Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-07-19
expression of blank dismay upon Bannis-
ter In the farther cnrner


of what passes between US. We can be
perfectly frank with each other We want
TO know, Mr.. Gilchrist. how you. an hon
Durable man. ever came to commit such
an action as that of yesterday"
The unfortunate young man staggered
back, and cast look full Of horror and
reproach at Bannister.
NO. no. Mr.. Gilchrist, sir. I never said
n word-never one world" cried the SER
want.
NO but you have now" said Holmes.
Now. sir, you must see that after Ban
listers words your position is hopeless. and
that your only chance lies IN a frank con-
fession."
For IA moment C;ilchrist. with appraised
hand, tried to control his writing feat
uIcs. The next he had thrown himself on
his knees beside the table aud burying
his face in his hands. he had burst into a
storm of passionate sobb.ng.
Come. come" said Holmes. kindly it
is human 10 err. and at least no one can
accuse you of being a callous criminal
Perhaps it would be easier for you if I
We're to tell Mr. Soamcs what occurred.
and you can check ME where I am wrong.
Shall do so? Well. we'll. don't trouble to
answer. Listen. and see that do you no
injustice"
Prom the moment, Mr.. Soamcs, that.
You said to me that no one. not oven Ban
mister. could have told that the papers
We're in your room, the case began to take
a definite shape in my mind. The printer
one could, of course dismiss. He could
examine the papers in his own office The
Indian l also thought nothing of. If the
proofs Were in roll he could NOT possibly
know what they We're. on the other hand
it seemed an unthinkablc coincidcncc that
a man should dare to enter the room,
and that by chance on that very day the
papers We're OH the table | dismissed
that. The man who entered knew that
the papers We're there. How did he know ?
when approached Your room. | cXam-
ined the window. You amused me by sup
posing that | was contemplating the pos
sihlllty OF someone having in broad day
light. under the eyes of all these opposite
rooms. forced himself through It, Such an
idea was absurd. | was measuring how
tall Il man would need to be In order. to
see. as he passed, what papers We're on
the central table. am six feet high, and
! could do it with an effort No one less
than that would have a chance Already
YOU see | had reason to think that, if one
of your three students was a man of ,In-
usual height, he was the most worth
watching of the three.
II entered, and I took you into my con-
fdcnce as to the suggestions of the side
table OF the center table could mak,.
HoAlIlIlS, uIllll III your description OF Gil
christ you mentioned that he was a long
distance jumper. Then the whole thing
came TO me in an instant and only
needed certain corroborativc proofs. which
l speedily obtained.
What happened was this This Young
fellow mad employed his afternoon at the
athletic grounds where he had been prac-
ticing the jump. He returned carrying his
jumping shoes. which are provided. MS
orr a Iel,r
AS he passed your window he saw, by
means of his great height. these proofs
upon your table. and conjecture,l
what they We're. No harm would have
been done had It not been that, as he
passed your door. he perceived the key
which had been left by the carelcssncss OF
your servant. A sudden impulse came over
him to enter. and see If they We're indeed
the proofs 1t was not dangerous exploit
for he could always pretend that he hac
simply looked in to ask Il question.
Well, when he saw that they We're In
deed the proofs. 1t was then that he Yield
ed to temptation He put his shoes on the
table. What was 1t you put on that chaii
near the Window"
"Gloves" said the young man.
Holmes looked trumphantly at Fan.
mister HE put his gloves on the chair
and took the proofs sheet by sheet, to
copy them. He thought the tutor mus
return by the main gate. and that h,
would see him. AS we know, he cam.
back by the side gate Suddenly he hear,
hin! at the very door. There was no pos
sib!e escape. He forgot his gloves but h,
caught up his shoes and dartccl into tn.
| bedroom. You observe that the scratch
on that table is slight at one side. hui
dccpens in the direction of the bedroom
door. That i'm itself is enough to show u.
that the shoe had been drawn in that di
rection, and that the culprit had takef
refuge there The earth round the spilk,
had been left on the table. and II secon,
sample was looscned and fell in the bed
room l may add that walked out to tn,
athletic grounds this morning. saw tina
tenacious black clay is used in the jump
ing pit. and carried away a specimen o
1T. together with some of the fine tan
or sawdust which Is strewn over 1t to pre-
vent the athlete from slipping. Have
told the truth, Mr.. tiilchriste"
The student had drawn himself erect.
"Ycs, sir, 1T is true. = said he
Good heavens, have you nothing I,
add" cried Soames
Yes. sir. have, but the shock of thi
| disgraceful exposure has bewidcrcd mo
| | have Il letter here, MIR. Soalnes which
wrote to you early this morning in III
middle of u restless night II Was bclor
| knew that my sin had found me out
lIere ii is, sir You will sec that hay
! s.dfi, j have determined not IL 30 in TO
tn" "xamination J have been offered
commission in the Ishodosian police, and
| am going ont TO South Africa al once. .
| II am indeed pleased TO hear that yo'
! did not intend TO profit ly YOU unfair al
| vantage" said Soamcs But Why di,
you change your purpose"
Cilchrisi pointed To l;annstnr
There Is the man who set me IN TN
| right path. said he
Come now l,;nnistor," said liollnos
/ ~ will be clear TO YOU. from what hay
said, that only You could have let thi
| s'olng man out, since YOU were left IN III
| room, and must have locked tho doc
| when you went cut AS to his escapin3
| BY that window. it WAS Incredible ca
| you not clear up the last point in thi
mystery and ten us the reasons for you
| arton?'
1T was simple enough, sir. If you onl
had known, but, with all your cicverness
| it was impossible that you could know
! Time was. sir. when ! was butler to oil
| Sir JabcZ tiilchrist, this young gentle
| mans father when he WIS ruined cam
10 the college as servant. but | never for
got my old employer because he WAS dow
In the world. ! watched his son all
| could for the sake of the old days We'll
sir whom | came into this room yesterday
when the alarm WAS given. the very frs
| thing ] saw was Mr.. Gilchrist's tan glove
a-lying in that chair. | knew those glove
we'll and understood their message. !
Mr.. Soames saw them, the game was VI
| / Topped down into that chair and nothin
would bulge me until Mr.. Soames he wen
I for you. Then out came my poor youn
master whom / had handled ON my knee
and confessed it all to me. Wasn't
| natural sir that i should save him, an
! wasn't it natural also that 1 should tr
| TO speak to him as his dead father woul
have done and make him understand tina
he could not profit by such deed? Coul
/ you blame me. sir?