The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-07-13

midst OF that w-hen your return caused
him to make q very hurried retreat
very hurried. since he had not time to
replace the papers which would tell you
that he had been there. You were not
aware OF any hurrying feet on the
stair as you entered the outer door?"
No. I can't say l was"
Well. he wrote so furiously that he
broke his pencil, n had, as you OBJ
serve. to sharpen it again. This is OF
interest, Watson. The pencil was not
an ordinary n 1t was above the
usual size, with a soft lead, the outer
color was dark blue. the makers name
was printed in silver lettering, and the
piece remaining is only about an inch
and a half long. Look for such n pen
Gil, Mr.. Soanles, and you lave got your
man. When 1 add that he possessed
a large and very blunt knife, you have
an additional aid"
Mr.. Soames was somewhat over
whelmed by this flood of information.
Il can follow the other points," said he,
but really, in this matter of the
Holmes held out a small chip with
the letters Mn n a space of clear
wood after them.
You see?"
mo. 1 fear hat even now"
Watson, 1 have always done you
dl lIlJuSliCe. lIeIe are OIQGrS. Mlat
could this mn be? 1t is at the end
of a word. You are aware that Johann
Faber is the most common makers
name. Is it not clear that there is
just as much of the pencil left as usu-
ally follows the Johanna He held the
small table sideways to the electric
light. Il was hoping that if the paper
on which he wrote was thin, some trace
of it might come through upon this
polished surface. No, l see nothing.
l don't think there is anything more to
be learned here. Now for the central
table. This small pellet is, I presume,
the black, doughty mass you spoke of.
Roughly pyramidal in shape and hol-
lowed out, I perceive. AS YOU say,
there appear to be grains of sawdust
In 1T. Dear me, this is very interest
ing. And the cut-a positive tear, I
see: 1t began with a thin scratch and
ended in a jagged hole. 1 am much
indebted to you for directing my at
tention to this case. MI. Soames.
Where does that door lead to?"
TT my bedroom"
"Have you been in it since your adj
venture?"
mo. 1 came straight away for you"
Il should like to have a glance round.
What a charming, old fashioned room!
Perhaps you will kindly wait a min
ute, until have examined the floor.
No. I see nothing. What about this
curtain? You hang your clothes be-
hind it. If anyone were forced to con-
ceal himself in this room he must do it
there, since the bed is too low and the
wardrobe too shallow. No one there,
1 SUPPOSED"
AS Holmes drew the curtain l was
aware, from some little rigidity and
alertness of his attitude, that he was
prepared for an emergency. AS a mat
ter of fact, the drawn curtain disclosed
nothing but three OIL four suits of
clothes hanging from a line of pegs.
Holmes turned away, and stopped sud-
denly to the floor.
"Hallea! What's this?" said he.
ty-like stuff, exactly like the n upon
the table OF the study. Holmes held it
out on his open palm in the glare of
the electric light.
Your visitor seems to have left
traces in your bedroom Is we'll as in
your sitting room, Mr.. Soames."
"What could he LAY wanted there"
81 think it is clear enough. You came
back by an unexpected way, and SO he
had no warning until you were at the
very door. What could he do? He
caught up everything which would be-
tray him, INC he rushed into your bed
room to conceal himself"
"Good gracious, MIR. Holmes, do you
mean to tell me that. all the time I was
talking to Bannister in this room, we
had the man prisoner if we had only
known it?"
so [ read it."
Surely there is another alternative,
Mr.. Holmes. / dom know whether you
observed my bedroom Window"
"Lattice-paned, lead framework. three
separate windows, one swinging on
hinge. and large enough to admit a
man"
Exactly. And it looks out on an
angle Of the courtyard SO as to be
partly invisible. The man might have
effected his entrance there, left traces
as he passed through the bedroom. and
finally, finding the door open, have es-
capped that way"
Holmes shook his head impationtly.
e US he practical" said he. II
understand you to say hat there are
are in the habit of passing your door?"
Yes, there are"
"And they are all in for this exami-
nation?"
Yes"
"Have you any reason to suspect any
one of them more than the others?"
"It is a very delicate question" said
soa1nes. 'One hardly likes to throw
suspicion where there are no proofs
Let US hear the suspicious. 1 will
look after the proofs"
II will ten you in a few words the
character OF the three men WHO IN
habit these rooms. The lower Of the
three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar and
athlete, plays in the Rugby cam and
the cricket team for the college, and
got his blue for the hurdles and the
long jump. He is a fine, manly fellow.
His father was the notorious Sir Jabez
Gilchrist. who ruined himself on the
turf. My scholar has been left very
poor, but he is handwriting and indus
trious. He -.5ill do we'll.
1.-The second floor is inhabited by
Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet.
inscruta5ie fellow, as most of those
Indians are. He is we'll up in his
work, though his Greek is his weak
subject. He is steady and m~ethodical.
The top floor belongs to Miles Nc
Laren. He is a brilliant fellow when
he chooses to work-one of the bright
est intellects of the university; but he
is hayward, dissipated. and unprin-