The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-13

Oldest families in the County Of Nor
folk, and one of the most honored.'
Without word Holmes hurried to
| carriage, and during the long seven
miles drive he never opened his mouth
Seldom have l seen him so utterly de-
spondent. He had been uneasy during
all our journey from town, and had
observed that he had turned over The
morning papers with ANXIOUS attention,
but now this sudden realization of his
worst fears left him in a blank mel
ancholy. He leaned back in his seat
lost in gloomy speculation. Yet there
was much around to interest us, for
We were passing through as singular
countryside as any in England. where
Few scattered cottages Represented
the population OF today, while on every
hand enormous square-towered church
es bristled up from the fiat, green land
scape and told of the glory and pros
perity of old East Anglia. At last the
violet rim of the German Ocean
appeared ever the green edge of the
! Norfolk coast, and the driver pointed
with his whip to two old brick and tim
, Der gables which projected from a
grove Of trees. That's Riding Thorpe
|
| As we drove up to the porticoed
front door, l observed in front of it,
house and the pedestalled sun-dial
beside the tennis lawn, the black tool
house and the pedestalled un-dial with
which we had such strange associa-
lions. dapper little man. with
quick alert manner and a waxed NOUS
/ tache, had just descended from a high
dog cart. He introduced himself as In
spector Martin, of the Norfolk Con-
staDulary. and he was considerably
astonlshed when he heard the name of
my companion.
why. Mr.. Holiness the crime was
only committed at three this morning.
How could you hear of it in London
and get to the spot as soon as To-
Il anticipated it. / came in the hope
of preventing it."
Then you must have important evil
dence, Of which we arc ignorant, for
| they were said to be a most united
couple
Il have only the evidence of the
dancing men, said Holmes. 81 will
explain the matter to you later. Mean
while, since It is too late to prevent
this tragedy, l am very anxious that
should use the knowledge which I pos
| ~
done. Will you associate me in your
investigation, or will you prefer that
should act indepe ndently?"
Il should be proud to feel that we
were acting together Mr. Holiness
| said the inspector. earnestly.
In that case | should be glad to hear
the evidence and to examine the prem
ises without an instant of unnecessary
delay"
| Inspector Martin had the good sense
to allow my friend to do things in his
own fashion. and contented himself
with carefully noting the results. The
local surgeon, an old, white-haired
man, had just come down from Mrs
Hilton Cubitt's room, and he reported
that her injuries were serious, but not
necessarily fatal. The bullet had passed
through the front of her brain, and it
would probably be some time before
she could regain consciousness On
the question of whether she had been
shot or had shot herself, he would not
venture to express any decided opin-
ion. Certainly the bullet had been dis
charged at very close quarters. There
, was only the one pistol found in the
room, two barrels OF which had been
emptied. Mr.. Hilton Cubitt had been
shot through the heart. 1t was equally
conceivable that he had shot her and
then himself, or that she had been the
criminal, for the revolver lay upon the
floor midway between them.
Has he been NOV e d ?" asked
Holmes.
We have moved nothing except the
lady. We could not leave her lying
wounded upon the floor"
How long have you been here, doc.
tor"
Since four o'clock"
ANYONE elsec"
Yes, the constable here"