The Washington herald., 1912-04-14
The adventure of
The Second Stain
Continued from Page Three.

nlnRed back like the It'd OF DoX. n
small black cavity opened beneath IT,
Holmes plunged his eager hand into il,
and drew il out with a bitter snarl Of
anger and disappointment. II was
empty.
Quick, Watson, quickl Get it back
again. The wooden lid was replaced,
and the drugget had only just been
drawn straight when Lestrade's voice
was heard in the passage. He found
Holmes leaning languidly against the
mantelpiece, resigned and patient, en-
deavoring to conceal his irrepressible
yawns.
Sorry TO keep you waiting, Mr.
Holmes. can see that you are bored
10 death with the whole affair. Well,
he has confessed, all right. Come in
here, MACPHERSON. Let these gentlemen
hear of your most inexcusable conduct"
The big constable, very hot and peni-
tent, sidled into the room.
Il meant no harm, sir, I'm sure. The
young woman came TO the door last
evening-mistook the house, she did.
And then we got talking. It's lonesome,
when you're on duty here all day"
We'll, what happened then?'
"She wanted 70 see where the crime
was done-had read about it in the
papers, she said. She was very re-
spectacle, well-spoken young woman,
sir, and saw no harm in letting her
have peep. When she saw that mark
on the carpet, down she dropped on the
floor, and lay as II she were dead. l
ran to the back and got some water, but
j could not bring her to- Then / went
around the corner to the Ivy Plant for
some brandy, and by the tiqe i had
brought il back the young woman had
recovered and was off-ashamed of her
self, daresay, and dared not face me-"
How about moving that drugget!
WELL sir, II was bit rumpled, GER
tainly, when ! came back. You see, she
fell on il, and it lies on polished floor
with nothing to keep II in place.
Strengthened il out afterward.'
"It's a lesson to you that you can't
deceive me, Constable MACPHERSON"
said Lestrade, with dignity. mo doubt
you thought that your breach of duty
could never be discovered, and yet
mere glance at that drugget was enough
TO convince me that some one had been
admitted to the room. It's lucky for
you, my man, that nothing is missing,
or you would find yourself in Queer
Street. I'm sorry to have called you
down over such petty business, Mr..
Holmes, but thought the point of the
second stain not corresponding with the
first would interest YOU"
Certainly, il was most interesting.
Has this woman only been here once,
constable?"
"Yes, sir, only once"
"Who was she?"
Don't know the name, sir. Was an
swering an advertisement about type
writing, and came to the wrong num-
ber-very pleasant, gentesl young
woman. sirr"
Tall? Handsome"
"Yes, sir, she was well-grown young
woman. suppose you might say she
was handsome Perhaps some would
say she was very handsome. oh, officer,
do let me have peepp says she. She
had pretty, coaxing ways, as you might
say, and i thought there was no harm
in letting her just put her head through
the door"
How was she dressedp
Quiet, SRA long mantle down to
her feet"
What time was it1'
at was just growing dusk at the time.
They were lighting the lamps as came
back with the brandy"
very good" said Holmes. Come,
watson, i MINK tnat We nave nlOiS ii-
portant work elsewhere"
As we left the house Lestrade re-
NAMED in the front room, while the
Tepentent constable opened the door to
let us out. Holmes turned on the step
and held up something in his hand. The
constable stared intently.
Good Lord, sirp he cried, with
amazement on his face. Holmes put
his finger on his lips, replaced his hand
in his breast pocket, and burst out
laughing as we turned down the street:
Excellent - said he. Come, friend
Watson, the curtain rings up for the
last act. You will be relieved to hear
that there will be no war, that the
Right Hon. Trelawney Hope will suffer
no setback in his brilliant career, that
the indiscreet sovereign will receive no
punishment for his indiscretion, that the
prime minister will have no European
complication to deal with, and that with
a little tact and management upon our
mart nohodv will he a Denny the worse