The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-02

fflS nOuSenOlQ uSeQ 10 CONSIST OI al
elderly housekeeper, Mrs. Marker, and
of maid, Susan Tarlton. These have
been with him since his arrival. and
they seem to be women of excellent
character The professor is writing
a learned book, and he found it nee
essary, about a year ago, to engage
a secretary. The first two that he
tried were not a success, but the third,
Mr.. Willoughby Smith, very young
man straight from the university.
seems to have been just what his en-
ployer wanted. His work consisted in
writing all the morning to the PROBES
sor's dictation, and he usually spent
the evening in hunting up references
and and passages which bore upon
the next days work. This Willaughby
Smith has nothing against him. either
IS boy at Uppingham, or as q young
man at Cambridge. / have seen his
testimonials, and from the first he was
recent quiet, hardworking fellow.
with no weak spot in him at ALL And
yet this is the lad who has met his
death this morning in the Professors
study under circumstances which can
point only to murder"
The wind howled and screamed at
the windows. Holmes and I drew
closer to the fire, while the young in
spector slowly and point by point de-
veloped his singular narrative.
IF you were to search all England"
said he. 81 don't suppose you could
find d household more self-contained
or freer from outside Influences. Whole
weeks would pass, and not one of them
go past the garden gate. The Profess
sor was buried in his work and existed
for nothing else. Young Smith knew
nobody in the enighborhood and lived
very much as his employer did. The
two women had nothing to take them
! from the house. Mortimer. the gar
dener, who wheels the bath-chair, is
an army pensioner-an old Crimean
man of excellent character He does
not live in the house, but in a three
roomed cottage at the other end of the
/ garden. Those are the only people
that you would find within the grounds
Of Yoxley Old Place At the same
time, the gate of the garden is hun
dred yards from the main London to
Chatham road. 1t opens with latch.
and there is nothing to prevent any
one from walking in.
Now ! will give you the evidence
of Susan Tarltcn, who is the only per
son who can say anything positive
about the matter. II was in the fore
noon, between eleven and twelve. She
was engaged at the moment in hang.
ing some curtains in the upstairs
! front bedroom. Professor Coram was
/, still in bed, for when the weather is
bad he seldom rises before midday.
The housekeeper was busted with
some work in the back of the house.
Willoughby Smith had been in his bed.
room, which he uses as a sitting-room
but the maid heard him at that mo-
Elent pass along the passage and de
scend to the study Immediately below
her. She did not see him, but she
says that she could not be mistaken In
his quick. firm tread. She did not
hear the study door close, but a min
ute or SO later there was a dreadful
crylin the room below 1t was a wild
hoarse scream, so strange and unnatu
raj that it might have come either
from man or woman. At the same
instant there was heavy thud. which
shook the old house, and then all was
silence. The maid stood petrifed fol-
a moment, and then, recovering her
courage, she ran downstairs. The
study door was shut and she opened
it. Inside, young Mr.. Wihoughby
Smith was stretched upon the floor
At rst she could see no injury, but
as she tried to raise him she saw tina,
blood was pouring from the undersid:
of his neck. 1t was pierced by a very
small but deep wound. which has di
vided the carotid artery. The inStru
ment with which the injury had been
inflicted lay upon the carpet beside
him. 1t was one of those small sealing
wax kniXes to be found on old-fash
Toned writins-tabIe. with an ivory har
die and a stiff blade. 1t was part OF
the fittings of the Professors OWL
desk.
AT first the maid thought tina;
young Smith was already dead, but or
pouring sone water from the caraft
over his forehead he opened his eyes
for an instant. The Professor h.
nurmured-it was She The maid is
prepared to swear that those were til.
exact words. He tried desperately tC
say somthing else, and he held his
, right hand up in the air. Then hi
fell back dead.
''1n the meantime the housekeepei
; had also arrived upon the scene, bu
she was just too late to catch the
= young mans dying words. Leaving
, Susan with the body, she hurried t,
up in bed horribly agitated, for he hac
heard enoush 10 convince him tina
something terrible had occurred. Mrs
Marker is prepared to swear that the
Professor was still in his nightclotheS
and indeed it was impossible for hin
TO dress without the help of Mortimer
: whose orders were to come at twelv>
o'clock. The Professor declares tina
he heard the distant cry, but that ht
, knows nothing more. He can give NJ
5 explanation of the young mans las
words, The ProfesSor-it was she,
, but imagines that they were the out
come of delirium. He believes tina
( Willoughby Smith had not an enem,
in the world. and can give no reason
for the crime. His first action was t.
send Mortimer, the gardener. for tn,
, local police. A little later the chic
, constable sent for me. Nothing wa
: moved before ] got there. and stric
: orders were given that no one shoult
, walk upon the paths leading to tn
; rouse. 1t was splendid chance o
: putting your theories into practice. Nj
Sherlock Holmes. There was reall
, nothing wanting
! "Eycopt Mr. Sherlock Holmes " sal,