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'31 J--;! STQ EK. 0 G E I is J; lit 1 1 -1. ! i ! I! .'lis I; It HI Sift -AM : it- jv v I; : I i ' if i ' . I w f ; THE REIGATE PUZZLE By SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE Copyrfgki, 1321. hy Harper A Bros. Fnblike by apeclal amugtMfit ritk Tlie f cCInre ,MTpipr Syndicate e 1 This IB the mira myaumeni oi he ?7 Sherlock Holmes stori?9 by Sir Arthur Conan Ioyle, appearing each Sunday morning in The St3r. The story for next Sunday will be: "The Resident Patient." J It was some time before the health of my friend. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, re covered from the strain caused by his immense exertions in the spring of 'ST. The whole question of the Xethe'rland Sumatra company and of the colossal schemes of Baron Maupertuis are too recent in the minds of the public, and are too intimately concerned with poli tics and finance to be fitting subjects for this series of sketches. They led, however, in an indirect fashion to a singular and complex problem which gave my friend an opportunity of dem- onstrating the value of a fresh weapon among the many with which he waged his life-long battle against crime. On referring to my notes I sej that it was upon the Hth of April that IJ received a telegram from Lyons which informed me that Holmes was lying ill in the Hotet Dulong. "Within twenty four hours I was in hie sickroom, and was relieved to find that there was nothing formidable in his symptoms. Even his iron constitution, however, had broken down under the strain of an investigation which had extended over two months, during which period he had nnver worked less than fifteen hours a day. and had more than once.! as he assured me. kept to his task forj nve Bays at a streicn. nven ine tri umphant issue of his labors could not save'4 him from reaction after so terri ble an exertion, and at a time when E.irope v.-as rirging with his namo and I when his room was literally ankle-deep . with congratulatory telegrams I found him a prey to the blackest depression. Even the knowledge that he had suc ceeded where the police of three coun tries had failed, and that he had out manoeuvred at every point the most accomplished swindler 'in Europe, was insufficient to rouse him from his nerv ous prostration. ' . Three day3 later we were back in Baker street together: but it was evi dent that my friend would be much the better for a change, and the thought of a week of spring time in the country ( was full of attraction to me also. My old friend. Colonel Hayter, who had : come under my professional care in j Afghanistan, had now taken a house! nf-ar Reigate in Surrey, and had fre-j quentiy asKeci me to com aown io mm upon a visit. On the last occasion he had remarked that if my friend would oiilv'com with me he would be glad to extend his hospitality to him also. A j little diplomacy was needed, but when I Holmes understood that the establish ment was a bachelor one. and that he would be allowed the fullest freedom, he fell in with my plans and a week after our return from Lyons we were under the Coioriel's roof. -Hayter was a fine old soldier who had seen muchl of the world, and he soon found, as I had, expected, that Holmes and he had much in common. On the evening of our arrival we were sitting in the Colonel's gunroom, a tier nmner, jioimes stretcneu upon the sofa, while. Hayter and I looked .over his little armory of eastern weapons. "Br the. way," said he suddenly, "I think "I'll take one of these pistols up-! stairs with me in case we have an alarm." "An alarm!" said I. "Yes, we've had a scare in this part -lately. Old Action, who is one of our ounty magnates, had his house broken int.. last Monday. No great damage done, liut the fellows are still at large,? "No clue?" asked Holmes, cocking hi. eye at the colonel. "None as yet. But the affair is a pvty. one. one. of our little country rrimrs. whih must seem too small for vour attention. Mr. Holmes, aft-er this rreatinternational affair." Holmes waved away the compliment, though his smile showed that it had pleased him. "Was there any feature of interest?" "I fancy not. The thieves ransacked flip library and got very little for their pains. The whole place was turned upside down, drawer burst open, and presses ransacked, w-ith the result that an odd volume of Pope's 'Homer,' two plated candlesticks, an ivory letter weight, a small oak barometer, and a ball of twine are all that have van shed." "What an extraordinary assortment!" 1 exclaimed. "Oh. the fellows evidently crabbed hold of everything they could get." Holmes grunted from the sofa." "The county police ought to make omething of that."