The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-25

was souc delay In the OF
clal pass, and instead of reachin
winchester that day we went dow,
noF race, the Hampshire estat
Vi Mr.. Neil Gibson. He did no
accompany US himself, but we ha,
tne ADDRESS of Sergeant Coventry, o
lne local police, who had first ex
ahmed into the affair. He was /:
lal, thin, cadaverous man, with ;
secrellve and mysterious manner
winch conveyed the idea that be
knew or suspected a very great dea
more than he dared say. He had q
uIlcK, too OF suddenly sinking his
voice to whisper as if he had come
upon something of vital Importance
though the information was usually
commonplace enough. Behind these
trlcks OF manner he soon showed
himself to be a decent, honest fellow
VINO was, not too proud to admit that
ne was out of his depth and would
welcome any help.
Anyhow. I'd rather have you than
Scotland Yard, Mr.. Holiness" said he.
If the Yard gets called into case,
then the local loses all creditor
success and may be blamed for fail
ure. Now, you play straight, so I've
heard"
I need not appear in the matter
at ALL" said Holmes, to the evident
relief of our melancholy acquaint-
ance. If l can clear it up l don't
ask to have my name mentioned"
Wen, it's very handsome of you,
| am sure. And your friend, DR..
watson, can be trusted, l know.
NOW, Mr.. Holmes, as we walk down
to the place there is one question I
should like to ask you. He looked
round as though he hardly dare utter
the words. Don't you think there
might be case against Mr.. Neil Glib
son himself?"
Il have been considering that"
You've not seen Miss Dunbar.
She is wonderful fine woman in
every way. He may we'll have wished
his wife out of the road And these
Americans are reader with pistols
than our folk are. 1t was his pistol.
you know"
Was that clearly made out?"
Yes, sir. 1t was one of a pair
that he had"
other?"
well, the gentleman has a lot of
firearms of one sort and another. We
never quite matched that particular
plstol-but the box was made for two.
If it was one of a pair you should
surely be able to match it."
Well, we have them all laid out
at the house if you would care to !
look them over"
Later, perhaps / think we will
walk down together and have a look
at the scene of the tragedy"
PART II
Holmes and l had been talking in
the little front room of Sergeant Gov
entry's humble cottage, which served
as the local police station. A walk
OF half mile or so across a wind
swept heath, all gold and bronze with
the fading ferns, brought US to a side
gate opening into the grounds of the
Thor Place. estate. A path led us
through the pleasant preserves, and
then from clearing we saw the wide
spread, half-timbered house, half Tu-
dor and half Georgian, upon the crestI
of the hill. Beside US there was a
long, reedy pool, constructed in the
centre where the main carriage drive
passed over a stone bridge, but swell
ing into small lakes on either side
Our guide paused at the mouth of this ,
bridge, and he pointed to the ground ,
That was where Mrs Gibson's
body lay. l marked it by that stone.''
Il understand that you were there
before it was moved?"
Yes; they sent for me at once"
''Who did,"
Mr. Gibson himself. The moment !
the alarm was given and he had rush 7
ed down with others from the house, !
be insisted that nothing should be !
moved until the police should arrive" \
That was sensible. l gathered 8
from the newspaper report that the {
shot was fired from close quarters" ?
Eyes, sir, very close" i
Near the right temple?"
Just behind it, sir
How did the body lie?' y
"On the back, sir. No trace of
struggle. No marks No weapon. ! c
The short note from Miss Dunbar was i
in her left hand"
"Clutched you say?" n
Yes, sir; We could hardly open the r
fingers"
THAT is of great Importance. It il
excludes the idea that anyone could Y
rave placed the note there after death :,
n order to furnish a false clue Dear 4
ne! The note. as l remember, was
quite short. I will be at Thor Bridge
It nine o'clock.-G. Dunbar Was that II
lot so?" -
Yes, sir" n
Did Miss Dunbar admit writing r
to" A
Eyes, sir" h
What was her explanation" IN
Her defense was reserved for the n
Assizes. She would say nothing" n
The problem is certainly a very a
interesting one. The point of the let u
er is very obscure, is it not?" fl
well, SIR said the guide, at q
eemed, if l may be SO bold as to say c,
o, the only really clear point in the c;
yhole case" n,
Holmes shook his head. II
Granting that the letter is genu- fl
ne and was really written, it was 81