The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-02-21
PART ONE.
. . . By A. CONAN DOYLE

| it passed through my mind that this | was probably the last parish in Eng | land to which the thief or thieves would be likely to turn their atten- tion-which shows that I have still much to learn.''
 'I fancy it's some local practition-
 er," said the Colonel. "In that case. of course, Acton's and Cunningham are just the places he would go for, since they are far the largest about here.'
 Well, they ought to be, but they've l had a lawsuit for some years which | has sucked the blood out of both of
 them, I fancy. Old Acton has some
 and the lawyers have been at it with i both hands,"
 "If it's a local villain there should not be much difficulty in running him
 down." said Holmes with a yawn. An
 right, Watson. l don't intend to med dle."
 Inspector Forester, sir,'' said the butler, throwing open the door. The official. a smart, keen-faced
 young fellow stepped into the room.
 Good morning, Colonel" said he; 'I
 hope l don't intrude, but we hear that
 MT. Holmes of Baker street is here"
 The Colonel waved his hand toward
 my friend, and the Inspector bowed. We thought that perhaps you
 Holmes.''
 ''The fates are against you, Wat
 son. said he, laughing. We were chatting about the matter when you
 let us have a few details.' As he l leaned back in his chair in the fa- miliar attitude l knew that the case | was hopeless.
 We had no clue in the Acton af-
 fair. But here we have plenty to gu
 on, and there's no doubt it is the same party in each case. The man was seen-"
 uAI,r ''Yes. sir. But he was off like a deer after the shot that killed poor Will liam kirwan was fred. Mr. Cunning ham saw him from the bedroom win dow, and MT. Alec Cunningham saw him from the back passa ge. It was quarter to twelve when the alarm broke out MT. Cunningham had just got into bed, and MT. Alec was smok- Ing a pipe in his dresSing-room. They both heard William, the coachman, calling for help, and MT. Alec ran ! down to see what was the matter. The | back door was open and as he came | to the foot of the stairs he saw two | men wrestling together outside. One
 Of them. fired a shot, the other drop | ped, and the murderer rushed across the garden and over the hedge MT Cunningham, looking out of his bed i room, saw the fellow as he gained the road, but lost sight of him at 1 once. MT Alec stopped to see if he | could help the dying man, and so the
 villain got clean away. Beyond the fact that he was nIiddle-sized man ana dressed in some dark stuff, we have no personal clue; but we are making energetic inquiries, and if he IS stranger we shall find him out" what was this William doing there? Did he say anything before
 Not a word. He lives at the | lodge with his mother, and as he was 1 a very faithful fellow we imagine
 mat mat he walked up to the house with
 the intention of seeing that all was
 right there. Of course this Acton business has put every one on their l guard. The robber must have inst l burst open the door-the lock has i been forced-when William came up- | on him.
 Did William say anything to his
 mother before going out?' | She is very old cnd deaf and we | can get no information from her The shock has made her haIf-witted put understand that she was never
 very bright There is one very import | this!' ae
 He took small piece of torn pa
 per rom a notebook and spread it
 out upon his knee.
 | This was found between the finger
 and thumb of the dead man. It aD- | pears to be a fragment torn from a | larger sheet You will observe that the hour mentioned upon it is the | very time at which the poor fellow derer might have torn the rest of the
 sheet from him or he might have taken this fragment from the mur- derer. It reads almost as though | it were an appointment"
 | Holmes took up the soap of pa per, fac-simile of which is here re- produced.