Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-08-19
Concluded from page 2.


tonight, Lestrade, I'll promise to go to
the Italian quarter with you tomorrow,
and no harm will be done by the de
lay And now I think that few
hours sleep would do us all good for
do not propose to leave before IL
O'Clock. and it is unlikely that we shall
be back before morning. You'll dine
with us, Lestrade. and then you are
welcome to the sofa until it is time for
us to start In the meantime. Watson.
I should be glad if you would ring for
an express messenger. for | have let
ter to send, and it is important that it
should go at once"
Holmes spent the evening in rum
maging among the files of the old daily
papers with which one of our lumber
rooms was packed When at last he de-
scended it was with triumph in his
ewes, but he said nothing to either Of
us as to the result of his researches.
For my own part had followed step
by step the methods by which he had
traced the various windings of this
complex case and, though l could not
YET perceive lllI SOdi "lllCu We "ooiu
reach, understood clearly that Holmes
expected this grotesQue criminal to
make an attempt upon the two remain
ing busts. one of which, I remembered,
was at Chiswick No doubt the object
of our journey was to catch him in the
very act. and | couid not but admire
the cunning with which my friend had
;r no limo
paper. so as to give the fellow the idea
that he could continue his scheme with
IMMUNITY. I was not surprised when
Holmes suggested that I should take
my revolver with me. He had himself
picked up the loaded hunting crop,
which was his favorite weapon.
A four wheeler was at the door at II.
other side of Hammersmith bridge.
Here the cabman was directed to wait.
A short walk brought us to a secluded
road fringed with pleasant houses,
each standing in it's own grounds. In
the light of a street lamp we read
"ILaburnu,~- Villa upon the gatepost
of one of them. The occupants had ev-
identity retired to rest, for all was
dark save for fanlight over the hall
door, which shed a single blurred cir
Gle on to the garden path. The wood
en- fence which separated the grounds
from the road threw a dense black
shadow upon the inner side, and here
it was that we crouched.
ST fear that you'll have long wait, y
Holmes whispered. eve may thank
Our stars that it is not raining.
don't think we can even venture to
smoke to pass the time. However, it's
q two to one chance that we get some
thing to pay US for our trouble"
1t proved, however, that our vigil
was not to be so long as Holmes had
led us to fear, and it ended in very
sudden and singular fashion. In an
instant, without the least sound to
warn us of his coming, the garden
gate swung open, and 1.-THE, dark
figure, as swift and active as an ape,
rushed up the garden path. We saw
it whisk past the light thrown from
over the door and disappear against
the black shadow Of the house. There
was a long pause, during which we
held our breath, and then very gen
tile creaking sound came to our ears.
The window was being opened. The
noise ceased, and again there was
long silence The fellow was making
his way into the house. We saw the
sudden flash Of a dark lantern inside
the room. What he sought was evil
IDENTITY not there, for again we saw the
fash through another blind and then
through another.
"Let us get to the open window.
We will nab him as he climbs out"
Lestrade whispered.
But before we could move the man
had emerged again. AS he came out
Into the glimmering patch of light we
saw that he carried something white
under his arm. He looked stealthily
all round him. The silence of the de-
serted street treasured him. Turning
mis- back upon us, he laid down his bur-
den, and the next instant there was the
sound Of a sharp tap, followed by a
chatter and rattle. The man was so
Intent upon what he was doing that he
never heard our steps as we stole
across the grass plot. With the bound
of a tiger, Holmes was on his back,
and an instant later Lestrade and I
had him by either wrist and the hand
cuffs had been fastened. AS we turn
ed him over I saw a hideous, sallow
face, with writhing, furious features,
glaring up at us, and knew that it
swas indeed the man Of the photograph
whom we had secured.
But it was not our prisoner to whom
Holmes was giving his attention.
Gquatted on the doorstep, he was en-
gagged in most carefully examining that
which the man had brought from the
house 1t was bust of Napoleon, like
the one which we had seen that morn
ang, and it had been broken into similar
fragments. Carefully Holmes held each
separate shard to the light, but in no
way did it differ from any other shat
tered piece Of plaster. He had just
completed his examination when the