The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-08-03
x.-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
GOLDEN Observation-Disclosures.

! lIldL am unable TO understand now
you arrive at the double visit to the
optician."
Holmes took the glasses in his hand.
You will perceive" said he, that
the clips are lined with tiny bands OF
! cork to soften the pressure upon the
nose. One of these Is discolored and
worn to some slight extent. but the
other is new. Evidently one has fallen
Off and been replaced. l should judge
that the older of them has not been
there more than a few months. They
exactly correspond, so l gather that the
lady went back to the same establish
ment for the second"
BY George, 1t is marVelous!" cried
Hopkins, in an ecstacy of admiration.
TO think that had all that evidence
in my hand and never knew it! l had
Intended. however. to go the round OF
the London opticians"
"Of course you would. Meanwhile
have you anything more to tell US about
! the case?"
Nothing, Mr.. Holmes. I think that
you know as much as l do now-prob-
ably more. We have had inquiries
made as to any stranger seen on the
country roads or at the railway station.
We have heard of none. What beats
me is the utter want of all object in
the crime. Not ghost of a motive can
anyone suggest
|
help you. But 1 suppose you want us
to come out tomorrow"
IF it is not asking too much, Mr..
Holmes. There's a train from Charing
Cross to Chatham at six in the morn
ing, and We should be at Yoxley Old
Place between eight and nine"
Then we shall take it. Your case
has certainly some features of great
interest, and l shall he delighted to
look into it. Well, it's nearly one, and
we had best get a few hours sleep
l dare say you can manage all right on
the sofa in front Of the fire. I'll light
my spirit lamp and give you cup Of
coffee before we start"
! The gale had blown itself out next
day. but it was a bitter morning when
we started upon our journey. We saw
| the cold winter sun rise over the dreary
marshes of the Thames and the long
sullen reaches Of the river, which I
shall ever associate with our pursuit of
the Andaman islander in the earlier
weary journey, we alightedt at small
station some miles from Chatham
While horse was being put into a trap
at the local inn, we snatched a hurried
breakfast, and SO we were all ready
for business when we at last arrived at
Yoxley Old Place. a constable met US
at the garden gate.
5s''Well, Wilson, any news?" Y, q
No, sir-nothing. lE3 #t
| mo reports Of any stranger SEEM"
/ t'No. sir. Down: at the station$they
are fcertain that no stranger either
came or went yesterday"
Have you had inquiries made at inns
and lodgings?"
yes, sir: there is no one that we
cannot account for"
We'll. it's only reasonable walk to
Chatham. Anyone might stay there or
take a train without being observed
This is the garden path of which
spoke, Mr.. Holmes. I'll pledge my word
there was no mark on it Yesterday"
'On which side We're the marks on
the grass"
This side, sir. This narrow margin
of grass between the path and the
flowerbcd. l can't see the traces now
but they were clear to me then
Yes, yes; someone has passed along"
said Holmes, STOPPING over the grass
border. "Our lady must have picked
her steps carefully, must she not, since
on the one side she would leave a
track on the path. and on the other an
even clearer one on the soft bed?"
Yes, sir, she must have been cool
hand"
saw an intent look pass over
Holmes face n
You say that she must have come
back this way?"
Yes, sir, there is no other"
"On this strip Of grass?"
! Certainly. Mr.. Holmes"
| Hum! 1t was a very remarkable
Derformance-Nery remarkabl Well, I
think we have exhausted the path. Let
us go farther This garden door is
usually kept open, I suppose? Then
this visitor had nothing to do but to
walk In. The. idea of murder was not
in her mind or she would have pro-
| vided herself with some sort of weapon,
| instead of having to pick this knife off
! the writing table. She advanced along
| this corridor, leaving no traces upon
the cocoanut mating. Then she found
| h--'~Nf in this study. How long was
she there? We have no means of
! judging"
Not more than a few minutes, sir.
I forgot to tell you that Mrs. Marker,
| the housekeeper nd been in there
/ tidying not very long before-about a
Quarter of an hour, she says" u.s..
well, that gives US limit. Our
4 lady enters this room, and what does
she do? She goes over to the writing
table. What for? Not for anything
In the drawers. If there had been any
thing worth her taking, it would sure
ly have been locked up. No, it was for
something in that wooden bureau. Hal
loa! what is that scratch upon the face
. VI uSl IlOiu d iIidlCll, w tilSOIl
Why did youHnot. tell e of this, Hop
kins?" III q 81, III
The mark which he was examining
began upon the bfasswork on the right
hand side 81 the keyhole, and ex-
tended for about four inches where it
had scratched the varnish from the
surface.
Il noticed it, Mr. Holmes, but you'll
always find scratches round a key
hole"
This is recent, quite recent. See how
the brass shines where 1t is cut An
old scratch would be the same color as
the surface. Look at it through my
lens. There's the varnish. too, like
earth on each side Of furrow. Is Mrs.
Marker there?"
A sad-faced, elderly woman came into
| the room. - - .
Did you dust this bureau yesterday
morning?''
Yes, sir Ht5f3t' EEtts. y,
"Did you notice this scratch?"
mo, sir, did not.
II am sure you did not. for buster
! would have swept away these shreds of
yarnish; Who has the key Of this
THE professor keeps it on his watch
chain"
"Is it. a simple key?"
mo, sir, it is Chubbs key"
Very good. Mrs. Marker, you can
go. Now we are n1aking,a little prog.
ress. Our lady enters the room, ad-
vances to the bureau and either opens