Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-03-01
ii.-THE ADVENTURE OF THE
NORWOOD Bull CER-Ccnt

NORWOOD BUlLCER-Ccntinued.
Homes had picked up the page.
which formed tho rough draft of the
will. and WAS looking al them viii
tho keenest interest upon his face.
There are some points about tina
document Icstrade. are there not
said he. pushing them over.
The official looked at them with {
puzzled expression.
II can read the first few lines, ant
these in the middle of tho second page
4 are as clear as print" said he. "bui
the writing IN between is very bad. anc
there are three places where cannot
read ii at all
What do you make of that?" sale
Holmes.
Well, what do You make of IT ?"
That 1t was written in train. The
/ good writing represents stations the
4 bad writing movement, and the very
bad writing passing over points. A
| scientific expert would pronounce a,
once that this was drawn up on 4
| suburban line. since nowhere save In
! the Immediate vicinity of great city
could there be so quick succession OF
| points. Granting that his whole jour
ney was occupied in drawing up this
will. then the train was an express
only stopping once between Norwood
and London Bridge
Lestrade began 10 laugh.
You are too many for me when you
begin To get on your theories. MIR
Holiness" said he. How does this bean
on the case ?"
We'll, ii corroboratcs the young
mans story TO the extent that the will
| was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his
| journey Yesterday 1t Is curious is it
not ?? that a man should draw up 50
important a document In so haphazard
~ fashion. 1t suggests that he did not
think it was going 10 be of much prac-
| teal Importance. If a man drew up a
will which he did not intend ever to be
effective, he might do ii so
Well, he drew UP his own death
warrant at the same time" said Les
trade.
oh you think so?"
Don't you?'
Well, it is quite possible. but the
case it not clear tn me yet"
Not clear? Well If that isn't clear
what could be clear Here is a young
| man who learns suddenly that, if (,
certain older man dies. he Will succeed
to a fortune. What does he do? He
says nothing to anyone, but he ar
ranges that he shall go out on some
| preteXt to see his client that night
He waits until the only other person
i'll the house is in bed. and then in the
solitude of the mans room he muir
ders him. burns his body I'm the wood =
! pile, and departs Ia a ncighboring hotel
| The blood stains in the room and also
on the stick arc very slight. II is
probable that he Imagined his crime
| to be Il bloodlesS one, and hoped that
| II the body We're consumed it would
| hide all traces of the method of his
| death traces of which. for some rea-
son must have pointed to him. Is not
all this obvious 81
ut strikes me. my good Lcstrade, as
| being just a trifle too obvious" said
| Holmes. You do no, add imagina ton
TO your other great qualities. but if you
could for one moment put yourself In
the place of this young man. would you
choose the very night after the will
had been made to commit your crime!
| Would 1t not seem dangerous TO yol
to make so very close q relation be
tween the two incidents? Again
would YOU choose an occasion whcr
you are known To be i'm the house. wher
n servant has let you in? And, finally
| would you take the great pains to
! conceal the body, and yet leave youl
own stick as a sign that you We're the
criminal? Confess. Lestradc. that ali
this is very unlikely.
AS to the stick, Mir. Holmes, you
| know as We'll as do that n criminal
Is often Hurried. and does such things
| which cool man would avoid. He WAS
| very likely afraid To go back To the
room. Give me aaother theory that
would fl, the facts
II could easily give YOU half 4 dozen
said Holmes. Here. for example Is
a very possible and even probable one
| I make Nesl free present of II. The
older man is showing documents which
are of evident Value. a passing tram
I sees them through tho window, tho
blind of which is only half down. Xxi
the solicitor. Enter tho tramp. HI
seizcs a stick, which he observes thcre
/ kills Oldacre. and departs after burn
.nE the body
why should the tramp burn tn,
body"
For the matter of that why shoulc
/ McIarlaneo"
ITO hide some evidence"
POSSIBLY the tramp wanted to hid,
/ that amy murder AT all had been com.
mitted."
and why did the tramp take moth
4 ing"
Because they were papers chat h,
could not negotiate"
Lestrade shock his head. though i
seemed to me that his manner VA,
less absolutely assured than before.
Well, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You ma,
look for Your tramp. and while you ar.
\ finding him VIC will hold on To our man
The future VIII show which is right
just notice this point. Mr.. Homes
that so far rs we know. none of tll,
papers We're removed and that III.
4 prisoner is the one man i'm tho Wort,
who had no reason for removing them
since he WAS heir-at-law. and WOMB
come into them in any case"
My friend seemed struck by This re.
mark.
~ don't mean to deny that the rvi-
dcpoe is IN some ways very st,onsl,
in favor Of Your theory" said he 4
only wish 10 point out that there arc
other theories possible As YOU say
ing, dare say that in the course O
the day shah drop in at Norwood anc
see how You are getting on
4 When the detective departed m,
friend rose and made his preparation:
for the days work with the alert ali
of man who has a congenal task be.
fore him.
MY first movement Watson" saie
he. as he hustled into his frock coat
must. as said, be in the direction OF
BlaclSheath"
And why not Norwoodo'
Because we have In this case one
singular incident coming close to tn.
heels of another singular Incl
\ dent. The police are making tn,
'IllStihC VI tjiIIttlllsilItS lnClr AT
tention upon the second, be
/ cause IT happens to be the one which
! Is actually criminal. But it is evi.
den to me that the logical way 10 APP.
preach the case is To begin by trying
to throw some light upon the first in.
cident-the curious will, so suddenl,
made, and to so unexpected an heir
1t may do something to simplify wha
4 followed No, my dear fellow, DOR
| think You can holm me- There is M