Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-05-31

'''| any bpJ'ttS WHICH yOA
failed to overlook ?"
The young inspector WINGED at mj
companfon's ~iron!cal comments.
II was a fool not to call you IN NJ
the time. Mr.. Holmes However. that
past praying for now. Yes. there wers
several objects in the room which called
Tor special attention. One was the har.
poon with which the deed was com
mitted. 1t had been snatched down
IRON a rack ON the wall. Two Others
remained there. and there WAS a va
cant place for the third. or the stock
was engraved IS. Sea Unicorn, Dun
dee. This seemed to establish that the
crime had been done in a moment OF
fury. and that the murderer had
seized the first weapon which came In
his way. The fact that the crime was
committed ut > 'cloc In the morning.
n yet Peter Carey was fully dressed,
suggested that he had an appointment
with the murderer, which is borne out
by the fact that Il bottle of rum and
two dirty glasses stood upon the Ia
BILE"
Yes said Hol:nes: II think tina.
both differences are permissible. Was
there amy other spirit but rum in the
rooin?"
Yes. there was a tantalus contain
ing brandy and whisky on the sea
chest. IL Is of no Importance TO us.
however. since the decanters were fun.
and it had therefore not been used"
For all that, its presence has some
Significance" said Holmes. "However.
let us hear soine more about the OBJ
Jects which do seem to you to pear
upon the case
There was this tobacco pouch upon
the table"
VIVA part Of the table,"
III lay In the middle. 1t was OF coarse
sealskin-the straight-haired skin. with
a leather thong to bind it. Inside was
r. c. on the flap. There was half an
ounce Of strong ships tobacco In It,"
Excellent! What more?"
Stanley Hopkins drew from HIS
pocket a drab-covered notebook. The
outside was rough and worn, the leaves
discolored.
on the first page We're written the ini-
tlals j. H.. NJ" and the date 1888"
Holmes laid 1t on the table n ex-
AHMED 1T In his minute way. while
Hopkins and l gazed over each Shout
der. On the second page were the
printed letters &C. p. r." and then
came several sheets OF numbers. M
other heading was "Argentinc." another
Costa Rica." and another "San Paulo.'
each with pages of signs and figures
after 1t.
What do you make Of these??"
asked Holmes.
They appea to be lists of stock e1-
change securities. I thought that j.
ii. N were the initials of a broker
and that C. p. r. may have been his
client
Try Canadian Pacific Railway"
Stanley Hopkins swore between his
teeth. and struck his thigh with his
clenched hand.
What a fool 1 have BEEN" he cried.
o course. it is as you say. Then j.
III. NJ are the only initial we have to
solve. l have already examined the old
one in 1888. either in the house or
among the outside brokers'. whose mi
tials correspond with these. Yet 1 feel
mat the clue is the most important n
that I hold. You will admit. MIR.
Holmes. that there is IA possibility that
person who was present-in other
words. of the murderer. I would also
urge that he Introduction into the case
or a document relating to large masses
OF valuable securities gives us for the
first time some indication Of a motive
for the crime"
Sherlock Holmes face showed that
he was thoroughly taken aback by this
new development.
Il must admit both your points," said
he. II confess that this note book.
which did not pea at the inquest,
,houllles n views which l may have
formed. l had come to Il theory of the
Grim" in which 1 IA find no place for
this. Have you e%ndeavored to trace
any of the securities here m~entioned?"
inquiries are now being made at the
offices. but I fear that the complete
register Of the stockholders OF these
South American concerns is in South
America. and that some weeks must
elapSe before we can trace the Shares"
Holmes had been examining the COW
err of the note book with his magnifying
lens.
Surely there is some discoloration
here" said he.
Yes. si:. it is a blood stain. told
you hat l picked the book off he
floor"
Was the blood stain above or be-
low?"
On the sid next the boards.
which proves. of course, tina the
book WAS dropped after the crime was
committed"
Exactly, Mr.. Holmes. I appreciated
that point. and l conjectured that 1t
was dropped by the murderer in his
hurried flight. 1t lay near the door,"
Il suppose that none of these securi-
ties have been found among the prop
erty of the dead IAN"
No. sir"
Have you any reason to suspect
hOoY,a
NO, sir. Nothing seemed to nave
been touched"
Dear me. 1t is certainly a very in
teresting case. Then there was a
knife. was there not ?"
"A sheath knife. still in its sheath.
1t lay at the feet of the dead man. Mrs.
Casey has identified as being her hus-
bands property
Holmes was lost in thought for some
time.
Well" said he. at last. II suppose
shall have to come out and rave a look
at it,"
Stanley Hopkins gave a cry Of joy.
Thank YOU. sir. That will. indeed. be
a weight of my mind"
Holmes shook his finger at the in
spector.
1T would have been an easier task
a week ago." said he. But even now
my visit may not be entirely fruitless.
Watson. II you a spare the time. I
should be very glad OF your company.
II you will call a four wheeler. Mr..
Hopkins, we shall be ready to start for