Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15

time in begging in the city under my dis
guise. In ten days had the money and had
paid the debt. 44
We'll you can imagine how hard IL was
to settle down TO arsfuous work at 60 a
week. when ! knew that I could earn as
much In q day by smearing my face with
little paint. laying my cap on the ground
and sitting still. II was a long fight be-
tween my pride and the money, but the
dollars won at last. and i threw up report
ing. and sat day after day IN the corner
which | had first chosen. inspiring pity BY
my CHASTITY face, and filling my pockets
with coppers. Only one man knew my Sc
cres. He WAS the keeper OF low den in
which l used to lodge in swandam lane.
where i could every morning emerge
squalid beggar. and In the evenings trans
form myself into a well-dressed man about
town. This fellow. Lasear. was well
paid by me for his rooms. so that / knew
that my secret was safe In his possession
We'll, very soon / found that l was saw
Ing considerable sums OF money. l do not
mean that any beggar In the streets of
London could earn eco a year-which Is
less than my average takings--but had ex-
ceptfonal- advantages In my power OF MAX
ing up. and also In a facility OF repartee,
which improved by practice, and made me
gate recognized character in the city
All day scream of pennies. varied by sill
Yer, poured In upon me. and II was very
bad day in which failed TO take e..
As grew richer l grew more ambitious,
took house in the country. and eventually
married, without any one having suspi-
cfon as to my real occupation. My dear
WIFE knew that 1 had business in the city.
She little knew what.
Last Monday i had finished for the day.
and was dressing In my room above the
opium den. when looked out OF my win
dow and saw, to my horror and astonish-
ment. that my wife-was standing In the
street with her eyes fixed full upon me.
gave cry Of surprise, threw I'D my
arms TO cover my face. and. rushing to
my contdant. the Lascar, entreated him
to prevent any one from coming up to me.
heard her voice down stairs but | knew
that she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw
on my clothes, pulled on those OF a beg
gar, and put on my pigments and wig
Even wifes eyes could not pierce so
complete a disguise. But then II occurred
to me that there might be a search In the
room. and that the clothes. might betray
me- / threw open the window reopenIug
by my violence small cut which / had
inflicted upon myself in the bed room that
morning Then / seized my coat which
was weighted by the coppers which I had
Just transferred to It from the leather bag
In which carried my takings. / hurled Il
out OF the window. and 1t disappeared into
the Thames. The other clothes would
have followed, but at that moment there
was rush of constables up the stair, and
few minutes after I found rather
confess. to my relief. that instead of being
identified Mr. Neville St Clair, l was
arrested his murderer
Il do not know that there is anything
else for me to explain. l was determined
" pItSeTNe my disguise as long as DDSSlDle,
and hence my preference for q dirty face.
knowing that my wife would be terribly
anxious, I slipped off my ring and con-
fded 1t to the Lascar at moment when
no constable was watching me, together
with hurried scrawl. telling her that she
had cause to fear
That note only reached her yesterday"
said Holmes.
Good God, What week she must have
spent"
The police have watched this Lascar"
said Inspector Bradstreet and can quite
understand that he might find It difficult to
post letter unobserved. Probably he
handed 1t to some sailor customer of his,
who forgot all about It for some days
THAT was IT,, said Holmes nodding APP
provingly; II have no doubt OF 1t. But have
you never been prosecuted for begin 80
Many times; but what was a fine to
Tt must stop here. however" said Brad
street. IF the police are to hush this
thing up there must be no more OF Hugh
Boone"
Il have sworn 1t by the most solemn
oaths which a man can take"
In that easel think that II is probable
that no further steps may be taken But
out. l am sure. Mr.. Holmes. that we are
very much indebted to you for having
cleared the matter up. ] wish 1 knew
how you reach your results"
I reached this one said my friend by
sitting upon five pillows and consuming
an ounce of shay. l think, Watson that
II we drive to Baker street we shall Just
be In time for breakfast"
.lThe End.)