The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-12

Holmes, sternly cit is very well to
cringe and crawl now, but you thought
little enough of this poor Homer in
the dock for crime of which he knew
/ nothing.o
the country M sr h9 %hen the w' charge barge
against him will break down.
! Hum! We will talk about that.
AND now let us hear true account OF
the next act. How came the stone into
the goose, and how came the goose into
i there lies your only hope of safety
i Ryder passed his tongue over his
parehed lips. 81 will tell you it just
as it happened, sir,' said he "When
Horner had been arrested, it seemed to
me that it would be best for me to get
: away with the stone at once, for did
not know at what moment the police
might not take it into their heads to
search me and my room. There was
no place about the hotel where it would
be safe. l went out, as if on some COM
mission, and I made for my sister 8
house. She had married a man named
, Oakshott, and lived in Brixton road,
where she fattened fowls for the mar.
ket. All the way there every man /
, met seemed to me to be policeman or
, detective; and, for all that it was
cold night, the sweat was pouring down
e my face before 1 came to the Brixton
: road. My sister asked me what was
9 the matter, and why was so pale; but
f told her that I had been upset by
the jewel robbery at the hotel. Then
i went into the backyard and smoked
i. a pipe, and wondered what it would be
j., best to do.
: 81 had friend once called Mauds-
t ley, who went to the bad, and has Just
t been serving his time in Pentorville
One day he had met me, and fell into
talk about the ways of thieves. and
how they, could get rid of what they
S stole: l knew that he would be true to
J. me, for knew one or two things about
- on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take
t. him into my confidence. He would
e show me how to turn the stone into
( money. But how to get to him in
n safety? | thought of the agonies L
n had gore thru in coming from the hotel.
d might at any moment be seized and
y searched, and there would be the stone
In my waistcoat pocket. I was leaning
N against the wall at the time, and look
lie ing at the geese which were waddling
d about round my feet, and suddenly an
< idea came into my head which showed
n me how l could beat the best detective
that ever lived
l. 'My sister had told me some weeks
Sc before that I might have the pick of
m her geese for Christmas present, and
t. l knew that she was always as good as
e, her word. [ would take my goose now,
and IN 1t | would carry my stone to
kilburn:. There was a little shed in
t. the yard, and behind this I drove one
a. Of the birds-a fine big one, white, with
barred tail [ caught it, and, prying
id its bill open, I thrust the stone down
< its throat as far as my finger could
reach. The bird gave gulp, and I felt
Is the stone pass along its gullet- down
e, into its crop But the creature tapped
and struggled, and out came my sister
lie to know what was the matter AS [
% turned to speak to her the brute broke
II loose and 1uttered off among the 9th.
ii ers. ..-.. ..-..
~. Whatever were you doing with
m that bird, Jem?' says she. /,
t. Well, said |, you said you d give
is me one for Christmas, and was feeling
Of which was the latest.
IN ooh, says she, we've set yours
If aside for .you-Jem's bird, we call it.
g. It's the big white one over yonder.
ID There's twenty-six of them, which
le makes one for you, and one for us, and
n two dozen for the market
p Thank you, Maggie says I; 'but
US if rs all the same to you, I'd rather
have that one I was handling just
r. now
ne .The other is good three pound
r. heavier, said she, and we fattened it
&c expressly for YOU
~ Never mind. I'll have the other.
t. and II take it now said I.
ut 'Oh, just as you like said she, a
- little huffed. Which is it you want,
then2'
e. "''That white one with the barred
III tail, right in the middle of the. flock
WITH On On very well. Kill it and take it
h, "Well, I did what she said, Mr..
re Holmes, and [ carried the bird all the
way to Kilburn. I told my pal what
l had done, for he was a man that it was
easy to tell thing likt that to. He
I'd laughed until he choked, and we got a
~ knife and opened the goose. My heart
id turned to water, for there was no sign
st, Of the stone, and I knew that some ter
as rible mistake had occurred. left the
bird, rushed back to my sister IS. and
Id hurried into the backyard. There was
hit not bird to be seen there.
G. Where are they all, Maggief" !
le, cried. =
d, "tGone to the Dealers, Jim.'
er Which dealer 81
n q Breckenridge, of Covent Garden.
IS But was there another with a
barred tail?' I asked, the same as the
id one I chose2'
or Yes, Jem; there were two barred.
an tailed ones, and I could never tell them
IS apart
nv "Well, then. of course I saw it all
Of and l ran off as hard as my feet would
lie carry me to this man Breckenridge; but
to he had sold the lot at once, and not
one word would he tell me as to where
nd they had gone. You heard him your.
hit selves tonight. Well, he has Away.
nd answered me like that. Ny sister
at thinks that am going mad. Some.
times [ think that am myself. And
nv now-and now / am myself a branded
Id thief, without ever having touched the
CHI wealth for which / sold my character
ay God help mel God help mel He burst
Sc into convulsive sobbing, with his face
of buried in his hands.
,r- There was long silence, broken only
by his heavy breathing, and by the
Id measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes
,e. fnger-tips upon the edge of the table
id. Then, my friend rose and threw open
th the door.
or Get OUT" said he
,e- what, sir! Oh, heaven bless you'll u
,u- No more words. Get outl"
ms And no more words were needed
ng There was a rush, clatter upon thu
ouu stairs, the bang of door, and the crisp
b rattle of running footballs from the
oh street.
Id after all, Watson,n said Holmes
at reaching up his hand for his clay pipe
ne am not retained by the police tt
nd supply their. deficiencies. If Horne1
GU We're in danger it would be anothe,
an thing; but this fellow will not appear