The evening world. Newspaper, April 8, 1905, Page 12

Sa iia i RR a Ni plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team for the college, Ger companion, “Well, if there is nothing to he learned here, we had and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He 1s a fine, manly t wo inalde.” fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined him- » Whe lecturer unlocked the outer door and ushered us into his room. We self on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, but he is hard-work- ‘at the entrance while Holmes made an examination of the carpet, “{ am afraid there aro no signe here,” said he. “One cou!) hardly hope for any upon so dry a day. Your servant seems to have quite recovered, ing and industrious, He will do well. ‘The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian, quiet, inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are, He is well up in his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and He is a his work, methodical. “The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren, he chooses though fow ‘left him in a chair, you say; which chair?" “Ny the window there.” if “J pee. Near this little table You can come in now. I have finished Witty the carpet. Lot us take the little table first. Of course, what has hap- | pened is very clear. The man entered and took the papers, meet iH ANOS ies janewayerardh laainatedl anil © from the central table. He carried them over to the window table, because UWEFIRGIDIOG), “He. wan nearly: exe ‘trom there he could see if you came across the courtyard, and so could oo a card qonndal in his first ‘effect an cacape.” 0 year. He has been idling all this “As a matter of fact he could not,” said Soames, “for I entered by the term, and he mist took forward with | gide door.” drend to the examination.” “Ah, that's good! Well, anyhow, that was in his mind, Let me see the “Then it is he whom you sus- three strips. No finger impressions—no! Well, he carried over this one oot" » first, and he copied it. How long would it take him to do that, using every We {s a brilliant fel'ow when to work-—one of the brightest intellects of the university; “I dare not go so far aa that ‘ poesible contraction? A quarter of an hour, not less. Then he tossed It put, of the three, he is perhaps the down and seized the next. He was in the midst of that when your return jeast unlikely.” caused him to make a very hurried retroat—very hurried, since he had not “Exaetly, ‘time to replace the papers which would tell you that he had been there, us have @ look at your servant, Bin- : Now, Mr. Soames let You were not aware of any hurrying feet on the stair as you entered the nister,” @uter door?” t He was a “No, I can’t say I was.” “Well, he wrote so furiouely that he broke his pencil, and had, as you observe, to sharpen it again, This is of interest, Watson, The pencil was not ap ordinary one. enlor was dark blue, the maker's name was printed in silver lettering, and ttle, white-fared, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow of fifty, He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life. His plump face the usual size, with a soft lead; the outer It was aboy was twitching with his nervousness, and his fingers could not keep g'{Il, the piece remaining is only about an inch and a half long, “We are investigating this une @ penell, Mr. Soames, and you have got your man. When I add that he happy business, Bannister,” said his Look for such pe, possesses a large and very blunt knife, you have an additional aid.” master. Mr, Soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood of information. “Yes, str.” “Z cam follow the other points,” said he; “but really, in this matter of “I understand,” sald Holmes, “that you left your key In the door?” the length’ — - “Yes, sir.” i @olmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space of clear wood after them. “You see?" “No, I fear that even now'’—— “Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very day when there were these papers inside?” “Tt was most unfortunate, sir, But I have occasionally done the same thing at other times” “When did you enter the room?” “It was about 4.30, That is Mr Soames’s tea time.” “How long did you stay?” “Watson, I have always done you on injustice. There are others What could this NN be? It is at the end of a word, You are aware that Johann Faber is the most commun maker's name. Is it not clear that nt 1 He held the small table sideways to the electric light. “I was hoping wnat ‘“ tf the paper on which he wrote was thin, some trace of it might come through upon this polished surface. No, 1 see nothing. | don't think there {8 anything more to be learned here, Now for the central table, This small pellet is, 1 presume, the black, doughy mags you spoke of, Roughly pyramidal jn shape and hollowed out, I Perceive, As you say, there appear to be grains of sawdust in it. ing. And the cut—a positive tear, I see, It began with a scratch and ended in jagged hole. I am much indebted to you for directing my aten ton to this