Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-11

=
last night Of taking precautions / re-
member that il passed through my
mind that this was probably the last
parish in England to which the thief
or thieves would BE- likely to turn their
attcntion--which shows that have
still much TO lenrn."
II fancy it's some local prnctitioner,"
said tho colonel. "ln that case, of course,
Actions and Cunninghams are just the
places he would go for, since they are
far the largest about here"
"And richestY"
"Well, they ought to he, but they've
had lawsuit for some years which
has sucked the blood out Of both of
them, / fancy. Old Acton has some
claim on half Cunningham's estate,
and the lawyers have been at it with
both hands"
IF it's local villain there should
not he much difficulty in running him
down." said Holmes with yawn. Gan
right, Watson, don't intend TO NEEDLE"
Inspector Forester, sir" said the
butler, throwing open the door.
The official, smart, hccn-faced young
| fellow. stepped into the room. Good
morning, colonel" said he; II hope i
don't intrude, but we hear that Mr.
Holmes of Baker street is here.
The colonel waved his hand toward
my friend, and the inspector bowed.
I'VE thought that perhaps you would
care to step across, Mr.. Holmes"
The fates are against you, Watson"
said he, laughing. I'VE were chatting
about the matter when you came in,
inspector. Perhaps you can let us have
few details" As he leaned back in
his chair in the familiar attitude |
knew that the case was hopeless.
I've had no clue in the Acton affair
but here We have plenty to go on, and
there's no doubt it is the same party
in each case. The man was seen"
"Ahw
Eyes. sir. But he was off like a deer
after the shot that killed poor William
Kirwan was fired. Mr.. Cunningham
saw him from the bedroom window
aud Mr.. Alec Cunningham saw him
from the back passage. 1t was quarter
TO twelve when the alarm broke out
Mr.. Cunningham had just got into bed
and Mr.. Alec was smoking pipe ii
his dressing-go gown. They both hearc
William, the coachman, calling 70
help. and Mr.. Alec ran down TO Sc,
what was the matter. The back doc
was open, and AS he came to the foo
of the stairs he saw two men wrestlini
together outside. One of them fired
shot, the other dropped, and the muir
dcrer rushed across the garden an,
over the hedge. Mr.. Cunningham
looking out Of his bedroom, saw tn
fellow as he gained the road, but los
sight of him at once. Mr.. Alec stoppe,
10 see if he could help the dying man
and so the villain got clean away. BE
yond tho fact that he was a middle-size,
man and dressed in some dark stuff, W
have no personal clue; but wekre maxim
energetic inquiries and if he is a strange
We shall soon find him ont"
"Whst was this William doing there
Did he say ANYTHING before he died?"
Not word. He lives at the iodg
with his mother, and as he was vcr
faithful fellow we imagine that he wake
up TO the house with the intention c
seeing that all was right there. c
, course this Acton business has put ever
, one on their guard. The robber mu:
have Just burst open the door-the loo
, had been forced-when William cam
upon HIM"
A Did William say anything to h
: mother before going out?"
r She is very old and deaf, and we ca
: get no information from her. The shoe
has made her half-witted, but undo
stand that she was never very brigh
! There is one very important circun
stance. however. Look at this
- He took small piece of torn pap
4 from q notebook and spread it o,
r upon his knee.
| This was found between the fing
4 and thumb OF the dead man. 1t apes
I to be fragment torn from a larg
q sheet. You will observe that the hol
: mentioned upon it is the very time
a which the poor fellow met his fat
:, You sec that his murderer might ha'
3, torn the rest of the sheet from him
he might have taken this fragme
4 from the murderer 1t reads almost
though IL were An appointment"
Holmes took up the scrap of papt
. a fac-simile of which is here reproduce