- said he; "why, it is surely obvious that " Rut I held up a warning finger. "You are here for .a rest, "my dear fellow. For heaven's sake don't get started on a new problem when your nerves are all in shreds." Holmes shrugged his shoulders with a glance of comic resignation toward the colonel and the talk drifted away . into less dangerous channels. It was destined, however, that all my professional caution should be wasted, for next morning the problem! obtruded Itself upon us in such a way - that it was impossible to Ignore it, and our country visit took a turn which neither of us could have anticipated. We were at breakfast when the colo nel's butler rushed in with all hist pro priety shaken out of him. "Have you heard the news, sir?" he gasped. "At the Cunningham's, sir:" "Burglary!" cried the colonel, with ais coffee-cup in -mid-air. "Murder!" ' The colonel whistled. "By Jove" said he. "Who's killed, then? The J P. or his son?" "Neither, sir. It was William, the coachman. Shot through the heart, sir, ind never spoke again." . "Who shot him, then?" "The burglar, sir. He was off like a Ehot and got clean away. He'd Just brok in aft. the pantry window when William came on him and met his end '.n saving his master's property." "What time?" "It - was last night,!; sir, somewhere about 12." ; "Ah, then, we'll step over after wards," said the 661onel, coolly set tling down to "h!-"breakfast again. "It's a bad-fish business," he . added when the butler had rone"he's our leading man about here, Is old Cun ningham, and a very decent fellow too. He'll be cut up over this, for the man has been In his, service for years and was a good ftervant. It's evidently the same villains who broke into Action's." "And stole that very singular collec- tion." said Holmes, thoughtfully. "Precisely.' "Hum! "It may prove " the simplest matter in the world, but all the same at first glance this Is Just a little cu rious, is.it not? A gang of burglars acting in the country might be ex pected to vary the scene of their op eration?, and not to crack two cribs in the same district within a few days. When you spoke last night of taking precautions I remember that it passed through my mind that this wis prob ably' the last parish in England to which the thief or thieves would be likely to turn their attention which shows that I have still -much to learn." "I fancy it's some local practitioner," said the colonel. . '"'Jn that case, of course. Action's and Cunningham's are just the places he would go for. since they are far the largest about here." And richest?" -Well, they ought to be, but they ve de j don't quite know. sir. Be- had a lawsuit for some years -which ourgel 1 think Mr Holmes has sucked the Wood out of both ofJhaf qnlte ffot over his illness yet. them. I fancy Old Action has some,He.s bee benvinK verv queeriy. and claim on half Cunningham's estate and the lawyers have been at it with both hands." "If it's a local villain, there should not be much difficulty In running him down." said Holmes with a yawn. "All right, Watflon."! don't intend to med dle." "Inspector Forrester, sir." said the butler, throwing open the door. The official, a smart, keen-faced young fellow, stepped into the room. "Good-morning. Colonel." said he; "I 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. "We thought that perhaps you would care to step across. Mr.- Holmes." "The fates are against you. Watson," said he. laughine. "We were chatting about the matter when you came in. Inspector. Perhaps you can let us have a few details." As he leaned back in hia chair in the familiar attitude I knew that the case was hopeless. "We had no clue m the Action af fair. 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." ' "Ah!" "Yes. 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, and Mr. Alec .Cunningham saw him from the back passage. It was quarter to twelve when the alarm broke out. Mr. Cunningham had just got into bed, and Mr. Alec was smoking a pipe in his dressing-gown. They both heard William, the coachman, calling for help, and Mr. Alec ran down to see what was the matter. The back door was open, and as he came to the foot of the stairs he saw two men wrest ling together outside. One of them fired a shot, the oher dropped, and the mur derer rushed across the garden and over the hedge. Mr. Cunningham, looking out of his bedroom, saw the fellow a he gained the road, but lost sight of him at once. Mr. Alec stopped to see if he could help the dying man. and so the villain got clean away. Be yond the fact that he was a middle sized man and dressed in some