case, Mr. Soames. Where does that door lea to?” “To my bedroom.” “Have you been in it since your adventure?” “No; I came straight away for you.” “I ehould like to have a glance around, What a charming, old-fash- foned room! Perhaps you will kindly wait a minute, until 1 have ex- amined the floor. No, I see nothing, What about this curtain? hang your clothes bebind it. If any one were forced to conceal himself in }~ this room he must do it there, since the bed is too low and the wardrobe ) too shallow. No one there, 1 suppose?” As Holmes drew the curtain I was aware, from some little rigidity and alertness of his attitude, that he was prepared for an emergency. ‘As a Matter of fact, the drawn curtain disclosed nothing but three or four suits of clothes hanging from a line of pegs. Holmes turned away, and stooped suddenly to the floor. “Halloa! What's this?” said he. It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like the one upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his open palm in the glare of the electric light. Dear me, this is very Interest- You “Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well as In Your eitting-room, Mr, Soames.” “What could he have wanted there?" “I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected way, and @0 he had no warning until you were at the very door. What could he do? Ge caught up everything which would betray him, and he rushed into your bedroom to conceal himself.” “Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that, all the time I was talking to Bannister in this room, we had the man prisoner if we had only known it?” “Bo I read it.” jurely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes, Yeu observed my bedroom window?" I don't know whether “Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows, one swinging pm hinge, and large enough to admit a man,” “Bxactly, And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so as to be partly invisible. The traces as he passed through the bedroom, and finally, finding the door man might have effected his entrance there, left open, have escaped that way.” Holmes shook his head impatiently, “Let us be practical,” said he. ‘I understand you to say that there are three students who use this stair, and are in the habit of passing your door » * “Yes, there are,” Re “And they are all in for this examination?" % Yes.” Rit “Have you any reason to suspect any one of them more than the others?” Soames hesitated. “Tt ls a vory delicate question,” said he. guspieion where there are no proofs.” “One hardly likes to throw Bannister Explains. “When I saw that he was absent I withdrew at once.” “Did you look at these papers on the table?” “No, sir; certainly not.” 4 “Let us hear the suspicions, 1 will look after the proofs.” 1) “4H will telly you, then. in a few words the character of the three men x fe rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar oN, Ait: jen THE WORLD: SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 8/ 1905. ‘How came you to leave the key in the door?” “T had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought J would come back for the Then I forgot." “Tas the outer door a spring lock?" key. “No, sir,” “Then it was open all the time?” “Yes, sir.” “Any one in the room could get out?” “Yes, sir.” “When Mr, Soames returned and called for you, you were very much “I trust Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours,” disturbed ?"" “Yes, sir. Such a thing has never happened during the many years that T have been here. I nearly fainted. sir.” “So I understand. Where were you when you began to feel bad?” “Where was I, sir? Why, here, near the door.” “That is singular, because you sat down in that chair over yonder near the corner, Why did you pass these other chairs?” “IT don't know, sir; it didn't matter to me where I sat.” “T really don't think he knew much about it, Mr. Holmes. He was look- very bad—quite ghastly.” ry “You stayed here when your master left?” “Only for a minute or so. Then I locked the door and went to my room,” “Whom do you suspect?” “Ob, I would not venture to say, sir. I don’t believe there is any gen- tleman in this university who is capable of profiting by such an action, No, sir, I'll not belfeve it.” “Thank you, that will do,” said Holmes, “Oh, one more word. You have not mentioned to any of the three gentlemen whom you attend that apything is amiss?” “No, sir—not a word," “You haven't seen any of them?” “No, air.” “Veery good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will take a walk in the quadrangle, if you please,” Three yellow squares of light shone above us in the gathering gloom. “Your three birds are ail in their nents,” said Holmes, looking up. “Halloa! What's that? One of them seems restless enough,” It was the Indinn, whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon his blind. Ele was pacing swi(tly up and down his room. “T should like to have a peep at each of them,” said Holmes. possible?” “No Neen in the world,” Soames answered. “This set of rooms is quite the Oldest in the college, and