The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-09-06

gcther. all OF them tinged with wine
and ono OF them containing some dregs
OF b~eeswing. The bottle stood near
them. twu-thIrds full. and beside lay
a long. deeply stained cork. It's mp
pearanc" end the lust upon the bottle
showed that was no common vintage
which the murderers had enjoyed.
a change mad come owe Holmes
manner He Ind lost his ~listless ex-
preston. and again I saw an alert
light OF interest In his keen. deep-set
eyes. He raised the cork and examined
IL infinitely.
How did they draw IL" he asked.
Hopkins pointed To- n half-opened
drawer. In II lay some table linen and
n large corkscrew.
Did Lady B~rackenstali a that
screw was used"
mo. you remember that she vas
sensclesS ut he moment when the bot
tie was opened"
quite so. AS n matter Of fact. that
screw was not used. This bottle was
opened by u pocket screw. probably
contained IN n knife. and not more
thnr au inch and n half long. IL you
Will examine the top OF IN, cork. you
will observe that the screw Vas driven
In three times before the cork was ex-
traCied. IL has never been transfxed.
This long screw would have %transfxed
IL and draw n II up with n single pull.
when you catch this fellow. you will
find hat he has Of these multiplex
knives IN his possession"
Excellent said Hopkins.
But these g~lasses do puzzle me. ]
confess. Lady Brackenstall actually
saw the three men drinking. did she
not ,"
Yes: she was clear about that"
Then there II an END OF a.. What
more IN Ia be said? And yet. you must
admit. that the three glasses are very
remarkable. Hopkins. what? You see
nothing remarkable? Well. well. let u
pass. Perhaps. when a man has spe-
cial knowledge and special powers like
my own. II rather encourages him To
seek u complex explanation when n
simpler onc ~ ut hand. OF course. u
must be n mere chance about the
glasses. Well. good morning. Hopkins.
] don't see hat I can be OF any use tn
you. and you appear to have your case
very clear. You will let me know when
Randall Is arrested. and any further de-
velopments which may occur. I trust
that I shall soon nave To congratulate
YOU upon n successful conclusion. Come.
Watson. | fancy that we may employ
ourselves more prohtably nj home"
During our return journey. 7 could
sec S- Holmes face that he was muSh
puzzled BY something which hc had oh
served. EVe-v now and then. by an
effort. h WOULD THROW OF the impress
sion. and talk 40 !: :hc matter were
clear l. then his doubts would settle
down upon him ag n. and his knitted
brows and abstrnctel eyes would show
that his thoughts had gone back once
more to the great dining room OF the
Abbey Grange. In hich this midnight
tragedy had t.cn enacted. AZ last. by
n sudden impulse. just as our train
was crawling out OF n suburban sta
ton. he spranE onto the platform and
Quilted me out after him.
Excuse me. my lear fellow. " said he,
rs we watched the rear carriages OF our
train disappearing round a curve. II
am sorry to make you the victim Of
what may seem a mere within. but on
my life, Watson. I simply can't leave
that case In this condition. Every In
stinct that I possess cries IA against
e.. It's wrung-its all Wrongful swear
that it's wrong. And yet the lady's
story was complete. the maids corro-
boratiou WAS sufficient. the detail was
fairly exact. What have I To put up
against that Three wineglasses. that
IL all. Ru' II I nd not taken things
for granted. II I had examined every
thing with care '-hiCh I should have
NV ~ Nhh' w aANHh Wv ~ NV sANf Wv
novo and had no cut-and-dricd story to
warp my mind, should l not then have
found o-uethiug more definite To go
upon or curse I should. SIT down
on this bench. Watson. until u train
for ChiscIhurst arrives. and allow me
To lay the evidence , fore you. implor-
inE you In the first instance To dismiss
from youT mind the idea hat anything
which the maid or her mistress may
Ia Nn EuNI NWHNNgW FaAwaa1nH ala hA eRta.
The lndy's charming personality must
not be permitted To warp our judg-
mcnt.
surely there are details In her story
which. IL we looked ut 1; In cold blood,
would excite our suspicion. These
burglars made a considerable haul at
~Sydenham. n fortnight ago Some ac-
u 81 them and OF their appearance
was Ia the papers. and would naturally
occur To anyone who wished To invent
n story I'm which imaginary robbers
should play a part. As n matter OF fact.
burglars who have done a good strok.
OF business are. as "A rule. only too glad
10 enjoy the proceeds IN peace and
quiet without embaTking on another
perilous undertaking. Again. IL Is un-
usual FOR burglars to operate ut so
early an hour. IL is unusual for burglars
To strike "a lady TO prevent her scream
Ing, since a would imagine that was
the sure way to make her scream IL Is
unusual Tor them Il commit murder
when heir numbers are sufficient TO
oVerpoWcr one man. IL is unusu for
them to be- content with n limited
plumber when there was much more
within their reach. and finally. 1 should
say. that u was very unusual for such
men 60 leave a bottle half empty. How
de- all these u%nusuals strike you, Wat
SOM"
Their cumulative effect IN certainly
considerable. and yet each OF them is
quite possible In Itself. The most un-
usual thing Of all. rs II seems TO me.
Is tLat the lady should be tied to the
chair
We'll. ] am not so clear about that.
Watson. for u IS evident hat they
must either kill her or else secure her
I'm such a way that she could not give
immediate notice OF their escape. But
M any rate l have shown. have I not,
that there is a certain element OF Inn
probability about the lady's story? And
now. on the top OF this. comes the In
cident q. the wineglasses."
What about the w~ineglasses?"
Can YOU see them m your minds
eyer"
II see them clearly
we are told that three men drank
from them. Does that strike you as
likely
why not? There was wins In each
glass.
Exactly. but ia vas beeswlng
oliy I'm one glass. You must have mo-
ticed that fact. What does that sug-
gest To your mind?"
The last glass filed woull be most
likely To contain becswthg."