The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-09-27

therefore, that the crime was either
committed when insane, or that it's i'm
mediate effect was to drive the unhap-
Ply Woman out of her mind. AT pres
ent she is unable to give any coherent
account of he past, and the doctors
hold out no hopes of the re-establish-
ment of her reason. There is evidence
that a woman, who might have been
m E~ournaYe, was seen for some
hours upon Monday night watching the
house in Godolphin street."
what do You think of that,
Holiness" I had read the account
aloud to him, While he finished his
breakfast.
Ny lear Watson said he. as he
rose from the table and paced up and
down the room, you are most long
suffering, but if ! have told you moth
ing in the last three days, it is be-
cause there is nothing to tell. Ever
now this report from Paris does not
help us much"
mans death"
The mans death is a mere incident
"a trivial eNisode-in comparison with
OF" real task, which is to trace this
document and save a European catas-
trophe. Only one important thing has
happened in the last three days, and
mat is that nothing has happened. I
set reports almost hourly from the gov
eminent, and it is certain that nowhere
in Europe is there any sign of trouble
NOW, II this letter were loose-no, it
can't be loose-but if it isn't loose,
where a it be? Who las it? Why is
1t held back? That's the question that
beats in my brain like a hammer. Was
1t. indeed, a coincidence that Lucas
should meet his death on the night
When the letter disappeared? Did the
letter ever reach him? If so, why is
II NOT HmOnp hjS nornrc2 Di1 tbfr NOD
wife of his carry it off with her? If
so, is 1T in her house in Paris? How
could | search for it without the French
police having their suspicious aroused?
1t is a case, my dear Watson, where the
law is as dangerous to us as the crimi-
nails are. Every mans hand is against
US, n yet the interests at stake are
colossal. Should l bring it to a sue
cessful conclusion, it will certainly rep
resent the browning glory of my career.
An. here is my latest from the 'front.'"
He glanced hurriedly at the note which
had been handed in. "Halloa! Les
trade seems to have observed some
thing of interest. Put on your hat,
Watson, and we will stroll down to-
gether to Westminster"
1t was my first visit to the scene
OF the crime-a high. dingy, narrow
chested house, prim, formal, and solid,
like the century which gave it birth.
Lestrade's bulldog features gazed out
at us from the front window, and he
greeted us warmly when a big con-
stable a opened the door and let us
in. The room into which we were
shown was that in which the crime
had been committed, cut no trace Of it
now remained, save an ugly, irregular
stain upon the carpet. This carpet was
a small square drugget in the center OF
the room, surrounded by a broad ex-
panse of beautiful, old-fashioned wood
flooring in square blocks highly polish
ed. Over the fireplace was a magnifi-
cent trophy of weapons, one of which
had been used on that tragic night. In
the window was a sumptuous writing
desk, and every detail of the apart
ment, the pictures, the rugs, and the
hangjngs, all pointed to q. taste which
luxurious to the verge Of effemin-
acy.
seen the Paris news?" asked Les
trade.
Holmes nodded.
Our lrrench friends seem to have
touched the spot this time. No doubt
it's just as they say. She knocked at
the d~ooT-surprise visit, 1 guess, for he
kept his life in water-tight compart-
ments-he let her in, couldn't keep her
in the street. She told him how she
had traced him, reproached him, one
thing led to another, n then with that
udSSel 81 Iduuy lNe enc SOOn came.
1t wasn't all done in an instant, though.
for these chairs were all swept over
yonder, and he had one in his hand as
If he had tried to hold her off with it.
We've got it all clear as if we had seen
it,"
Holmes raised his eyebrows.
And yet you have sent for me?"
All, yes, that's another matter-a
mere trife. but the sort of thing you
take an interest in-queer. you know,
and what you might call freakish. 1t
has nothing to do with the main fact
can't have, on the face of it."
What is it, then?"
Well, you know, after a crime
of this sort we are very care
full to keep things. in their posi-
ton. Nothing has been moved. Of
flcer IN charge here day and night. This
morning, as the man was buried and
the investigation over-so far as this
room is Commemorative thought we
could tidy up a bit. This carpet. You
see. it is not fastened down, only just
laid there. We had occasion to raise
it. We found
Yes? You found
Holmes face grew tense with anx-
iety.
We'll. I'm sure you would never
guess in a hundred years what we did
ind. You see that stain on the carpet?
NSi, q SIedl uedl must nave soaked
through, must it noto?'
Undoubtedly it must"
We'll, you will be surprised to hear
that there is no stain on the white
woodwork to correspond
N stain! But there must
Yes, so o would say. But the
fact remains that there isn't"
He took the corne. Of the carpet in
his hand and, turning it over, he show
ed that it was indeed as he said.
But the underside is as stained as
the upper. 1t must have left a mark"
Lestrade chuckled with delight at
having puzzled the famous expert.
Nov, I'll show you the explanation.
There is a second stain, but it does
not correspond with the other. See for
yourself" AS he spoke he turned over
another portion of the carpet, and
there, sure enough, was a great GRIM
son spill upon the square white facing
of the old-fashioned floor. What do
you make Of that, Mr.. Holmes?"
Why, it is simple enough. The two
stains did correspond. but the carpet
been turned around. AS it was
square and unfastened it was easily
dorN.
The oficial police don't need you
Mr.. Holmes, to tell them that the car
pet must have been turned round.
That's clear enough, for the stains lie
above each other-if you lay it over
this way. But what T want to know is,
who shifted the On ri,et. and yyhv2n #Gt