it is not unusual for visitors to go over them. Come along, and I will perscnally conduct you,” “No names, please!” said Holmes, as we knocked at Gilchrist's door. A tall, flaxen-haired, elim young fellow opened it, and made us welcome when he understood our errand, ‘hero were some really curious pieces of mediaeval domestic architecture within. Holmes was so charmed with one of them that he insisted on drawing it on his note-book, broke his pencil, had to borrow one from our host, and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen, his own The same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the Indian—a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us askance, and was obviously glad when Holmee’s architectural studies had come to an end T could not see that im either case Holmes had come upon the clue for which he was searching. Only at the third did our Visit prove abortive. The outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing more substantial than a@ torrent of tad language cam from behind it. ‘I don’t care who you are, You can go to Diezes!" roared the angry voice, To-morrow's the exam., and I won't be drawn by any one.” “A rude fellow,” said our guife, fivehing with anger as we withdrew down the stair, ‘Of course, he did not realize that it was 1 who was lenocking; but none the less his conduet was very uncourteous, and, indeed, umder the clroumetances rather suspicious.” Holmes’s response was a curious one. “Can you tell me his exact height?” he asked “Really, Mr, Holmes, I cannot undertake to say, He is taller than the Indian, not so tall as Gilchrist, I suppose five foot six would be about it.” “That is very important,” said Holmes. “And now, Mr, Soames, I wish you good-night.” Our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay, ‘Good gra- cious, Mr. Holmes, you are surely not going to leave me in this abrupt feshion! You don’t seem to realize the position, To-morrow {s the ex amination. I must take some definite action to-night, I cannot allow the examination to be held if one of the papers has been tampered with. The situation must be faced.” “You must leave it as it is. morning and chat the matter over. tion then to indicate some course of action. ing—nothing at all.” “Very good, Mr. Holmes.” “You can be perfectly easy in your mind, We shall certainly find some way out of your difficulties. I will take the black clay with me, also the pencil cuttings. Good-by.” When we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle we again looked up at the windows, The Indian still paced his room. The others were In- visible, “Well, Watson, what do you think of it?” Holmes asked, as we came out into the main street, “Quite a little parlor game—sort of three-card trick, is it not? There are your three men. It must be one of them, You take your choice, It must be one of them, You take youn choice, Which is yours?” “The foul-mouthed fellow at the top. record, And yet that Indian was a sly fellow, also, paging his room all the time?" ing "Ts it 1 shall drop around early to-morrow It is possible that I aay be In a posi- Meanwhile you change ncth- He is the one with the worst Why should he be Aah aN i “There is nothing in that. Many men do it when they are trying to learn anything by heart.” “He looked at us in a queer way.” “@o would you if a flock of strangers came in on you when you wero preparing for an oxamination next day and every moment was of value, No, I see nothing in that. Pencils, too, and knives—all was satisfactory, But that fellow does puzzle me.” “Who?” “Why, Bannister, the servant, What's his game in the matter?” “He impressed me as being a perfectly honest man.” “So he did me, ‘That's the puzzling part. Why should a perfectly honest man—well, wel), here's a large stationer’s, We shall begin our re- searches here," There were only four stationers of any consequence in the town, and at each Holmes produced his penct! chips, and bid high for a duplicate, All were agreed that one could be ordered, but that it was not a usual size of pencil, and that it was seldom kept in stock. My friend did not appear to De depressed by his failure, but shrugged his shoulders in half-humorous restgnation, “No good, my dear Watson. This, the best and only final clue, has run to nothing. But, indeed, I have little doubt that we can build np a sufficient case withont it. By Jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine, and the landlady babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. What with your eter- nal tobacco, Watson, and your irregularity at meals, I expect that you will Bet notice to quit, and that I shall share your downfall—not, however, be- fore we have solved the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless servant und the three enterprising students.” Holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day, though he sat lost in thought for a long time after our belated dinner, morning he came into my room just as I finished my toilet. “Well, Watson,” said ke, “it is time we went down to St, Luke's. you do without