The Washington herald., 1912-04-07
Sunday, April 7, 1919.

dered The body of the unfortunate
baronet had been removed, and all else
remained as we had seen il in the morn
ing. Finally, to my astonishment, Holmes
climbed up on to the massive mantel-
piece. Far above his head hung the
few inches OF the red cord which were
still attached To the wire. For long
time he gazed upward at it, and then
IN an attempt TO get nearer to. it he
rested his knee upon a wooden bracket
on the wall. This brought his hand
within few inches of the broken end
of the rope, but it was not this so much
as the bracket itself which seemed to
engage his attention finally, he sprang
down with an ejaculation OF satisfac-
ton
ITS all right, Watson" said he. I'VE
have got our case-one Of the most re-
markable in Our collection. But, dear
me, how slow-witted | have been, and
how nearly ] have committed the blum
der of my lifetime Now, / think that,
with few missing links, my chain is
almost complete"
you have got your men"
Man, Watson, man. Only one, but
very formidable person. Strong as
lion-witness the blow that bent that
poker Six foot three in height, ac-
tive as squirrel, dexterous with his
fingers, finally, remarkably quick-witted,
for this whole ingenious story is of his
Soncoction. Yes, Watson, we have come
upon the handiwork of very remark
able individual. And yet, in that bell
rope, he has given us clew which
should not have left us a doubt"
Where was the clew?"
We'll, il you were TO pull down a
bell-rope, Watson, where would you ex-
pect it to break? Surely at the spot
where il is attached to the wire. Why
should il break three inches from the
top, as this one has done"
Because il is frayed there"
Exactly. This end, which we can
examine, is frayed. He was cunning
enough to do that with his knife. But
the other end is not frayed. You could
not observe that from here, but il you
were on the mantel piece you would see
that it is cut clean off without any mark
of fraying whatever. You can recon-
struct what occurred. The man need
ed the rope. He would not tear il
down for fear OF giving the alarm by
ringing the bell. What did he do? He
sprang up on the mantelpiece, could not
quite reach it, put his knee on the
bracket-you will see the impression in
the dust-and so got his knife to bear
upon the cord. / could not reach the place
by at least three inches-from which l
infer that he is at least three inches a
bigger man than !. Look at that mark
upon the seat Of the oaken chair What
is itr
Blood"
Undoubtedly it is blood. This alone
puts the lady's story out of court. II
she were seated on the chair when the
crime was done, how comes that mark?
No, no; she was placed in the chair after
the death of her husband. I'll wager
that the black dress shows correspond
ing mark to this. We have not yet met
our Waterloo, Watson, but this is our
Msrengo, for il begins in defeat and
ends in victory. | should like now to
have a few words with the nurse, The
resa. We must be wary for awhile, II
we are to get the information which
we want"
She was an interesting person, this
stern Australian nurse-taciturn. sus-
picious, ungracious, it took some time
before Holmes pleasant manner and
frank acceptance OF all that she said
thawed her into a corresponding anna
bility. She did not attempt to conceal
her hatred for her late employer.
"Yes, sir, it is true that he threw the
decanter at me. / heard him call my
mistress a name, and told him that he
would not dare to speak so il her broth
er had been there Then it was that
he threw it at me- He might have
thrown a dozen if he had but left my
bonny bird alone. He was forever i'll
treating her, and she too proud to COM
plain. She will not even tell me all that
he has done to her She never told me
of those marks on her arm that you
saw this morning, but know very
well that they come from stab with
a-~hatpin. The sly devil-God forgive
ME that | should speak of him so, now
that he is dead But a devil he was, If
ever one walked the earth. He was
all honey when first we met him-only
eighteen months ago, and we both feel as
if it were eighteen years. She had only
lust arrived in London. Yes. il was