On September 27th…

Illustration by Sidney Paget for The Strand Magazine (May, 1893)

September 27, 1879: Brunton found the treasure box. [MUSG]

You know my methods in such cases, Watson. I put myself in the man’s place and, having first gauged his intelligence, I try to imagine how I should myself have proceeded under the same circumstances. In this case the matter was simplified by Brunton’s intelligence being quite first-rate, so that it was unnecessary to make any allowance for the personal equation, as the astronomers have dubbed it. He know that something valuable was concealed. He had spotted the place. He found that the stone which covered it was just too heavy for a man to move unaided. What would he do next? He could not get help from outside, even if he had some one whom he could trust, without the unbarring of doors and considerable risk of detection. It was better, if he could, to have his helpmate inside the house. But whom could he ask? This girl had been devoted to him. A man always finds it hard to realise that he may have finally lost a woman’s love, however badly he may have treated her. He would try by a few attentions to make his peace with the girl Howells, and then would engage her as his accomplice. Together they would come at night to the cellar, and their united force would suffice to raise the stone.

Illustration by Sidney Paget for The Strand Magazine (September, 1891)

September 27, 1889: James Windibank left for his second trip to France. [IDEN]”But how about Mr. Hosmer Angel? Did he make no attempt to see you?”

Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to see each other until he had gone. We could write in the meantime, and he used to write every day. I took the letters in in the morning, so there was no need for father to know.

One Reply to “On September 27th…”

  1. Limerick Corner for MUSG
    Now ’twas Brunton who was the right guy,
    To seduce the maid Rachel and sigh,
    “If you would just help me,
    I will marry thee”,
    But instead she arranged they both die.
    William S Dorn BSI, DWNP.
    Ron’s Note, I wonder about the last line? We are not certain that Brenton’s death was an accident or murder. No trace of Rachel’s body was ever found in the case.
    Any ideas out there a reader would like to share? For tat matter Is there any one out there who would like me to continue with e limerick or the question about the case>

Comments are closed.