The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-07-22
The Man With
 The Twisted Lip

real, real Op1nlOn
 "Upon which. pornt?"
 ..In your heart of hearts do you think that Neville is ahve
 Sherlock Holmes seemed to be em- barressed by the quesuon. I,r,Hn now!" she repeated. standing upon the rug and looking keenly down al him as he leaned back in basket chair. ,+ . Frankly, then, madam: do not "You think that ne is deao "I do."
 Murdered" ?"
 sI don't say that. Perhaps" And on what day did he meet hls
 .sThen perhaps. MT Holmes you will be good enough to explan now it is that I have receIseo a ieleeA from him today"
 Sherlock Holmes sprans out or ms chair as if he had been galvanized.
 eyes. today She stood srnihng, holding up a little slip of paper 'n
 May I see it?''
 He snatched it from her in his eagnerness and smoothlns ~ out opun the table, he drew over the lamp, and examined it intently. l had le1t my chair, and was gazing at II over his shoulder. The envelope was very coarse one, and was sIai"peS with the Gravesend pcst-mark, ana with the date. of that very 6ay, or rather of the day. before. for it was considerably after midnight. Ho1mes, GoaFse surely wI1tinfi this is not your husbands writing madam:
 ..No. but the enclosure is.
 "T perceive also that whoever aos dressed the envelope had to go anu inquire as 60 the address
 '.How can you tell that?"
 '~The name, you see. is in perfectly black ink. which has dried itself. The rest is of the grayish color, when shows that blotting-paper has heen used If it had been written stra1sht off. and then plotted, none would ne of a deep black shaoe. This man has written the name ana mere haS then been a pause before he wrote the address which can only mean that he was not familiar with 1t. IL is of course a trifle, but there Is nothing so important as tr1Iies. us now see the letter. Ha! there hdS been an enclosure here!
 ssYes, there was a ring. His s1gnet ring" your husbands hand ?"
 "One of his hands.
 His hand when he wrote hurried ly. It is very unlike his usuai "rit- ing. and yet know it well"
 Dearest, do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. Wait in pa1ence; Neville Written W in pc penci, upon al2e me nc water-mark Hum! Posted today in Gravesend by a man with a dirty thumb. Ha! And the flap has been summed, if I am not very much in error. by a person who had been chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husbands hand. madam?'
 n0Sted today at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, the clouds tighten, though I should not venture to say that the danger is
 s.But he must be alive. MT. Holmes.''
 unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from him."
 ''No, no; it is, it is, it is his very own writing!"
 .svery well. It may, however. have been written on Monday, and only
 That is possible"
 of so. much may have happened between"
 "oh. you must not discourage me, with him. There is so keen sym pathy between us that I should know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw him last he
  I in the dining-room rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that something had happened. Do you think that I would respond to such trifle, and yet be ignorant of his death?'
 'I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong piece of evidence to corrobo- rate your view. But if your husband Is alive, and able to write letters, why should he remain away from your"
 "I cannot imagine. It is unthink- able"
 And on Monday he made no re- marks before leaving your"
 And you were surprised to. see him in Sdandam Lane? 9" Very much so.'' Was the window open? ?~
 'EThen he might have called to you?" He might" He only, as I understand gave an inarticulate cry?" "Yes''
 A "A. cali for help, you thought ?"
 Yes. He waved his hands"
 But It might have been cry of surprise: Astonishment at the un- expected sight of you might cause him tosthrow up his hands? ?' Ut is possible And you thought he was pulled back
 He disappeared so suddently.-
 lie might have leaped back. Ton old not see any one else in the room?''
 NO, but this horrible man co,- Iessed to having been there, and the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs ,,
 Quite so. Your husband. as fa '. clothes on %
 But without his collar or tie. distinctly saw his bare throat Lane?" aiuAh
 Never"
 Had he ever showed any signs of having taken opium % oA
 Never"
 Thank you, Mrs. St Clair. Those are the principal points about which l wished to be absolutely cIe,r "