjust as to Imagine that I would nave
| McFarlane."
Lestrade. Anyhow. we shall have you
on a charge OF conspiracy. If not for at
tempted murder"
And you'll probably hn1 that your
creditors will .mpound the banking ac-
count Of MI. Cornelius" said Holmes.
The little man started, and turned
his malignant eye upon my friend.
II have to thank you for a good
deal" said he. Perhaps I'll a my
debt some day."
Holmes smiled !ndulgcn.!y.
II fancy that. for some few years. You
will n your time very fully occu-
pied.' said he. by the way. what was
1T you put into the o pile besides
your old trousers? A dead dog, or rab-
bits. or what? You won't tell? Dear
we'll. I dare say that a couple of rabbits
would account both for the blood and
for the charred ashes. II you ever
write ar account. Watson, you can
make rabbits serve your turn"
CONTINUED Next Week)
Burning Of a Famous Court House.
Nashville Banner: The Banner re-
ceived a special recently from James,
town. giving an account of the burning
of the court house of Tentress county,
which occurred at an early hour in the
morning.
is the court house made ia
nous by Mark Twain in the 'Gilded