dark stuff, we have no personal clue; but we are making energetic inquiries, and if he is a stranger we ahall soon find him out." . "What was this William doing there? Did he say anything before he died?" "Not a word. He lives at the lodge with his mother, and as he was a very faithful fellow we imagine that he walked up to the house with the in tention of seeing that all was- right there. Of course this Acton business has put every one on their guard. The robber must have just burst open the door the lock has been forced when William came upon him. "Did William say anything to his mother before sroing .out?" "She is very old and deaf, and we can get no information from her. The shock has made her half-witted, but I understand that she was never very bright. There is one very important circumstance, however. Look at this'.". He took a small piece of torn paper from a note-book and spread it out upon his knee. "This was found between the finger and thumb of the dead man. It ap pears to be a fragment torn from a larger sheet. You will observe that the hour mentioned upon it is the very time at which the poor fellow met his fate. You see that his murderer might have torn the rest of the sheet from him or he might have taken this frag ment from the murderer. It reads al most as though it were an appoint ment." Holmes took up the scrap of paper, a fac-simile of which is.,' here repro duced. " . Presuming that it is an appoint ment," continued the inspector, "it is' of course a conceivable theory that this William Kirwan though he had the reputation of being an honest man, may have been in league with the thief. He may have met him there, may even have helped him to break In the door, and then thjfty mare haven fallen out (between themselves." "This writing is of extraordinary in terest," said Holmes, who had been ex amining it with intense concentra tion. "These are much deeper waters than I had thought." He aank'his head upon his hands, while the inspector smiled at the effect which his case had had upon the.famous London specialist "Your last remark." said, Holmes, presently, "an to the possibility of there being anr understanding between the burglar and the servant. unH tViia being a noe of appointment from one to the other, Is an ingenious and not entirely impossible supposition. But this writing opensfup--" He-sank his head into hia hands again and re mained for some 'minutes in the deep- i -est thought. When he raised his face J again, I was surprised to see that his ' cheek was tinged with color, and his eyes as , bright as before his illness He sprang to his feet with all his old energy T il tell you what." said he, "I should like to have a quiet little glance Into the details of this little case. There is something in it which fascinates me extremely. If you will permit me, colo nel, I will leave my friend Watson and you and I will step round with the in spector to test the truth of one or two little fancies of mine. I will be with you again in half an hour." An hour and a half had elapsed be fore the inspector returned alone. "Mr. Holmes is walking up and down in the field outside," said he. "He wants us all four to go up to the house together." "To Mr. Cunningham's?" "Yes, sir." "What for?" he is very much excited.' I don't think- you need alarm your self." said I. "I have usually found that there was method in his mad ness." "Some folk might say there was madness in his method," muttered the inspector. But he's all on fire to start, colonel, so we had best go out if you are ready." II. We found Holmes pacing up and down in the field, his chin sunk upon his breast, and his hands thrust into his trousers pockets. "The matter grows in interest," said he. "Watson, your country-trip . has been a distinct success. I have had a charming morning." "You have been up to the scene of the crime, I understand," said the col onel. "Yes; the inspector and I have made quite a little reconnoissance together." "Any success?"' ' "Well, we have seen some very in teresting things. I'll tell you what we' did as we walk. First of all. we saw the body of this unfortunate man. He certainly died from a revolver wound as reported." "Had you doubted it, then?" 