The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-07-12
PART TWO.

PART TWO.
Mr.. Soames was somewhat over
whelmed by this food of informotion,
Il can follow the other points" said
he. but really, in this mater of the
length"
Holmes held out a small chip with
the letters Nm and space OF clear
wood after them
You see?"
No, | fear that even now
Watson. | have always done you
an injustice There are others. what
could this Nm be? 1t is at the end OF
word. You are aware that Johann
Faber is the most common makers
name. Is it not clear that there is
just as much of the pencil left as
usually follows the Johann" He
held the small table sideways to the
electric light. Il was hoping that if
the paper on which he wrote was
thin, some trace of it might come
through upon this polished surface.
No, / see nothing | don't think there
is anything more to be learned here.
Now for the central table. This small
pellet is, / presume, the black doughty
mass you spoke Of. Roughly pyra-
midal in shape and followed out l
perceive. As you say, there appear TO
be grains OF sawdust in it. Dear me,
this is very interesting. And the cut
"a positive tear, | see. 1t began
with a thin scratch and ended IN
Jagged hole | am much indebted to
you for directing my attention to this
40
door lead to-"
ITO my bedroom"
Have you been in it since your ad-
venture?"
NO, | came straight away for you"
II should like to have a glance
round What a charming, old-fash-
Toned room! Perhaps you will kind
ly wait a minute, until | have exam
ined the floor. No, | see nothing.
What about this curtain? You hang
your clothes behind it. If anyone
were forced to conceal himself in this
room he must do it there, since the
bed is too low and the wardrobe too
shallow. No one there, | SUPPOSE
As Holmes drew the curtain l was
aware, from some little rigidity and
alertness of his attitude, that he was
matter of fact, the drawn curtain dis
closed nothing but three or four suits
of clothes hanging from line OF pegs.
Holmes turned away, and stopped
suddenly to the floor
"Halloa! What's this?" said he.
1t was a small pyramid of black,
putty-like stuff exactly like the one
upon the table of the study. Holmes
. hg- Inn n
glare of the electric light
Your visitor seems to have left
traces in your bedroom as we'll as in
your sitting-room, Mr.. Soames."
What could he have wanted
there?"
Il think it is clear enough. You
came back by an unexpected way, and
so he had no warning until you were
at the very door. What could he do?
He caught up everything which
would betray him, and he rushed into
your bedroom 10 conceal himself"
Good gracious, Mr.. Holmes, do yor
mean to tell me that, all the time
was talking to Bannister in this
room, we had the man prisoner If we
had only known it?''
Surely there is another alterna
tive, Mr. Holmes. don't know
whether you observed my bedroom
window"
Lattice PANIED, lead framework
three separate windows, one swing
ing on hinge. and large enough to ad
nit a man"
Exactly. And it looks out on ar
angle of the courtyard so as to b'
partly invisible. The man might have
effected his entrance there, left trace!
as he passed through the bedroom
and finally. finding the door open
have escaped that way"
Holmes shook his head impatiently
Let Us be practical" said he. .
understand you 10 say that there ar
three students who use this stair, ant
are in the habit of passing you
door,"
Yes. there are"
And they are all in for this exam
ination?"
Yes"
Have you any reason to suspec
any one of them more than the 9th
ers?"
Soames hesitated
1T is a very delicate question,
said he One hardly likes to throw
suspicion where there are no proofs.
Let us hear the suspicious. | vii
look after the proofs
Il will tell you. then. in a few word
the character of the three men VIII
inhabit these rooms. The lower of tn
three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar an
athlete, plays IN the Rugby team an
the cricket cam for the college. an
got his Blue for the hurdles and tn
long jump He is a fine, manly fe
low. His father was the notoriou
Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined hin
self on the turf, My scholar ha
been left very poor, but he is hard