Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-09-03

four strong mer to get the brothers
into the asylum carriage. She would
not herself stay in the house another
day. and was starting that very after
noon to reioin her family at st Ives.
We assembled the stairs and viewed
the body Miss Brenda Tregennis
had been 9. very beautiful girl. though
now verging upon middle age. He-
dark. clsarcut face was handsome.
even In death. but there still fingered
upon 1t something of that convulsion
Of horror which had been her last hui
man emotion. From her bedroom we
descended to the sitting-room where
this tragedy had actually occurred.
The charrei ashes OF the overnight FIRE
the four grttered and buriled-out can
dies, with the cards scattered over its
surface. The chairs had been moved
back against the walls. but all else
was as 1t had been the night before.
Holmes paced with light. syift steps
about the room; he sat in the various
chairs. drawing them up and recon
structing their positions. He tested
how much of the garden was visible;
he examined the floor, the ceiling, and
the fireplace; but never once did see
that sudden Frightening Of his eyes
and Tightening of his lips which would
have told Inc that he saw some CLEAN
of light In this utter darkness.
why fire?" he asked. Had they
always fire in this small room on q
spring EVENING""
Mortimer Tregennis explained that
the night was cold and damp. For
that reason, after his arrival, the FIRE
was IT. what are you going to do,
Mr. Holmes?" he asked
My friend smiled and laid his hand
upon my arm. Il think. Watson, that
shall resume that course of tobacco
poisoning which you have so often
and so Justly condemned" said he.
With your permission, gentlemen, we
will now return to our cottage, for i
am not aware that any new facto. is
likely to come to our notice here, /
will turn the facts over in my mind,
Mr.. Tregennisr and should anything
occur to me | will certainly communi-
cate with you. In the meantime l wish
you both good morning"
1t was rot until long after we were
back in Foldhu cottage that Holmes
broke his complete and absorbed ST.
lence He sat coiled in his armchair,
his haggard and ascetic face hardly
visible amid the blue swirl of his to-
bacco smoke, his black brows drawn
down, his foreheadA contracted, his
eyes vacant and far away. Finally,
he sprang to his feet.
1T went do, Watson!" said he,
with laugh. Let US walk along the
cliffs together and search for flint ar
rows. We are more likely to find
them than clues to this problem. To
let the brain work without sufficient
material Is like racing an engine. It
racks itself to pieces. The sea air.
sunshine, and patience, Watson-all
else will come.
Nov, let US calmly define our po-
sition, Watson" he continued, as we
skirted the cliffs together Let us
get firm grip of the very little which
we do know, so that when fresh facts
arise we may be ready to fit them into
their places. take 1t, in the first
place. that neither Of US is prepared
to admit diabolical intrusions into
the affairs of men. Let US begin by
ruling that entirely out Of our minds.
Very good. There remain three per-
sons who have been grievously strick-
en- by some conscious or unconscious
human agency. That is firm ground.
Now, when did this occur? Evidently,
assuming his narrative to be true, 1t
was Immediately after Mr.. Mortimer
Tregennisi had left the room. That
is very important point. The pre-
sumption is that it was within a few
minutes afterwards. The cards still
lay upon the table. 1t was already
past their usual hour for bed. Yet
they had not changed their position.
I repeat, then, that the occurrence