Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-17
my Brothers." Cried Mortimer Ire
aennis, White to His Lips.

occur to me I will certainly communl
cate with you. In the meantime WISH
you both good morning"
It WAS not until long after we We're
back in Poldhu cottage that Holmes
broke his complete and absorbed ST.
lence. lie sat coiled III his armchair,
MS haggard and ascetic face hardly
visible amid the blue swirl Of his to-
bacco smoke, his black brows drawn
down. his forehead contracted, his
eyes vacant and far away. Finally,
ne sprang to his feet.
1T won't do. Watson!" said he,
with laugh. Let us walk along tue
lifts together and search fer flint ar.
rows. We are more likely TO find
hem thar clues 70 this problem. To
lct the brain work without sufficient
material is like racing an engine. Ii
racks itself to pieces. Til" sen ar
sunshine and patience, WGtson-aiI
.lsa will come.
Now. let US calmly define our pc
sition, WATSON" he continued, as We
skirled the cliffs together. Let US
get firm grip oil the very little which
we 90 know, so that when fresh facts
arise we may be ready 10 fit them into
their places. ! take il. il the first
place. that neither Of US is prepared
10 admit diabolicGl intrusions into
the affairs OF men. Let lis begin by
ruling that entirely out OF our minds.
Very good. There remain three per-
sons who have been srievouSly 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, it
was Immediately after Mr.. Mortimer
Tregennis had left the room. That
is very important point. The pre-
sumption is that it was within fe"
minutes afterwards. The cards still
lay upon the table. It was already
past their usual hour for bed. Yet
they mad not changed ;:!tir position.
| repeat, then, that the occurrence
was Immediately after his departure,
and not later than eleven o'ciocl; last
night
Our next obvious step is to check.
so far as we can, the movements or
Mortimer TreSeEnis after he left the
room. In this there is no difficulty.
and they seem TO be above suspicion.
Knowing my methods as you do. you
we're, of course. conscious OF the some
what clumsy waterproof eXpedient by
which | obtained a clearer impress OF
his foot than might otherwise have
been possible. The vet, sandy path
took it admirably Last night was
also wet. you will remember, and it
was not diiiicult-having obtained d
sample print--to pick out his track
among others and to follow his move
ments. He appears TO have walked
swiftly in the direction Of the vicar
age.
IF, then, Mortimer Tregennis disap-
peared from the scene, and get some
outside person affected the cara play
ers, how can we reconstruct that per-
son, and how was such an impression
If horror conveyed? Mrs. Porter
may be eliminated. She is evidently
harmless. Is there any evidence that
some one crept up to the garden win.
dow and in some manner produced so
terrific an effect that he drove those
who saw 1t out OF their senses? The
only suggestion il this direction
comes from Mortimer Tregennis him
self. VINO says that his brother spoke
about some movement in the garden.
That is certainly remarkable, as the
night was rainy, cloudy and dark.
Anyone who had the design 10 alarm
.hese people would be compelled 10
place his very face against the glass
before ne could be seen. There is
three-foot flower border outside this
windoS, but Nc indication OF foot
~ ..f