The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-12-15

Then there would be marks OF the
barrow legs. How could he slide in
1t and hold It up at the same tlme?"
He must have balanced himself be.
fore he started, Fisher replied. l"And
you see. Mr.. Crewe. every. few yards
the tracks cease and begin again q
yard or more on one. side. That's
where the legs fell down andahe GOV:
cred up the tracks with snow Thors
was slightIth yesterday. and that
hid the traces Of his work.r -sby
Crewe grunted but said nothing.
Fisher led us round the house. . The
track Of the wheel ran down TO the
frozenisurface OF the pond and thence
across the ice In aiseries Of curves IN.
terrupted every few yards and re.
commencing allittle distance away.
, In the middle Of tho pondaI saw a
gap ofiblack water. The wheel tracks
ceased here;, there were imprints OF
feet, butsconfused and irregulat;pth then
across the water. the barrow tracks
began again and led ito the opposite
shore. tEea @,t A4t'aR r,j rhl Biigis
One thing noticed. is Across the
water there was nothing but the single
wheel track; but on the side nearer
the mansion there were soft, shape.
less holes in the snow at intervals OF
yard Of more on either side of the
wheel markings soc. HsH&g s'ipt
That's where the barrow legs went
down. said Fisher, when Crewe point
ed these out to him. m ptRr
Now, gentlemen this is the theory
of the police,S' said Fisher. 1.-THE muir
derer scaled the wall of the estate
which runs back Of the other shore
OF the pond and gotinto the pheasant
woods, in which his barrow had been
concealed. He wheeled 1t over the
ice toward the mansion, with the idea
OF utilizing 1t for carrying away. the
plumber, probably to some vehicle
which he had in waiting at a safe dis.
lance. He wheeled the barrow up to
the house, entered, committed the
crime, and started out with the
plumber. dumped into the barrow.
But the ice, which had borne the bar
row when It was empty, would not
support its weight when 1t was full.
In the middle OF the pond 1t broke,
and he was drowned" X"
Fisher looked round at US triumph
antly, as one who has solved the
greatest Of all mysteries.
How deep is the pond where the
ice is broken ?" I asked.
Fifty feet" said Evans. Some say
more" "
Have you grappled for the plumber.
TO fmakefsure 1t Is there?." asked
Fisher.
n ~ .,Eyans let down line he said,
Pit he couldn't find anything,S The
current is too swift; 1t would carry
everything beneath'the ice. We shall
have TO waitstil spring"
Meanwhile Crewe, apparently not
noticing Fishers explanations, was
searching among the footprints round
the hole. Presently he stopped down
and picked up small wet object
which was floating on the surface OF
he.water. 1t was the heel OF a mans
boot, but so abraded and water.soalsed
that 1t could not have been fitted with
certainty to any shoe.
Gentlemen" said Crewe, raising
himself, "the search Is at an end
You see that hole in the bank beside
the lake," he continued. pointing to
the entrance Of a sometime fox war.
rem. which appeared at the base of q
knoll of sandy earth upon the opposite
share. you will find everything
there. think :.
"lmpossible!" cried Fisher, staring
at him. stared. too. Miraculous as
had appeared to be some Of Crewe's
deductions. 1t seemed incredible that
he could have solved this problem In
so striking fashion.
"lf you're afraid that your fine
theory WILDE shattered, of course you
need not go there" said Crewe, sneer-
Ing at Fisher And this attitude was
SO unusual one with Crewe that I
looked at him in greater establishment
than before.
well. sir" said the porter Evans,
who had been regarding Crewc atten.
lively. III the gentleman says tho
stuff's there and is so positive about
1t, at least there Won be no harm
looking"
Right You are" cried Fisher. I'll
bet you five shI!lincs, Mr.. Crcwe, that
its not there"
81 never bet upon a certainty" re-
piled Crewe, supercilouE!y.
Then let's go there at once and
see!" cried Fisher, stung by the
taunt.
"Whatd be the sense In his Hiding
the stuff down there?" asked the
porter.
Suppose you crawl In and bring It
out for us, my man." said Crewe, turn.
ing upon him.
THAT Twill, sir, for sure" said Ev.
ans brlskly. Accordingly we started
oil toward the bank and arriving
there Evans went down upon his
hands and knees and thrust HIS Le,ld
and arms into the hole. while Crewe
stood Immediately over him.
Presently Evans came out. very
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