The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-07-20

expression OF Otdtfk ulSNAV upon 6annlS-
ter in the farther corner.
gust close the door" said Holmes.
Now. MIR. Gilchrist, we are all quite alone
here. and no one need ever know one word
of what passes between US. We can be
perfectly frank with each other. We want
to know, Mr.. Gilchrist, how you. an nom
Durable man, ever came to commit such
an action as that of yesterday?"
The unfortunate young man staggered
back, and cast a look full OF horror and
reproach at Bannister.
mo. no, Mr.. Gichrist, sir, I never said
a ~word-never one world" cried the ser
want,
NO. but you have now" said Holmes.
Now. sir. you must see that after Ban
ister's words your position is hopeless, and
that your only chance lies IN q frank con-
fession.''
For a moment Gilchrist. with appraised
hand, tried to control his writing feat
ures. The next he had thrown himself on
his knees beside the table, and burying
his face in his hands, he had burst into a
storm of passionate sobb.ng.
Come. come" said Holmes, kindly, cit
is human to err. and at least no one can
accuse you of being a callous criminal.
Perhaps it would be easier for you If I
We're to tell Mr.. Soames what occurred,
and you can check me where I am wrong.
Shall L do so? Well, well, ont trouble to
answer. Listen, and see that I do you no
injustice"
From the moment. Mr.. Soames, that
you said to me that no one, not even BAN
mister, could have told tina the papers
were In your room, the case began to take
a definite shape in my mind. The printer
one could, of course. dismiss. He could
examine the papers in his own office. The
Indian also thought nothing of. If the
proofs were in roll, he could not possibly
know what they were. On the other hand,
1T seemed an unthinkable coincidence that
a man should dare to enter the room,
and That by chance on that very day the
papers We're on the table. I dismissed
that. The man who entered knew that
the papers We're there. How liz he know?
when approached your room, 1 exam
incd the window. You amused me by sup
posing thar I was contemplating the pos
slblilty of someone having In broad day-
light, under the eyes of all these %opposite
rooms, forced himself through it. such an
idea was absurd. 1 was measuring how
tall a man would need to be tn order to
see. as he passed, what papers were on
the central table. I am six feet high. and
I could do it with an effort. No one less
than that would have a chance. Already
you see had reason to think that, IL one
OF your three students was a man of I'M
usual height, he was the most worth
watching of the three.
II entered, and I took you into NV con-
fdence as to the suggestions of the side
table. OF the center table I could make ,
nothing, until In your description of Gill
christ you mentioned that he was a ,ong.
came to me in an instant, and I only |
needed certain corroboratiye proofs. which !
I speedily obtained.
what happened was this. This Young
fellow mad employed his afternoon at the |
athletic grounds. where he had been prac- |
tlclhg the jump. He returned carrying his
jumping shoes, which are provided. as .
you are aware. with several sharp spikes. /
AS he passed your window he saw. by
means of his great height. these proofs ,
your table. and coniectured !
VIA they were. No harm would have !
been done had it not been that, as he .
passed your door, he perceived the kew
which had been left by the carelessness of |
your servant. A sudden impulse came over |
him to enter, and see if they We're indeed |
the proofs. 1t was not a dangerous exploit,
for he could always pretend that he had
simply looked in to ask a question.
We'll. when he saw that they were in ,
deed the proofs, 1t was then that he Yield
ed to temptation. He put his shoes on the
table. What was 1t you put on that chair
near the window?'
Gloves" said the young man. |
Holm looked triumphantly at Ban
mister. He put his groves on the chair,
and took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to
them. He thought the tutor must
return by the main gate, and that he
would see him. AS we know, he came
back by the side gate. Suddenly he heard
him at the very door. There was no pos |
sible escape. He forgot his gloves, but he
caught up his shoes and darted into the |
bedroom. You observe that the scratch |
on that table is Slight at one side, but
deepens in the direction Of the bedroom
door. That in itself is enough to show US
that the shoe had been drawn in that d.
%rection. and that the culprit had taken
refuge there. The earth round the spike I
had been left on the table, and a second
sample was loosened and fell in the bed
room. I may ada tina 1 walked out to tbs
tenacious black clay is used in the Jump
ing pit, and carried away a specimen of
1t, together with some Of the fine tan
or sawdust which is strewn over it to pre-
vent the athlete from Slipping. Have ]
told the truth, Mr.. Gilchrist?"
The student had drawn himself erect.
Yes, sir, 1t is true" said he.
Good heavens! have you nothing to
add?" cried Soanes
Yes. sir, I have, but the shock of his
disgraceful exposure has bewildered me.
l have a letter here. Mr.. Soames, which ]
wrote to you early this morning in the
middle Of a restless night. 1t was before
= AfC SAAAA AAtS oAhA q " az o0L
Here it is, sir. You will see that 1 nave
said, I have determined not to go in 70,
the examination. 1 have been offered a
commission In the Rhodesian police, and ]
am going out to South Africa at once"
II am indeed pleased to hear that you
did not intend to profit by your unfair ad-
vantage" said Soames. but why did
you change your purpose?'
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
There is the man who set me in the
right path" said he.
Come now. Bannister,'' said Holmes.
"It will be clear to you, from what 1 have
said, that only you could lave let this
young man out, since you were left in the
room. and must nave locked the door
when you went out. AS to his escaping
by that window. 1T was Incredible. Can
you not clear up the last point in this
mystery, and ten US the reasons for your
action?"
ut was simple enough, sir, If you only
had known. but. with all your cleverness,
1t was impossible that you could know.
Time was, sir, when i was butler to old
Sir Jabez Gilchrist, this young gentle
,,op,c fotLo~ SChop to 1x~,S r1i,o1 r a1n