Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-16

between these hands. They belong to
men who are blood-rclatives. 1t may
he most obvious to YOU IN the Greek
e's, but to me there are many small
points which indicate the same thing.
have no doubt at all that family
mannerism can be traced in these two
specimens of writing. | am only, OF
course, giving you the leading results
now of my examin alton of the paper.
There were twenty-thrce other deduc-
tons which would be of more interest
10 experts than to YOU. They all tend
10 deepen the impression upon my
mind that the Cthninghams, father and
son, had written this letter.
Having got so far, my next step was,
of course, to examine into the details
of the crime. and TO see how far they
would help US. l went up to the house
with the Inspector, and saw all that
was 10 be seen. The wound upon the
dead man was, as | was able TO deter
mine with absolute confidence fired
from n revolver at the distance of
something over four yards. There was
no Notwithstanding on the clothes
Evidently, therefore. Alec Cunningham
had lied when he said that the two
men were struggling when the shot
was fired. Again, both father and son
agreed as to the place where the man
escaped into the road. At that point,
however, as II happens, there is a
broadish ditch, moist at the bottom.
/ As there were no indications of boot
marks about this ditch, | was absolute
~ sure not only that the Cunninghams
I haI laal but shot fhara haI
never been any unknown man upon
the scene at all.
And now | have to consider the
motive of this singular crime. To get
AT this. | endeavored first of all TO
solve the reason of the original burg
larry at Mr.. 'Acton's. l understood,
/ from something which the Colonel told
us. that lawsuit had been going on
between you, Mr.. Acton, and the Gun
/ lnghams. OF course, il instantly oc-
CURED TO me that they had broken into
your library with the intention of get
ting at some document which might
he Of importance in the case"
Precisely so" said Mr.. Acton.
There can be no possible doubt as 70
their intentions. | have the clearest
claim upon half of their present estate,
and if they could have found single
paper-which, fortunately, was in the
stronghold of my solicitors-they would
( undoubtedly have crippeled our case -
There you are" said Holmes, smil-
ing. at was Il dangerous, reckless at
tempt, in which | seem to trace the
influence of young Alec. Having found
nothing. they tried 10 divert suspicion
by making it appear TO be an ordinary
burglary, to which end they carried of
whatever they could lay their hands
upon. That is all clear enough, but
there was much that was still obscure
What | wanted above all was to get
the missing part of that note. ] was
certain that Alec had torn it out oil
the dead mans hand, and almost Ger.
tain that he must have thrust il into
the pocket of his dressing gown. Where
( else could he have put II? The only
question was whether it was still there
II was worth an effort to find out,
and for that object we all went up
TO the house.
"The Cunninghams joined us, as you
doubtless remember, outside the kitchen
door. 1t was, of course, of the very
first Importance that they should
not be reminded of the existence o
this paper, otherwise they would natural.
ly destroy it without delay. The In,
spector WAS about 20 tell them the
Importance which we attached TO il
when, by the luckiest chance in tt,
world, | tumbled down in sort OF fl
and so changed the conversation"
Good heavens cried the Colonel
laughing. do you mean to say all on
sympathy was wasted and your fit al
imposture?"
Speaking professionally, it was I'D
mirabT DONE cried |. looking il