The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-23
lI;-1HE ADVENTURE OF THE
NORWOOD UILDER-Continued

Il Hnlmac Ind rickaH IN ha
.,.,s, -,
W.neA i"i'iieu 'i'e rough utait Vi my
VIII. and was looking At them with
the keenest interest upon his face.
There are some points about that
document, Lestrade. are there not?
said he. pushing them over.
The official looked at them with q
Il can read the first few lines, and
these in the middle OF the second page,
and one or two at the end. Those
are as clear as print" said he. but
the writing in between Is very bad, and
there are three places where l cannot
| read it at ALL"
What do you make of that" said
Holmes.
We'll. what DO you make of it,"
| "That 1T was written in train The
good writing represents stations, the
bad writing movement. and the very
bad writing passing over points. A
scientific expert would pronounce at
suburban line, since nowhere save in
the immediate vicinity of great city
could there be SO quick succession of
points. Granting that his whole jour-
ney was occupied in drawing up the
will. then the train was an express,
only stopping once between Norwood
and London Bridge
You are too many for me when you
begin to get on your theories. MIR.
Holiness" said he. How does this bear
on the case?"
We'll. it corroborates the young
mans story to the extent that the will
was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his
journey yesterday. 1t Is curious-is it
not?-that man should draw up so
important document in so haphazard
fashion. 1t suggests that he did not
think 1t was going to be of much prac-
teal Importance. II a man drew up a
VIII which he did not intend ever to be
effective, he might do 1t So"
We'll. he drew up his own death
warrant at the same time" said Les
trade.
"Oh, you think so:"
Don't you?
WELL 1t Is quite possible. but the,
case 1t not clear to me yet"
Not clear? Well. II thnt.isn't clear,
what could be clear? Here is a young
man who learns suddenly that. If a
certain older man dies. he will succeed
to fortune. What does he do? He
says nothing to anyone, but he ar
ranges that he shall go out on some
pretext to see his client that night.
He waits until the only other person
In the house Is In bed. and then in the
solitude OF the mans room he muir
ders him. burns his body III the wood
pile, and departs to neighboring hotel.
The blood stains in the room and also
on the stick are very slight. 1t is
probable that he imagined hts crime
to be bloodless one. and hoped that
Il the body were consumed 1t would
hide all traces Of the method of his
death-tTaces Of which. for some rea-
all this obvious?"
1t strikes me, my good Lestrade, as
being Just a trifie too obvious said
Holmes. You do not add Imagination
to your other great qualities. but il YOU
could for one moment put yourself in
choose the very night after the Win
had beer made to commit your crime :?
Would it not seem dangerous to you
to make so very close relation be-
tween the two incidentsy Again,
servant has let you in? And, finally,
would you take the great pains to
own stick as sign that you were the
criminal? Confess. Lestrade, that all
(, this Ia very unlikely
AS to the stick, Mr. Holmes, you
, know as Well as do that a criminal
is often Hurried. and does such things,
which cool man would avoid. He was
49, may tAAKaAO " SU DICK 10 the
room. Give me another theory that
would At the facts"
Il could easily give you half dozen,'
said Holmes. Here, for example, is
q very possible and even probable one.
! make yoll free present OF 1t. The
older man 10 showing documents which
sees them through the window. the
blind Of which is only half down. Exit
Il the solicitor, Enter the tramni He
kills ollacre, and departs after burn
Why should the tramp burn the
For the matter of that, why should
To hide some evidence"
that any murder at all had been com
/, mitted." IS 5s5-i!
And why did the tramp take moth
!, Ing =" Y IN, ~ J. - .aA' i'os'S
because they were papers that he
could not negotiate.,s -g rs y 4,
I.estrade shook his, head. though ii
Hess absolutely assured than before. .
well, M. Sherlock Holmes. vo, Won ;mav
look for your tramp, and While YOU ar are
finding him we viii hoid On ~ ~, :, IS. !, :,
The future Win show Which g - r ahaat
Just notice this pofnt, Mr.. Holmes:
papers were removed, and i that It the the
who had 10 reason for rsmoy d them'
Il since 10 was heir-at-faW.S ana Would ti
!, COW, yl,ttr II, .,,,ss 49,,