Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-03-09
1.-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
NORWOOD BUILDER-Continued.

.EEL HIS nat diAth VIZ 80
was done" said he. Now look at this
with dramatic suddenness he struck a
match, and by it's light exposed q stain
Of blood upon the whttewashed wall.
AS he held the match nearer, l saw
hat It was more than a stain. 1t was
The well marked print Of a thumb.
Look at that with your magnifyfng
glass, Mr.. Holiness
Yes, 1 am doing so"
You are aware that no two thumb
marks are alike2"
Il have heard something OF the kind"
well, then. will you please compare
: that print with this wax impression OF
young McFarlane's right thumb, taken
by my orders this morning."
AS he held the waxen print close
10 the blood stain, IL did not take a
magnlfying glass TO see that the two
were undoubtedly from the same
thumb. 1t was evident to me that our
unfortunate client was lost.
That is final" said Lestrade.
Yes. that is final" / involuntarily
echoed.
1T is hnal," said Holmes.
Something In his ton caught my
ear, and | turned TO look at him, An
extraordinary change had come over his
face. 1t was writhing with inward mer-
rlment. His two eyes were shining
like stars. IL seemed to me that he
was making desperate efforts
to restrain IA c~onvulsive attack of
laughter.
Dear me! Dear me-" he said at
last. well. now. who would have
thought of It? And how deceptive APP
pearances may be, to be sure! Such
a nice young man to look at! 1t is a
lesson to us not to trust our WI Judg-
ment, is Ii not, Lestrade%"
Yes, some of us are n little too much
inclined to be cocksure. Mr.. Holiness
said Lestrade. The mans insolence
was maddening, but we could not re-
sent It.
What a p~rovidential thing that this
young man should press his right
thumb against the wall in taking his
hat from the peg! Such a very nat
ural action, too, il you come to think
OF it." Holmes was outwardly calm,
but his whole body gave a wiggle OF
suppressed excitement as he spoke. by
the way. L.estrade. who made this re-
markable discovery"
TT was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lex
ington, who drew the night constable's
attention to It,"
Where was the night constable"
HE remained on guard in the bed
room where the crime was committed
so as to see that nothing was touched
But why didn't the police see this
mark yesterday"
"Well, we had no particular reason
to make a careful examination of the
hall. Besides, It's not in a very prom.
inent place, as you see
mo, no-of course not. / supposs
there is no doubt that the mark was
there yesterday"
thought he was going out of his mind
J I confess that / was myself surprised
both at his hilarious n and a
his rather wild observation.
II don't know whether you think tina
McFarlane came out of a gaolin the dead
OF night In order TO strengthen the evi.
dence against himself said Lestrade
Il leave Ii to any expert In the worlC
whether that is not the mark OF his
thumb"
1T is unquestionably the mark of hi,
thumb
There, that's enough" said Les
trade. II am a practical man, MI
Holmes. and when l have got my eyi
dence | come to my conclusions. l
you have anything to say, you will
find me writing my report In the sit
ting room.'
Holmes had recovered his equanim
ity, though l still seemed to detec
CLEANS OF amusement in his expires
sion.
Dear me, this Ia a very sad develop
ment. Watson, Is II not?" said he. IAN,
vet there are singular points about /
which hold out some hopes for gu
client"
IL am delighted TO hear It." said
heartily. Il was afraid IL was all u
with him"
II would hardly 20 80 far as to sa.
that, my dear Watson. The fact 1
that there is one really serious flaw 4
this evidence 20 which our friend ut
taches SO much Importance"
Indeed. Holmest What is itc'
"Only this: that l know that tina
mark was not there when I examine
the hall yesterday. And now. Watson
let us have q little stroll around In tn
sunshine"
with a confused brasn, hut with
heart into which some warmth of hop
was returning. l accompanied m
friend liz a walk around the garden
Holmes took each face OF the house |
turn, n examined il with great inter
est. He then led the way inside, an
went over the whole building from base
ment to attic. Most OF the rooms wer
unfurnished. but none the less Holme
inspected them all minutciy. Finally, o
the top corridor, which ran outsid
three untenanted bed rooms. he agal
was seized with a spasm OF merrimen
There are rcal.s some very uniqu
features about this case. Watson
said he. II think IL ia time now thu
we took u friend iestradc into OF
confidence. He has had his little smi
at our expense. and perhaps we ma
do as much by him. IL my reading I
this problem proves to be correct. We
yes. l think l see how we should al
proach IT."
The Scotiard Yard Inspector Was So
writing In the parlor when Holmes II
terrupted him.
II understood that you we're wriiir
n report OF this ease" said hes
Sc I M"
Don't you think Ii may "A iit.ss p-'
mature? 1 can't help thinking tn
your evidence Is not complete
Lestrade knew my friend too ws
TO disregard HIS words. He laid dow
his pen and looked curiously at hil
What do you mean. Mr.. Holmes
only that there IS an important Wi
ness whom you a not seen"
"tsan you produce nimg
II think l cam
Then do So.
Il Will do my besi. How many 20
stables have
There ARE three With rail-
.ffxceilenttv said Holmes. May
sask IL they are all large, abte- bodi
men with powerful voices"
X have no doubt they are. though
fail 10 see Nhat their voices have
do With IT.
rPcrhaps 4 nan hep you 10 see III
afd one or two Other things as wel
raid Holmes. Kindly summon 80
-~ ana 1 urlll ivy =