Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-29


that he must have sat in the barrow /
ard let It slide down this incline. You
see the ground slopes considerable"
Then there would be marks Of the
barrow legs. How could he slide in
It and hold It up at the same time?"
He must have balanced himself be-
fore he started" Fisher replied. And
you see, Mt. Crewe, every few. yards
the tracks cease and begin again a
yard or more on one side. That's
where the legs fell down and he COW
cred up the tracks with snow. There
was slight thaw yesterday, and that
hid the traces Of his work"
Crewe grunted but said nothing.
Fisher led Us round the house. The
track OF the wheel ran down to the
frozen surface of the pond and thence
across the ice in a series of curves in
terrupted every few yards and re-
commencing a little distance away.
In the middle of the pond I saw a
gap of black water. The wheel tracks
ceased here; there were imprints Of
/ feet, but confused and irregular; then
across the water, the barrow tracks
began again and led to the opposite
shore.
One thing l noticed 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
a yard Of more on either side Of the
wheel markings.
That's where the barrow legs went
down." said Fisher. when Crewe point
cd these out TO him.
Nov, gentlemen, this is the theory
OF the police" said Fisher THE muir
derer scaled the wall Of the estate
which runs back Of the other shore
of the pond and got into the pheasant
woods, In which his barrow had been
concealed. He wheeled 1t over the
ice toward the mansion, with the idea
of utilizing It 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 it's weight when It was full.
In the middle Of the pond It broke,
and he was drowned"
Fisher looked round at US triumph
antly. as one who has solved the
tgreatest of all mysteries.
How deep is the pond where the
leo is broken?" l asked.
Fifty feet" said Evans. Some say
more"
Have you grappled for the plumber,
to make sure it is there?" l asked
Fisher.
Evans let down a line" he said.
but he couldn't find anything. The
current is too swift; II would carry
everything beneath the ice. We shall
have to wait till spring"
Meanwhile Crewe, apparently not
noticing Fishers explanations, was
searching among the footprints round
the hole. Presently he stopped down
and picked up a small wet object
which was floating on the surface of
the water. II was the heel Of a mans
boot, but so abraded and water-soaked
that II 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 a
knoll Of sandy earth upon the opposite
shore. You will find everything
there, think"
; Impossible" cried Fisher staring
at him. l stared. too. Miraculous as
; had appeared to be some OF Crewe's
deductions, IL seemed incredible that
: he could have solved this problem In
, so striking a fashion.
? eff you're afraid that your fine
theory will be shattered, of course you
need not go there" said Crewe. sneer
ing at Fisher. And this attitude was
, so unusual a one with Crewe that
, looked at him in greater establishment
than before.
, We'll sir" said the porter Evans
I who had been regarding Crewe atten
} lively, IF the gentleman says the
stut's there and IS so positive about
It. at least there won't be no harm
7 looking"
Right you are" cried Fisher at
, bet you five shillings, Mr.. Crewe, tina
, it's not there"
II never bet upon a certainty" re
piled Crewe, supercillously.
Then let's go there at once and
; seei" cried Fisher, stung by tn,
taunt
"what'd be the sense in his hiding
the stun down there?" asked the
D porter.
: Suppose you crawl in and bring &
out for US, my man" said Crewe, turn
ing upon him
. That will, sir. for sure" said Ev
5 ans brislly. Accordingly We started
: OF toward the bank and, arriving
there Evans went down upon hi
hands and knees and thrust HIS head
and arms into the hole, while Crews
stood Immediately over him.
!, Presently Evans came out, ver1
i dirty, but manifestly triumphant.
It's a blind hole" he said, shaking
!. the loose sand from his sleeves