breakfast?” “Certainly.” “Soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to tell him some- thing positive.” “Have you anything positive to tell him?” “T think so," “You have formed a conclusion?" “Yes, my dear Watson, I have solved the mystery.” “Birt what fresh evidence could you have got?" “Aha! It is not for nothing that I have turned myself out of bed at the untimely hour of six. I have put in two hours’ hard work and covered at least five miles with something to show for it. Look at that!” He held out his hand. On the palm were three little pyramids of black, doughy clay. “Why, Holmes, you had only two yesterday!" “And one more this morning. It is a falr argument that wherever No. 3 came from is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2. Eh, Watson? W ell, come along and put friend Soames out of his pain.” The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiable agitation when he found him in his chambers. In a few hours the examinations ‘would commence, and he was still in the dilemma between making the facts public and allowing the culprit to compete for the valuable scholarship, He could hardly stand still, so great was his mental agitation, and he ran toward Holmes with two eager hands outstretched, “Thank Heaven that you have come! (I feared that you had given it up in despair, What am I to do? Shall the examination proceed?” “Yes; let it proceed, by all means,” “But this rascal’’. “He shall not compete.” “You know him?" “I think so. If this matter is not to become public we must give our- selves certain powers and resolve ourselves into a small private court- martial, You there, if you please, Soames! Watson, you here! 1'l! take the armchair in the middle, I think that we are now sufficiently imposing to strike terror into a guilty breast. Kindly ring the bell!” : Bannister entered and shrank back in evident surprise and fear at our judicial appearance, “You will Kindly close the door,” sald Holmes, “Now, Bannister, will you please tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?” The man turned white to the roots of his hair. Can “T have told you everything, sir,’ “Nothing to add?” “Nothing nt all, sir.” “Well, then, I must make some suggestion to you. When you sat down on that chair yesterday did you do so In order to conceal some Object which would have shown who had been In the room?” Rannister’s face was ghastly, “No, sir; certainly not.” “It ‘# only a suggestion,” sald Holmes, suayely, “I frankly admit that I um unable to prove it. But it seems probable enough, since the mo- ment that Mr. Soames’s back was turned you released the man who was hiding in that bedroom.” Bannister licked his dry ips. “There was no man, ‘sir, “Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up Miles McLaren, to now you may have spoken the truth, but now I know that yon have lied.” The man's {nce set in sullen defiance, “There was no man, sir,” “Come, come, Bannister!" “No, siv; there was no one.’ “Th that case you can give us no further information. Would you please remain in the room? Stand over there near the bedroom door. Now, Soames, Tam going to ask you to hav» the great kindness to go up to the room of young Gilchrist and to ask him to step down into yours,” An instant later the tutor returned, bringing with him the student, He was a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe and agile, with a springy step and a pleasant, open face His troubled blue eyes glanced at each of us, and finally rested with an expression ot blank dismay upon Banmtster in the further corner, “Just close the door,’ said Holmes, ‘Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are all quite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what passes be- tween us. We can be perfectly frauk with each other, We want to know, Mr, Gilchrist, how you, an honorable man, ever came to commit such an action as that of yesterday?” ‘The unfortunate young man staggered back and cast a look full of horror and reproch at Bannister, “No, no, Mr. @iichrist, sir; I never said a word—never one word!” erted the servant, “No, but you have now,” sald Holmes, “Now, sir you must see that after Bannister's words your position is hopeless, and that your only chance Hes In a frank confession.” For a moment Gilchrist, with upralsed hand, tried to contro] his writh- ing features. The next he had thrown himself on his knees beside the table, and burying bis face in his hands, he had burst into a storm of passionate sobbing. ' “Come, come,” sald Holmes kindly; “it is human to err, and at least ne one can accuse you of being @ callous criminal. Perhaps it would be easier for you if I were to tell Mr. Soames what occurred, and you can check me where I am wrong, Shall I do so Well, well, don’t trouble to answer, Listen, and see that I do you no injustice, “From the moment, Mr. Soames, that you said to me that no one, not even Bannister, could have told that the papers were in your room, the case to take a te shape. Mata ‘The prititer one could, af courve, he i AR ae) Ede fy ‘4: ; hs 7 At eight in the’ $ 4