'Oh, it is as well to test everything. Our inspection was not wasted. We then had an interview with Mr. Cun ningham and his son. who were able to point out the exact spot where the murderer had broken through the garden-hedge in his flight. That was of great interest." "Naturally." "Then we had a look at this poor fellow's mother. We could get no in formation from her, however, as she is very old and feeble." "And what is the result of your in vestigation?" "The conviction that the crime is a very peculiar one. Perhaps our Visit now may do something to make it less obscure. I think that we are both agreed, inspector, that the fragment of paper in the dead man's hand, bearing, as it does, the very hour, of his death written upon it, Is of extreme im portance." "It should give a clue, Mr. Holmes." "It does give a clue. Whoever wrote that note was the man who brought William Kirwan out of his bed at that hour. But where is the rest of that sheet of paper?" "I- examined the ground carefully In the hope of finding it," said the In spector. "It was torn out of the dead man's hand. Why was tome one so anxious to get possession of it? Because it in criminated him. And what would he do with it? Thrust it into his pocket, most likely, never noticing that a cor ner of it had been left in the grip of the corpse. If we could get the rest of that sheet it is obvious that we should have gone a long ways toward solving the mystery." "Yes, but how can we get at the criminal's pocket before we catch the criminal?" , "Well, well, it was worth thinking over. Then there is another obvious point. The note was sent to William. The man who wrote it could not have taken it; otherwise, of course, he might have delivered his own message by word of mouth. Who brought the note, then? Or did it come through the post?" "I have made inquiries," said the in spector. "William received a letter by the afternoon post yesterday. The en velope was destroyed by him." "Excellent!" cried Holmes, clapping the inspector on the back. "You've seen the postman. It is a pleasure to work with you. Well, here Is the lodge, and if you will come up, colonel. I will show you the scene of the crime." We passed the pretty cottage where the murdered man had lived, and walked up an oak-lined avenue to the fine old Queen Anne house, which bears the date of Malplaquet upon the ltatel of the door. Holmes and the inspector led us round it until we came to the gate, which is separated by a stretch of garden from the hedge which lines the road. A constable was standing at the kitchen door. "Throw the door open, officer," said Holmes. "Now, it was on those stairs that young Cunningham stood and saw the two men struggling just where we are. Old Mr. Cunningham was at the L window the second on the left and he saw the fellow get away just to the left of that bush. So did the son. They are both sure of itr on account of the bush. Then Mr. Alec ran out and knelt . beside the wounded man. The ground is very hard, you see. and there are no marks to guide us." As he spoke two men came down the gar den path, from round the angle of the house. The one was an elderly man. with a strong, deep-lined, heavy-eyed face; the other a dashing young fellow, whose bright, smiling expression and rfhowy dress were in strange contrast with the business which had brought us there. "Still at It, then?" said he to Holmes. "I thought you Londoners were never at fault.' You don't seem to be so very quick, after all." "Ah, you must give u a little time, sahs Holmes, good humredly . ''YouH want it," saJd young Alec Cunningham. "Why, I don't see : that J we have any clue at all." speetor. "We thought that. if we could only find Good heavens, Mr. Holmes! what is the matter?" , ' v . My poor friend's face had suddenly " "' : v, v v-f - - W r-; ?: Assumed the most dreadful expression. His eyes rolled upwards, his features writhed in agony. n4 with a sup pressed groan he dropped. on his fac upon the ground. Horrified at the sud denness and severity of the attack, we carried hlni into the kitchen, where he lay back in a large chair, and 4reathed heavily for some minutes. JFinally,,with a shamefaced apology for his weak ness, he rose once more. "Watson would tell you that I have only just recovered from a severe ill ness," he explained. "I am liaLle to these sudden nervous attacks." "Shall I send you home in my trap?" asked old Cunningham. "Well, since I am here, there is one point on which I should like to feel sure. We can very easily verify It " "What was it?" "Well, it "seems to me that it is just possible that the arrival of this poor tellow William was not before, but after, the entrance of the burglar into the house. You appear to take it for granted that, although the ffoor was forced, the robber never got in." "I fancy that is quite obvious," said Mr. Cunningham, gravely. "Why. my son Alec had not yet gone to bed, and he would certainly have heard any one moving about." "Whore was he sitting?" VI " was smoking in my dressing room." "Which window is that?" "The last on the left, next my