The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-02

out where these busts were situated
well, how do you explain itF
IT don't attempt to do SO. 1 would
only observe that there Is certain
method in the gentleman's eccentric
proceedings. For example, In DR.. Bar
nicots hall, where sound might
arouse the family, the bust was taken
outside before being broken, whereas
in the surgery, where there was less
danger of an alarm, 1t was smashed
where It stood The affair seems alb
surdly trlfiing, and yet l dare call
nothing trivial when reflect that some
of my most classic cases have had the
least promising commencement. You
will remember Watson. how the
dreadful business of the Abernetty
family was first brought to my notice
by the depth which the parsley had
sunk into the butter upon a hot day.
l cannot afford therefore, to smile at
your three broken busts, Lestrade,
and I shall be very much obliged to
you If you will let me hear of any fresh
development of so singular a chain OF
events.
The development for which my friend
had asked came in quicker and an
infinitely more tragic form than he
could have imagined. was still dress
ing In my bedroom next morning,
where there was tap at the door and
Holmes entered, a telegram in his
hand He read 1t aloud:
Come instantly, 81, Pitt street.
nsington-Lestrade."
What is it, then?'' 1 asked
Don't know-may be anything. But
I suspect 1t is the sequel of the story
of the statues In flat case our friend,
the image breaker has begun opera
tions in another quarter of London.
There's coffee on the table. Watson,
and / have a cab at the door"
In half an hour we had reached Pitt
street, quiet little backwater Just be-
side one of the briskest currents of
London life No. 131 was one of a row,
all fat-chested, respectable, and most
unromantic dwellings. AS we drove up
we found the ratings in front of the
house lined by curious crowd.
Holmes whistled.
"By George! It's attempted murder
at the least Nothing less will hold
the London message-boy. There's a
deed of violence indicated in that fell
lows round shoulders and outstretched
Leck What's this, Watson? The top
steps swilled down and the other ones
dry. Footsteps enough, anyhow Well,
we'll there's Lestrade at the front
window. and we shall soon know all
about IT."
The official received us with a very
grave face and showed us into a sitting
room, where an exceedingly unkempt
and agitated elderly man, clad in a
flannel dressng-gown, was pacing up
and down. Ee was introduced to us
as the owner Of the house-Mr. Horace
IIarker of the Central Press Syndicate.
It's the Napoleon bust business
again." said Lestrade. you seemed
interested last night, Mr.. Holmes, so
I thought perhaps you would be glad
to be present now that the affair has
taken o very much graver turn
What has it turned to. Them
ITO murder. Mr.. IIarker, will you
tell these gentlemen exactly what has
occurred?"
The man in the dressing-gown turned
upon us with a most melancholy face.
Its an extraordinary thing" said
he, that all my life I have been col
Letting other peoples news. and now
that real piece of news has come my
own way am so confused
and bothered that I can't put
two words together. If I had come
in here as journalist. / should have
interviewed myself and had two col
umns in every evening paper. AS it is,
1 am giving away valuable copy by
telling my story over and over to
a string of different people, and l can
make no use of 1t myself However,
/ have heard your name. Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes, and IL you'll only explain this
queer business I shall be paid for my
trouble in telling you the story"
Holmes sat down and listened.
ut all seems to centre round that
bust of Napoleon which I bought for
this very room about four months ago.
picked it up cheap from Harding
Brothers, two doors from the High
Street Station. A great deal of my
journalistic work is done at night, and
often write until the early morning
So it was today. I was sitting in my
den, which is at the back of the top
of the house, about three o'clock
when I was convinced that I heard
some sounds downstairs. l listened,
but they were not repeated, and | con-
cluded that they came from outside
Then suddenly, about five minutes
later. there came most horrible yell
the most dreadful sound, Mr.. Holmes
that ever l heard. 1t will ring in my
ears as long as | live. | sat frozen
with horror for a minute or two. Then
] seized the poker and went down
stairs. When I entered this room I
found the window wide open, and at
once observed that the bust was gone
from the mantelpiece. Why any
burglar should take such thing
passes my understanding. for it was
only a plaster cast, and of no real
value whatever
You can see for yourself that any
one going out through that open win
dow could reach the front door step
taking long stride This was clearly
what the burglar had done, so I went
round and opened the door. Stepping
out into the dark I nearly fell over
dead man, who was lying there. I
ran back for light, and there was
the poor fellow, great cash in his
throat and the whole place swimming
in blood He lay on his back, his
knees drawn up. and his mouth horri-
bly, open. / shall see him in my
dreams. / had just time to blow on
my police-whistle, and then 1 must
have tainted, for knew nothing more
until / found the policeman standing
over me in the hail.
well, who was the murdered mann"
asked Holmes.
There's nothing to show who he
was" said Lestrade. you shall see
the body at the mortuary, but we have
made nothing of 1t up to now. He'is
tall man, sunburned, very powerful
not more than thirty. He is poorly
dressed, and yet does appear to be a
labourer A horn-handled clasp knife
was lying in pool of blood beside him.
Whether 1t was the weapon which did
the deed, or whether 1t belonged to the
dead man, do not know. There was
no name on his clothing, and nothing
in his pockets save an apple, some
string. a shilling map of London, and