The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-03-24


probably hear il from your own lips.
Meanwhile, / will reconstruct what is
past, for your benefit, so that you may
know the information which / still re-
quire.
"A lady yesterday entered your study.
She came with the intention of pos
sessing herself of certain documents
which were in your bureau. She had
a key of her own. have had an OPP
portunity of examining yours, and do
not lind that slight discoloration which
the scratch made upon the varnish
would have produced. You were not
an accessory, therefore, and she came,
so far as ] can read the evidence, with
out your knowledge to rob you.'
The professor blew a cloud from his
lips. This is most interesting and in
more to add1 Surely, having traced
ms iady SO Tar, you can also say what
Il will endeavor to do so. In the
first place she was seized BY your Sec
rotary, and stabbed him in order TO
escape. This catastrophe am inclined
to regard as an unhappy accident, for
| am. convinced that the lady had no
intention Of inflicting so grievous an
injury. An assassin does not come un-
armed. Horrifed by what she had
done, she rushed wildly away from the
scene of the tragedy. Unfortunately
for her, she had lost her glasses in the
scuttie, and as she was extremely short
sighted, she was really helpless with
out them. She ran down a corridor,
which she imagined to be that by which
she had come-both were lined with
cocoanut matting-and it was only
when II was too late that she under
stood that she had taken the wrong
passage, and that her retreat was cut
off behind her. What was she to do?
She could not 60 back She could not
remain where she was. She must go
on. She went on. She mounted stair,
pushed open door, and found herself
in your room"
open, staring wildly at Holmes. Amaze
ment and fear were stamped upon his
expressive features. Now, with an eff
fort, he shrugged his shoulders ana
burst into insincere Laughter
"An very fine, Mr. Holmes" said he.
But there is one little flaw in your
splendid theory. / was myself in my
room, and l never left it during tho
day."
Il am aware of that, Prof. Coram."
And you mean to say that / could
lie upon that bed and not be aware that
woman had entered my room"
Il never said so. You were aware
of il. You spoke with her. You rec
ognized her. You aided her to escape"
Again the professor burst into high
keyed laughter. He had risen to his
feet, and his eyes glowed like embers.
you are mad!" he cried. you are
talking insanely. helped her to cs-
capel Where is she now1"
"She is there" said Holmes, and he
pointed to high bookcase in the cor
ner of the ROOM.
saw the old man throw up his arms,
terrible CONFUSION passed over his
grim face, and he fell back in his chair.
At the same instant the bookcase at
which Holmes pointed swung round
upon hinge, and woman rushed out
into the room. "You are rightp she
cried, in strange, foreign voice. you
are right! ! am here
She was brown with the dust and
draped with the cobwebs. which had
come from the walls of her hiding
place Her face, too, was streaked with
CRIME, and at the best she could never
have been handsome, for she had the
exact physical characteristics which
Holmes had OWNED, with, in addition,
a long and obstinate chin. What with
her natural blindness, and what with
the change from dark to light, she
stood as one dazed, blinking about her
to see where and who we were. And
yet, in spite of all these disadvantages
there was a certain nobility in the
wonran's bearing-a gallantry in the
defiant chin and in the appraised head,
which compelled something of respect
and admiration.
Stanley Hopkins had laid his hand
upon her arm and claimed her as his
prisoner, but she waved him aside
gently, and yet with an overmastering
dignity which compelled obedience.
The old man lay back in his chair
with twitching face, and stared at her
with brooding eyes.
Yes, sir, am your prisoner" she
said. "From where | stood | could hear