father's." "Both of your lamps were" lit, of course?" "Undoubtedlv." There are some very singular points here," said Holmes, smiling. "Is it not extraordinarj- that a burglar and a burglar who had had some previous experience should deliberately break into a house at a time when he could see from the lights thai two of the family were still afoot?" "He must have been a cool hand." "Well, of Gcurse, if the case were not an odd one we should jiot have been driven to ask you for an explanation." said young Mr. Alec. "But as to your ideas that the man had robbed the house before William tackled him, I think it a most absurd notion. Wouldn't we have found the place dis arranged, and missed the things which he had taken?" "It depends on what the things were." said Holmes. "You must re member that we are dealing with a burglar who is a very peculiar fellow, and who appears to work on lines of his own. Look, for example, at the queer lot of things which he took from Acton's w-hat was it? a ball of string, a letter-weight, and I don't krrow what other odds and ends." "Well, we are quite In your hands. Mr. Holmes." said old Cunningham. "Anything which you or the inspector may suggest will most certainly be done." "In the first place," said Holmes, "I should like you to offer a reward coming from yourself, for the officials may take a little time before they j would agree upon the sum, and these t things cannot be done po promptly. 1 I have jotted down the form here, if you would not mind signing it. Fifty pounds was quite quite enough, I thought." "I would willingly give five hun dred," said the J. P., taking the slip of paper and the pencil which Holmes handed to him. "This is not quite cor rect, however." he added, glancing over the document. "I wrote it rather hurriedly." "You see you begin. 'Whereas, at about a quarter to one on Tuesday morning an attempt was made, and so on. It was at quarter to twelve, as a matter of fact." I was pained at the mistake, for T knew how keenly Holmes would feel any slip of the kind. It was his spe cialty to be accurate as to fact, but his recent illness had shaken him and this one little incident was enough to show me that he was still far from being himself. He was obviously em barrassed for an instant, while the in spector raised his eyebrows." a rfd Alec Cunningham burst into a laugh. The old gentleman corrected the mistake, however, and handed the paper back to Holmes.. "Get it printed as soon as possible." he said: "I think your idea is an ex cellent one." Holmes put the slip of paper care fully away into his pocketbook. "And now," said he, "it really would be a good thing that we should all go over the house together and make cer tain that this rather erratic burglar did not, after all, carry anything away with him." Before entering, HoTmes made an.ex amination of the door which had been forced. It was evident that a chisel or strong knife had been thrust in. and the lock forced back with it. We could see the marks in the wood where it had been pushed in. "You don't use bars, then?" he asked. vWe have never found it necessary." "You don't keep a dog?" "Yes, but he is chained On the other side of the house." "When do the servants go to b.--d?" About ten." "I understand that William was usu ally in bed also at that hour?" ""Yes." "It Is singular that on this particu lar night he should have been up. Now. I should be very, glad if you would have the kindness to show us over ;he house, Mr. Cunningham." A. stone-flagged passage, with the. kitchens branching away from it, led by a wooden staircase 4irectly to th-, first floor of the house. It came out I upon the. landing opposite to a second more ornamental stair which came up from the front hall. Out of this land ing opened the drawing-room and sev eral bedrooms, including: those of Mr. Cunningham . and his son. Holmon walked slowly, taking keen note of the architecture of the house. I could tell from his expression that he was oh a hot scent,. and yet I could not in th--least Imagine In what direction his In ferences were leading him. . "My good sir," said MW Cunningham, with some Impatience, "this Is surely very unnecessary. That is my. room at Cured His RUPTURE. - ' I was badly ruptured While lifting af irunK several years ago. uoctors said my only hope of cure was an opera tion. Trusses did me no good. Finally I got hold of something that quickly and completely cured me. Years have passed and the rupture has never returned,- although I am doing hard work as a carpenter. There was no opera tion, no lost time, no trouble. I have nothing to sell, but will give full in formation about how you