The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-14

flight OF ycnder huzzari illustrate the
ideal of power combined with grace, Yet
his personal habits are in many respecse
gross and unceieStiai Let this remind
us 10 exercise charity towards our fell
low creatures. who. though they may he
inferior 10 us in some respects, may may
yet rise high above us in others"
At this odd aggression. so alien 70 my
friends usual style. Higgins threw ME a
covert glance and significantly tapped his
forehead. Meanwhile the huzzard d.
rected his flight toward as and seemed 10
contemplate alighttng on the roof of the
house. Holmes rose. regarded him in
tently. and then. the bird swooped for
ward he snatched a silver-mounted re-
volver form his pocket and fred. The
buzzard fell dead on the veranda steps.
Holmes, what have you donee" / ex-
claimed. "BuxzardS are protected by Ja-
rnaican law
'sThae is Mr.. Higgins affair" he re-
turned coldly. What concerns me 10
that the knife is found
The knife fourd?'' I cried. How,
Wheres"
in the huzzard's crop. to be sure. The
dog swallowed the knife. the huzxard atN
the dog and the knife along with it
But how do you know 1t was this par
ticular buZzard?' asked Mr. Higgins
Holmes took out his pocketbook and ex-
tracted from IL a small brown feather.
monograph on the pllrmage OF birds as a
means of detecting crime" he remarked.
ut ID q standard work among the scien-
tifie societies of Europe. ! picked up this
feather on the compost heap. AS that
buzxard swooped 1 noticed that the
twenty-seventh feather OF the left PIN
ion was missing. This is it. He was The
culprit."
Amazing exclaimed. Holmes. this
Is the greatest intellectual achievement
you have ever achieved. You omitted.
however. to stste your reasons FOR caus-
ing Lucettina 10 write the word SOM
thin in your book. Perhaps you prefer
to leave that to the ingenuity of tho
reader"
Although that has never been my hab-
st." he replied. II am willing to do so in
this instance. Well. Mr.. Higgins, are
you satisfied"
'It Is marvellous" answered Higgins,
inserting the thumb and finger in his
waistcoat pocket and bringing out a
small penknife with a white handle.
Meanwhile here Is the Lost Object. my
self picked il up few minutes after Lucet-
tina dropped IL in an unsuccessful effort
10 put In her pocket. But for this trifiing
detail L should certainly expect to find
the knife in the position you have indi-
Gated" He paused a moment. and then
added. IT heard that Mr.. Holmes was in
the island and desired to make his ac-
quaintance. The insertion of the adver-
tisement in the paper seemed the method
most likely to succeed. / also was DESTROYS
10 get a little copy for my New York
weekly letter In consideration OF the
object I trust Mr.. Holmes will excuse
the means"
For an instant I feared that Holmes was
bested at last. Never was more uista-
ken.
My dear SIR" he said with broad
smile. 81 have been from the first per-
fectly aware that you had found tho
knife, and in the manner indicated. But
recognizing I'm you an intellect Of q cal
bre nearly equal to my own, had to re-
sort to extraordinary means to induce
you to show your hand. think you Will
be the first to admit that 1 have been
successful. Confess. my dear Higgins.
that i had not shot the buzzard YOU
would not have produced the penkaife!'
Higgins rose and bowed to this incon-
testabie evidence OF superoior greatness.
"Mr. Holmes. and you. Mr.. Watson.
have the goodness to walk up to my side
board" he said. 1.-THE drinks are on r1e."