Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-08-06

i look the paper from him and read
the short notice, which was headed:
mysterious Business at Upper Nor
| wood"
| About twelve o'clock last night"
said the Standard, Mr. Bartholomew
Sholto, of Pondicherry lodge, Upper
Norwood, was found dead in his room
under circumstances which point to
| foul play AS far as we can learn, no
actual traces of violence were found
| upon Mr. Sholto's person, but a
/ valuable collection of Indian gems
which the deceased gentleman had
inherited from his father has
been carried off The discovery
was first made by Mr.. Sherlock Holmes
and DIR. Watson. who had called at the
house with Mr.. Thaddeus Shalto,
/ brother of the deceased, By singular
| piece of good fortune Mr.. Athelney
Jones, the well-known member of the
detective police force, happened to be
at the Norwood police station, and
was on the ground within half an hour
F, of the first alarm His trained and ex-
perienced faculties were at once direct
| ed towards the detection of the GRIM
mails. with the gratifying result that
the brother, Thaddeus Sholto, has al
| ready been arrested, together with the
housekeeper, Mrs. Bernstone, an In
dian butler named Lal Rao, and por-
| ter, or gatekeeper, named McMurdo. 1t
| Is quite certain that the thief or
thieves were well acquainted with the
| house, for Mr.. Jones' well-knovn
technical knowledge and his powers
| of minute observation have en-
| abled him to prove conclusively that
| the miscreants could not have entered
| by the door or by the window, but must
have made their way across the roof of
the building, and so through a trap
door into a room which communicated
| with that in which the body was found.
This fact, which has been very clearly
made out, proves conclusively that it
! was no mere haphazard burglary. The
prompt and energetic action of the Off
GERS of the law shows the great advau-
tage of the presence on such occasions
of single vigorous and masterful
mind. We cannot but think that it
supplies an argument to those who
would wish to see our detectives more
decentralized, and brought into closer
and more effective touch with the
cases which it is their duty to investi-
gate"
"Isn't is gorgeousI" said Holmes,
grinning over his coffee cup. what
do you think of it?''
81 think that we have had close
shave ourselves of being arrested for
the crime"
$50 do l. I wouldn't answer for our
safety now, ifhe should happen to have
another of his attacks of energy"
At this moment there was a loud
ring at the bell, and l could hear Mrs.
Hudson, our landlady, raising her
! voice in a wall Representation and dis
may. -, ....xs,s,, - 49,
| by heaven, Holiness" said, half
rising, Il believe that they are really
after u.s."
mo, it's not quite so bad as that. 1t
is the unofficial force-the Baker street
irregulars-"
AS he spoke, there came swift pat.
terlng or naked feet upon the stairs, a
clatter of high voices, and in rushed
dozen dirty and ragged little street.
Arabs There was some show of disci.
pline among them, despite their tu.
multuous entry, for they instantly
drew up in line and stood facing us
it'll expectant faces. One of their
ers, stood forward with an air of lounr.
ing superiority which was very funny
in such a disreputable little scarecrow.
l. Got your message, SIR" said he,
land brought 'em on sharp. Three bot
and a tanner for tickets"
l. Here you are" said Holmes, pro
ducing some silver in future they
can report 10 you, Virgins, and you tt
1 1 81. 4. 4.
| in this way However, il is lust as wei
hat you should all hear the instruc
'pns- | want TO find the wherea bout,
steam launch called the Aurora
| 'wner Mordecai Smith, black with tive
ed streaks, funnel black with white
| band. She is down the river some
where | want one boy to be at Nor
decai Smiths landing-stage opposit,
Millbank To say If the boat comes back
VOW must divide it out among voul
ewes. and do both banks thoroughly
Let me know the moment YOU have
news. Is that all clear?"
Yes, guv'nor," said Virgins.
| The old scale of pay, and a Guinea
to the boy who finds the boat. Here,
day in advance. Now off Won por,
lie handed them a shilling each, and
away they buzzed down the stairs. and
saw them moment later streaming
down the street
IF the launch is above water thew
will find her." said Holmes, as he rose
from the table and lit his pipe. ..They
can go everywhere, see everything.
overhear everyone | expect to hear
before evening that they have spotted
her In the meanwhile, we can do
nothing but await results We cannot
pick up the broken trail until we find
either the Aurora or Mr. Mordecail
Smith.
Toby could eat these scraps, dare
say. Are you going TO bed, Holmes?"
No; | am not tired. | have a curi-
Gus constitution. never remember
feeling tired by work, though idleness
exhausts me completely. | am going
TO smoke and to think over tb;s o,aar