may find a complete cure without operation, if you write, to me, Eugene M. Pullen Carpenter, 8io G Marcellus Avenue' Manasquan. N. J. Better cut out this notice and show it to any others who are ruptured you may save a life or at least stop the misery of rupture and the worry and danger of an operation (Adv.) the end of the stairs, and my son's is the one beyond it. I leave it to your judgment whether it was possible for the thief to have come up her with out disturbing us." "You must try round and get on a fresh scent, I fancy," said the son. with a rather malicious smile. "Still, I must ask you to humor me a little further. I should like, for'ex ample, to see how far the windows of the bedrooms command the front. This, I understand, is your son's room" he pushed open the door "and that. I presume, is the dressing-room in which he sat smoking when the alarm was given. Where does the window of that look out to?" He stepped .across the bedroom, pushed open the door, and glanced round the other chamber. "I hope that you are satisfied now?" said Mr. Cunningham, tartly. "Thank you, I think I have seen all that I wished." - "Then if it is really necessary we can so into my room." "If it is not too much trouble." The J. P. shrugged his shoulders, and led the way into his own chamber, which was a plainly furnished and commonplace room. As we moved across it in the direction of the win dow. Holmes fell back until be and I were the last of the group. Near the foot of the bed stood a dish of oranges and a carafe of water. As we passed it Holmes, to my unutterable astonish ment, leaned over. In front of 'me ard deliberately knocke'd the whole thing over. The glass smashed into a thou sand pieces and the fruit rolled .bout into every corner of the room. "Vou've done It now, Watson.' said i lie. -coolly. "A pretty mess you've made of tii carpet I st tipped in some confusion and be gan to pick up the fruit, understanding for so.ne reason my companion desirea m.. to take the blarre upon myself The ochfeTs did the same, r.nd set the tibi? on its legs again. "Hullo:" cried t'.iw inspector, "whtra's be ot to?" "Hoimes had disappeared. "Wait here an instant," said young Alec Cunningham. "The fellow is off his head, in my opinion. Come with me, father, and see where he has got to!" They rushed out of the -room, leaving the inspector, the colonel, and me star ing at each other. 'Ton my word. I am inclined to agree with Master Alec," said the oFclal. "It may be the effect of this Mines. tut it seems to me that His words were cut short by a sud den scream of "Help! Help! Murder"' "With a thrill I recognized the voice as that of my friend. I rushed madly from the room on the landing. The crie?, which had sunk dov.-n i.ito a hoarse, inarticulate shoucinr, came from the room which we had first vis itkic". I dashed in. and On into the ess-ing-TOoin beyond. The two CuiTit.r lianis were bending over the tr s:-Ate figure of Sherlock Holmes, the youni.- t clt!tc'v"n his throat with bo-:Ii h.mus, wnile ir.e elder seemed to oe twi...ntj one t.f his wrists. In an Ins mt :l:e tnrtc of us nad torn them a way from him, and Holmes staggered to his feet, very pale and evidently greatly ex- nausted. "Arrest these gasped. men, inspector." he "On what charge?" W. D. ' I I - it "That of murdering their coachman, William Kirwan." The inspector stared about him In bewilderment, "Oh, come now, Mr. Holmes," said -he at last "I'm sure you don't really mean to " "Tut, man, look at their faces! cried Holmes, curtly. Never certainly have I seen a plainer confession of guilt upon human coun tenances. The older man seemed numbed and dazed, with a heavy, sullen, expression upon his strongly marked face. The son, on the other hand, had dropped all that jaunty, dashing style which had characterized him, and ,the ferocity of a dangerous wild beast gleamed in. his dark eyes and distorted his handsome features. The Inspector said nothing, but, step ping to the door, he blew his whistle. Two of his constables came at the call. "I have no alternative, Mr. Cunning ham," said he.