The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-07-19

Inc unfortunate young man staggered
back, and cast n look full of horror and
reproach at Bannister.
NO, no, Mr.. Gilchrist, sir, I never said
a = one word:" cried the SER
want.
NO, but you W now" said Holmes.
Now. sir, you must see that after Ban
listers words your position is hopeless, and
that your only chance lies IN a 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 u
storm of passionate sobb.ng.
Come, come" saId Holmes, kindly, st
Is human to err, and at least no one can
accuse you of being a callous criminal.
Perhaps ii would be easier for you IL I
were to tell Mr.. Soames what occurred,
and you can check me where 1 am wrong.
Shall do so? Well, well, don't trouble to
answer. Listen, and see that l do you no
Injustice"
From the moment, Mr.. Soames, that
you said TO me that no one, not even Ban
mister, could have told that 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. hi
Indian L 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 were on the table. | dismissed
that. The mar who entered knew that
the papers were there. How did he know?
When I approached your room, I exam
lned tho window. You amused me by sup
posing thai L was contemplating the pos
slblllty of someone having IN broad day.
light. under the eyes of all these opposite
rooms. forced himself through 1t. Such an
ldca was absurd. I was measuring how
tall a man would need to be in order to
see, as he passed, what papers were on
the central table. I am six feet high, and
L could do 1t with an effort. No one less
imam that would have a chance. Already
you see | had reason to think that, if one
or your three students was a man of un-
usual height, ha was the most worth
watching of the three.
Il entered, and | took you into my con-
fidence as to the suggestions OF he side
table. OF the center table I could ma lie
nothing, until In your description of Gill
christ you mentioned that h was a long
distance jumper. Then the whole thing
came to me in an instant, and I only
needed certain corroborative proofs, which
l speedily obtained.
idppeleu was this. This young
fellow mad employed his afternoon at the
athletic grounds, where he had been nrac-
tlcing the jump. He returned carving his
jumping Shoes, which are provided, as
you are aware, wit several sharp sDikes
AS he passed your window he saw. by
means of his great height, these proofs
upon your table. and conjectured
what they were. No harm would nave
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
MN TO enter, and see If they We're indeed
the proofs. 1t was not a dangerous exploit,
lor ne could always pretend tina 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
ca to temptation. He put his shoes on the
table. What was it you put on that chair
near the Window"
Gloves" said the young man.
Holmes looked t~riumphantly at Ban
mister. H put his groves on the chair,
and took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to
copy them. He thought the tutor must
return by the main gate, and that he
back by the side gate. Suddenly he heard |
MIN at the very door. There was no pos
slble 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 bedroomI
uoor. Ihat In itself Is enough to show US
that the shoe had been drawn in that d.
r%ectton, and that the cuIprit had taken
there. The earth round the spike
had been left on the table, and a second
sample was looSened and fell in the bed
room. | may add that 1 walked out to the
athletic grounds this morning, saw that
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 II
told the truth, Mr.. Gllchrist?"
The student had drawn himself erect.
Yes, sir, 1t is true" said he.
Good heavens! have you nothing to
cried Soames
Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this
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. It was before
knew that my sin had found me out.
Here 1t Is, sir. You will see that I have
SAID. l have determined not to go In fo1
the examination. l nave been offered a
commission in the Rhodesian police, and ]
am going out to South Africa at once"
Il am indeed pleased to hear that you
eia ,o1 ploil ny your unralr ad-
vantage said Soames. but why did
you change your purpose?'
Giichrist pointed to Bannister.
There Is the man who set me in the
wight path" said he.
Come now, Bannister,'' said Holmes,
1t will be clear to you, from what T have
said, that only you could nave let this
man out, since you We're lett in the
room, and must have 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
a%ction?"
IT was simple enough, sir, If you only
had known, but. with all your cleverness.
was impossible that you could know.
was, sir, when I was butler to old
Sir Jabez Gilchrist, this young gentle.
mans father. When he was ruined I came