The Calumet news., 1912-06-11
G. s "Reminiscences Of
EcSHfRIOCK
>VR HOLMES
\N y NMH6burC ComauDowzt
N \ Illustrations by KLBs1ue,

! Il lie servant VINO ndu HTSl SHtSItu
had thrown up the window, or II would
have been even more intolerable. This
| might partly be due to the fact that
lamp stood flaring and smoking on
| the center table. Beside II sat the
/ dead man, leaning back in his chair,
his thin beard projecting. his spec
! tacles pushed up on to his forehead,
and his lean, dark face turned towards
the window and twisted into the same
distortion of terror which had marked
the features of his dead sister. His
limbs were convulsed and his fingers
contorted. as though he had died in
very paroxysm OF fear. He was fully
clothed, though there were signs that
his dressing had been done in a hur-
ry. We had already learned that his
bed had been slept in. and that the
tragic end had come to him in the
early morning.
One realized the red-hot energy
which underlay Holmes phlegmatic
exterior when l saw the sudden
change which came over him from the
moment that he entered the fatal
apartment. In an instant he was tense
and alert, his eyes shining, his face
set, his limbs quivering with an eager
activity. He was out on the lawn, in
through the window, round the room.
and up into the bedroom, for all the
world like a dashlng foxhound draw
ing cover. In the bedroom he made
a rapid cast around, and ended by
throwing open the window, which ap.
peared TO give him some fresh cause
for excitement, for he leaned out of il
with loud calculations of interest and
delight. Then he rushed down the
stair. out through the open window,
threw himself upon his face on the
lawn, sprang up and into the room
hunter who is at tho very heels of his
quarry. The lamp, which was an or
dinary standard, he exa@ined with
minute care, making certain measure
ments upon its bowl He carefully
scrutiniZed with his lens the tale
shield which covered the top of the
chimney. and scraped off some ashes
which adhered to its upper surface,
putting some of them into an enve-
lope. which he placed in his pocket
book. Finally, just as the doctor and
the official police put in an appear
ance, he beckoned to the vicar and
we all three went out upon the lawn.
II am glad to say that my investl-
cation has not been entirely barren"
he remarked. Il cannot remain to
discuss the matter with the police,
but / should be exceedingly obliged,
Mr.. RoGAGaay, II you would give the
inspector my compliments and direct
his attention TO the bedroom window
and to the sitting-room lamp. Each is
suggestive, and together they are al
most conclusive. If the police would
desire further information shall be
happy to see any OF them at the cot
tsge. And now, Watson, l think that
perhaps we shall be better employed
elsewhere"
1t may be that the police resented |
the intrusion of an amateur, or that !
they imagined themselves TO be upon
some hopeful line of investigation; |
but It is certain that we heard moth |
ing from them for the next two days. |
"You will remember, Watson" said
Holmes one afternoon. that there is
a single common point of resemblance
in the varying reports which have |
reached us. This concerns the effect |
of the atmosphere of the room in each |
case upon those who have first en-
tered 1t. You will recollect that Nor
timer Tregennis, in describing the
episode of his last visit to his broth
er's house, remarked that the doctor
on entering the room fell into a chair?
You had forgotten? Well, can an
swer for 1t that it was so. Now, you
will remember also that Mrs. Porter
the housekeeper, told us that she her.
self tainted upon entering the room
and had afterwards opened the win
dow. In the second case--that of Nor
timer Tregennis himself-you cannot
have forgotten the horrible STIFFNESS
Of the room'when we arrived, though
the servant had thrown open the win
dow. That servant, / found upon in
quiry, was so Ill that she had gone
to her bed. You will admit, Watson,
that these facts are very suggestive.
In each case there is evidence of
poisonous atmosphere. In each case,
also, there is combustion going on in
the room--in the one case a fire, in |
the other lamp. The fire was need
ed, but the lamp was lit-as a COM
parison of the oil consumed will show
long after IL was broad. daylight.
Why? Surely because there is some
between three things-the
the stuffy atmosphere, and. (
inally, the madness or death of those
Unfortunate people. That is clear, is ,
1 not?"
1T would appear so." ,
AT least we may accept it as n
working hypothesis. We will suppose.
hen, that something was burned in
Zach case which produced an atmos- I
ohere causing strange toxic effects. ,
Very good. In the first instance-that {
If the Tregennis family--this sub ;
stance was placed in the fire. Now,
he window was shut, but the fire I
would naturally carry fumes tn soma