-' "I trust that this may all prove to be an absurd mistake, but you can see that Ah, would you? drop it!" He struck out with his hand, and a revolver which the younger man was In the act of cocking clattered down upon the floor. "Keep that." said Holmes, qnietly putting his foot upon it; "you will find it useful at the trial. But this is what we really wanted." He held upa little crumpled piece of paper. "The remainder of the sheet!" cried the Inspector. "Precisely." "And where was It?" "Where I was sure it must be. IT! make the whole matter clear to j-pu presently. I -think, colonel, that you and Watson might return now. and I will be with you again in an hour at the furthest. The inspector and I must have a word with the prisoners, but you will certainly see me back at luncheon time." III. Sherlock Holmes was as good as his word, for about 1 o'clock he rejoined us in the colonel's smoking-room. He was accompanied by a little elderly gentleman, who was introduced to me as the Mr. Acton whose house had been the scene f the original burglary. "I wished Mr. Acton to be present while I demonstrated this small matter to you," said Holmes, "for it is natural that he should take a keen interest in the details: I am afraid, nty dear col onel, that you must regret the hour that you took in such a stormy petrel as I am." "On the contrary,' answered the col onel, warmly. "I consider it the great est privilege to have been permitted to study your methods of working. I confess that they quite surpass my ex pectations, and that I am utterly un able to account for your result. I have not yet seen the vestige of a clue." "I am afraid that my explanation may disillusion you, but it has always been my habit to hide none of my methods, either from my friend Wat son or from any one who might take an intelligent interest in them. But, first, as I am rather shaken by the knocking about which I had In the. ) dressing-room, I think that I shall ; help myself to a dash of your brandy. colonel. My strength has been rather tried of late." "I tru6t you had no more of those nervous attacks." Sherlock Holmes laughed heartily. It attracts those who are thoughtful about the quality of the things they use, but who also keep a careful eye on their spending and saving. MacMILLAN, JR. jjkujs puoodg ijijo I0I-S0I "W will come to " us ""I w,u ,ar an acc "ourit coe oeiore you in its du- of t '" points guided me in mv deri.i' lli, terrunt me it .).,. '" ' ry which Is not perfectly ,ir , "It is of the highest in-nr't; u the art of detection to be Ki, "Ce ognize, out of a number ,0 are incidental and ..:.." m wise your energy and attentj,,0' be dissipated instead o' hen h' trated. Now. in this case not the slightest doubt in ! from the first that the kv Gf r'nl matter must be looked ; ' , of paper In the doxi mor,- L f 51 -fj - - ....... .- ..ani "Before going into this, i .-i . your attention to the fact tha-"If Cunningham's narrative a." 1,1 and if the assailant, after ' s ?c William Kirwan. had instant kw it vuwiuuciy couia not he ha -v a . num in? lead hand. But If it.wa. r, . hare hue.. aip riinxm.i..' ' . . nH for by the time that the old man V descended several servants ner. the scene. The Doint is a i,.upr uecause ne naa started with the position that these countv ma ,'.' 31 had had nothing to do with" the matt, -wn, j. inaivc a. point OI neer )lav! ly wueioer laci may lead me aim. gatlon, I found myself looking- a lit- as Kane at tne part which had bJ piayea Dy iir. Alec Cunningham. "And now I. made a very careful; amination of the corner of paper wh the inspector had submitted to us. ws ai once ciear to me that it fortiJ pari oi a very remarkable aocurrei Mere it is. uo you not now obserJ someimng very suggestiveahnut ! "It has a very irregular look," the colonel. 'My dear sir." cried Holmes. "thJ cannot be the least doubt in th wo. that it has been written bv two ner doing alternate words. When I d-j, your attention to the strong t's of i and 'to, and ask you to compare th with the weak ones of 'quarter s twelve, you will instantiv recoen the fact- A very brief analysis of the lour words would enaole you to e with the utmost confidence that t: 'learn and the 'maybe' are written the stronger hand, and the 'what': the weaker." "By Jove, it's as clear a day:" Cr; the colonel. "Why on earth shot two men write a letter in sucli a fa ion?" "Obviously the business tt.ts a one.tand one of the men who 1i!rust. the other was determined that. ever was done, each should have ; equal hand in it. Now, of the two ny it is cleaj- that the one who wrote t "at and 'to was the ringleader." "How do you get at that?" "We might deduce it from the me cnaracter oi me one nana r? compart with the other. But we have more i sured reasons than that for supposir. it. If you examine this srap with s tention you will come to the comMusi that the man with the stronger ha- wrote all his words first. leavi- blanks for the other to fill up. Th blanks were not always sufficient,! you can see that the second man h (Continued on rage Twenty) I I IK jj V r ! '
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 20, 1921, edition 1
16
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