Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-11-15

even in death. but there still fingered
upon 1t something of that convulsion
of horror which had been her last hu-
man emotion. From her bedroom we
descended to the sitting-room where
this tragedy had actually occurred.
The charred ashes Of the overnight fire
lay in the crate. On the table were
the four guttered and burned-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. swift 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 me that he saw some CLEAN
of light in this utter darkness.
why fire?" he asked. Had they
always a fire in this small room on a
| spring EVENING""
Mortimer Tregennis explained that
the night was cold and damp. For
that reason, after his arrival. the fire
was lit. What are you going to do.
Mr.. Holmes?" he asked.
My friend smiled and laid his hand
upon my arm. II think, Watson, that
l 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 l
am not aware that any new factor is
likely to come to our notice here
will turn the facts over in my mind.
Mr.. Tregennis, and should anything
occur to me l will certainly communi-
cate with you. In the meantime l wish
you both good morning"
1t was not until long after we were
back in Poldhu 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 forehead contracted. his
eyes vacant and far away. Finally.
he sprang to his feet
1T won't 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.
Now, let us calmly define our po-
sition, Watson" he continued, as we
skirted the cliffs together Let US
get a 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
Tregennis had left the room. That
is very important point. The pre-
sumption is that 1t was within 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
/ repeat. then. that the occurrence
was Immediately after his departure.
and not later than eleven o'clock last
night.
CTo BE CONTINUED