The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-15
The Adventure of the Priory School
The Syndicate
BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
BY

Do you observe, Salu hOiIneS,
that the rider is now undoubtedly
forcing the pace? There can be no
doubt of it. Look at this impression
where you get both tires clear. The
one is as deep as the other That can
only mean that the rider is throwing
his weight on the handle-bar. as a
man does when he is sprinting. BY
Jove, he has had a fall
There was broad, irregular
smudge covering some yards of the
track. There were few foot-marks
and the tire re-appeared once more.
"A side Slip" ! suggested.
Holmes held up a crumpled branch
of Towering gorse. To my horror, l
perceived that the yellow blossoms
were all rabbled with crimson. On
were dark stains of clotted blood.
Bad" said Holmes. bad! Stand
clear, Watson, Not an unnecessary
footstep. What do I read here? He
fell wounded-he stood up-he re-
mounted-he proceeded. But there is
no other track. Cattle on this side
path. He was surely not gored by a
bull? Impossible! But l see no
traces of anyone else We must push
on, Watson. Surely, with stains as
we'll as the track to guide US, he
cannot escape us now"
Our search was not very long
one. The tracks of the tire began to
curve Enthusiastically upon the wet and
shining path. Suddenly as l looked
ahead, the CLEAN of metal caught my
eye from amid the thick gorce-bushes.
Out of them we dragged bicycle, Pal
mer-tired, one pedal bent, and the
whole front of it horribly smeared and
slobbered with blood. On the other
side of the bushes, a shoe was pro-
jecting. We ran around and there
lay the unfortunate rider. He was a
tall man, full bearded, with spectacles,
one glass of which had been knocked
out The cause of his death was a
frightful blow upon the head which
had crushed in part of his skull That
he could have gone on after receiving
such an injury said much for the vi
: tally and courage of the man. He
wore shoes, but no socks, and his open
coat disclosed night shirt beneath it.
I 1t was undoubtedly the German mas
| ter.
| Holmes turned the body over rev.
erently, and examined it with great
attention. He then sat in deep
thought for a time, and / could see
| by his ruffled brow that this grim dis.
covery had not, in his opinion, ad
vanced US much in our inquiry.
1T is a little difficult to know what
! TO do, Watson" said he, at last
My own inclinations are to push this
H. 1@r--
so much time that we can not AFFORD
to waste another hour. On the othei
hand. we are bound to inform the pc
lice of the discovery, and to see tina
this poor fellows body is looked
after
Il could take a not back"
But | need your company and as
sistance. Wait a bit! There is a fel
low cutting peat up yonder Brin;
him over here and he will guide tn
police
l brought the peasant across. AM
Holmes dispatched the frightene,
man with note for DR.. Huxtable.
Now, Watson" said he, I'VE hav,
picked up two clues this morning
One is the bicycle with the Paine
tire. The other is the bicycle wit
the patched Dunlop. Before we star
to investigate that, let us try to re
alize what we know, so as to make tn
most of it, and to separate the esser
tial from the accidental"
First of all, / wish to impress upo
: you that the boy left of his own fire
will. He got down from his window
! and he went off, either alone or wit
some one. That is sure
l assented.
: We'll. now, let US turn to this III
b.. fortunate German master The BIO
, was fully dressed when he fled. Their,
E, fore, he foresaw what he would d.
But the German went out without hi
socks. He certainly acted on yer
: short notice"
: Undoubtedly"
Why did he go? Because, from hi
= bedroom window, he saw the fligt
e of the boy; becase he wished to owe
take him and bring him back, b
seized his bicycle. pursued the la
2 and in pursuing him, met his death
1 SO it would seem"
g, Now | come to the critical part
i my argument. The natural action
q man in pursuing a little boy wou
Il be to run after him. But the Germa
y does not do so. He turns to his /
: cycle. | am told that he was an e
i cellent cyclist. He would not do tn
( did he not see that the boy had son
swift means of escape"
" The other bicycle
e Let us continue our RECONSTRUCTED
u He meets his death five miles fro
< the school-not by bullet, mark yo
t, which even lad might conceivab
l. discharge, but by a savage blow dea
II by a vigorous arm. The lad, the
d had a companion in his flight. Al
t. the flight was swift one, since
II took five miles before an expe
d cyclist could overtake them. Yet V
n survey the ground round the scene
g the tragedy. What do we find?
/, few cattle tracks, nothing more.
took a wide sweep around and the
le is no path within fifty yards. Anoth
cyclist could have had nothing to
IL with the actual murder, nor we
e there any human footmarks."
II Holmes" / cried, this is impC
N sible"
le Admirable" he said. "A most
| Illuminating remark. 1t is impossit
b. as | state it, and therefore | must
I'd some respect stated it wrong. Y
n you saw for yourself. Can you 81
Y gest any fallacy?"
He could not have fractured |
y skull in a fall?"