Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-11-11

Holmes shows Watson some drawings /
OF tiny dancing men, like those a child
would make, which MIR. Hilton Cubitt,
OF Riding Thorpe Manor, has brought
him. Cubitt says they are frightening
his wife. He tells his story. lie Is
member of an old and proud family,
whose honor he is anxious to uphold.
A year before he had married Elsie Pat
rick, an American young woman, about
whose past he knew nothing, but who
asked him not to question her, rs twas
disagrecable, though not dshonorable.
They were very happy and he had stuck
10 his promise not 10 allude to her past.
About a month before this she had re-
ceived a letter from America, which she
had burned after she had read 1t and
turned deadly white. a week before he
had found line of dancing men chalked
on the window-Sill. On seeing them his
wife had tainted. Mr.. Cubitt said he
would spend his last copper to shield his
wife fro IN any danger threatening her.
Holmes told Cubltt to return home
but TO bring HIM any fresh evidence
which might come. A few days later
Cubitt came to Holmes. He had found
crop of dancing men on the door OF
the Toulouse and later under pebble
on slip of paper on the sun-dial. One
night he kept vigil with his pistol by a
window which commanded the tool
house. His wife came 10 urge him 10 go
10 bed and Just then a figure crept up
10 the Toulouse door He tried TO rush
out but by the time he had thrown of
his wIfc's restraining arms, the man
had escaped, leaving more dancing-mcn.
Cubitt rubbed them off, but IN the
morning there were five different ones
in another panel of the door. He had
brought Holmes copies Of them all.
several DAYS later Cubitt sent another
message which had appeared on the sun
dial. Holmes worked over II for while,
then Jumping anNiuusly to his feet, told
Watson they must hurry down to Riding
Thorpe Manor. They started immc-
dlatcly and as they alghtcd from the
trin were greeted with the news that
Cubitt was dead, and his wife terribly
injured. The servants sand that both
shots had been fired by the wife. They
drove TO the house.
There they heard the story of the two
women servants. They had been awak-
encd 10y q shot. followed closely by a
second. They rushed downstairs and
found their master dead, face down on
the floor, and their mistress, terribly
wounded, CrouchCd against the wall, her
head leaning almost against the window
frame Tie hall. as we'll as the study,
they came down. said the servants.
The window had been shut and locked
on the inside Holmes examined the
room and found that bullet had hit
the window sash. Tins indicated that
third person had been present. Holmes
argued that the p.,.CnCc of the smell
of powder IN the hall when the servants
rushed from their rooms indicated
that the window had been open when
the shots were fired, forcing draught
up the stars. Probably somebody had
fired from outside the window, striking
Cubitt. who had fired back and hit
the window sash. His wife, terribly
wounded though she was, had rushed
and shut and locked the window On
the table Holmes found n lady's hand
bag, containing twenty fifty-pound
notes. The fowcr-led outside the win
dow was tramplcd with large foot
prints Holmes asked # there was any
place nearby called Elrigcs, and founc
there wa farmer Of the name not fal
away. Holmes sent a note there ad
dressed TO Abe Slanev.
He left word that II any stranger
arrived asking for Mrs. Cubitt h,
should he gwen no information, but
should hc shown into Holmes. Ht
then explained the symbols Of The
dancing men Starting with the mos
usual one TO indicate "e. ~ the most fire.
quently used letter in tho Englisf
alphabet, he had worked thfm all out
He then translated the various mes
sages to read: Am here, Abe Slaney
AT Elriges 50 Elsie prepare to NEE
thy God And on answer of Mrs
Cuhitt : apparently in response TO al
appeal Of some kind. Never" Holme
had cabled 10 . friend IN the New
York police department for informa
tion OF Ahc Slancy, and had received
the answer: Most dangerous crook il
Chicago As Holmes was talking
man walked up the path and rang tn
bell