The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-28

lie cylinder of blue-gray paper. He caught 1t
nadly about the room, pressing it to his bosom
and shrieking out in his delight. Then he fell
pack into an armchair SO limp and exhausted
With his own emotions that We had to pour
brandy down his throat to keep him from faint
ng.
patting him upon the shoulder. TT
was too bad to spring it on you like
this but Watson here viii tell you that l never
can resist touch of the dramatic
Phelps seized his hand and kissed it. God
bless ,you"' he cried. you lave saved ms
wei, my own was at stake you know said
Holmes II assure you it is just hateful to
me to to fail in case as it can be to you to
Dlunder over commission"
Phelps thrust away the precious document into
the lnnermost pocket of his coat.
eo, have not the heart to interrupt your break
how you got it and where it was.'
Sherlock es Holmes 51f swallowed cup of coffee.
Then he rose. lit his pipe, and settled himself
down into his chair.
"I'N tell you what did first and how came
to do it afterw ards said he. after leaving you
at the station 1 went for charming walk thru
some admirable Surrey scenery to pretty little
an inn, and took the precaution of filling my
flask and of putting a paper Of sandwiches in
when set off or wokng sgan snd oend y
seh In the high-road outside Eriarbrae just at
well. 1 waited until the road was clear
1t is never very frequented one at any time. I
fancy-and then clambered over the fence into
Surely the gate was open!'' calculated
Phelps
Yes. but I have a peculiar taste in these
mr. trees stand. and behind their screen l got
over without the least chance of any one in
down among the bushes on the other side and
craWled from one to the other-witness the
disreputable state of my trouser Enees-until I
had reachedc the clumo of rhododendrons just
opposite 10 your bedroom window. There I
squatted down and awaited developments.
1.-THE blind was not down IN your room, and
I could see Miss Harrison sitting there reading
by the table. 1t was quarter past 10 when
she closed her book. fastened the shutters and
81 heard her shut the door, and felt quite
sure that she had turned the key in the lock-
1.-THE key!' calculated Phelps.
eyes; had given Miss Harrison instructions
to lock the door on the outside and take the
key key with wit her when she went to bed She car
ter. and certainly without her cooperation You
would not have that paper in your coat pocket:
sh. departed then and tbs lights went ont. and
l was left squatting in the rhodoDdendron bush.
''The night was fine. but still it was very
weary vigil. Of course it has the sort Of
when he lies beside the watercourse and waits
for the big game 1t very long, tho
Maffsd in than s The ana into
the little problem of the Speckled Band There
was church clock down at Working which
struck the quarters. and Thought more than
once that it had stopped. At last. however,
about in the. morning. ! suddenly heard the
the creaking of 4 key. A moment later the
egped oG aoGE into gd s and Harrison
"Josephl'' calculated Phelps.
"He was bare.headed but he had black
cloak thrown over his shoulder. so that he could
alarm. He walked on tiptoc under the shadow
of the wall; and when he reached the window he
pushed back the catch Then he flung open the
window and putting his knife thru the crack in
the shutters; he thrust the bar up and swung
From where I lay I had perfect view of
the inside of the room and of every one OF
his movements. He lit the two candles which
stood upon the mantelpiece, and then he pro-
ceeded to turn back the corner of the carpet
! in the neighborhood of the door. Presently he
| such is usually left to enable plumbers TO
get at the joints of the gas-pipe. This one
covered, as matter of fact, the 7 joint which
gives off the pipe which supplies the kitchen
underneath. Out of this hiding-place he drew
| that little cylinder of paper pushed down the
| board rearranged the carpet, blew out the
W T ha has f fh a Sqsa 5hs winqSW
| 1 gave him credit for, has Master Joseph
He few at me with his knife, and had to
grass him twice, and got cut over the
| knuckIes before l had the upper hand of
him He looked murder out Of the only eye
| he could with when we had finished, but
he listened to reason and gave up the papers.
Having got them. l let my man go, but |
wired full particulars 10 Forbes this morning.
If he is quick enough to catch his bird well
and good But If 6G suspect he
why. all the better for the government. /
fancy that Lord Holdhurst for one, ana Mr..
| Percy Phelps for another. would very much
rather that the affair never got as far as
police court
My Cod gasped our client. '.po you tell
me that during these long ten weeks of agony
the stolen papers within the very room
with all the time?"
| 80 it was
and Joseph joseph 5e eiea1n ana 5nlef
A rather deeper and more dangerous one than
one might judge from his appearance. From
what l have heard from him this morning,
gath r that he has lost heavily in dabblinS
with stocks, and that he is ready to do p any
an absolutely selfish man.. when chance pre-
sented itself he did not allow either his sister,t
happiness or your reputation to hold his hand
| Percy Phelps sank back in his chair My
head whirls," said he. Your words have
dazed me-
marked Holmes IN his didactic fashion, LAY
| in the fact of there being too much evidence.
What was vital was 9yeriad ar and hid hidden og
We're presented to US we had TO pick just those
which we deemed to be essential, and then
piece them together in their order, so as to
reconstruct this very remarkable chain Of
events. had already begun to suspect Joseph,
from the fact that you had intended to travel
it was likely enough thing that he should
call for you, knowing the foreign office well,
| l.
had been SO anxious to get into the bedroom. in
which but Joseph could have concealed
anythine-you told in your narrative how
/ you had turned Joseph out When you arrived
i with the doctor-my suspicious all changed 10
certainties especially as the attempt was made
| on the first night upon which the nurse was
absent. showing that the intruder s was Wen
How blind l have BEEN"
1.-The facts of the case, far as 1 have
worked them out, are these: This Joseph Har-
rison entered the Office thru the Charles street
| door, and knowing his way he walked straight
| into your the instant after you left it.
Finding no there he promptly rang the
bell. and at the instant that he did so his
eyes caught the paper upon the table:
glance showed him that chance had put In his
way state document of immense value; and IN
| an instant he had thrust 1t into his pocket and
was gone A few minutes elapsed, as you remem-
ber before the sleepy commissionnafre drew your
attention to the bell, and those were just enough
| to ,zive Ie his
'sHe made his way to Working by the first
train, and having examined his booty and assured
himself that it really of immense value,
he had concealed it in what he thought was
very safe place with the intention of taking
/ it out again in day of two. and carrying II to
the French enassy or he cse {oar
sudden return He. without a moment warming,
was bundled out Of his room. and from that time
onward there were always at least two OF You
there to prevent him from regalning ms treasure.
The situation to him must have been a madden
ing one. But at last he thought ne saw MS
chance. He tried to steal in. but was ba1ned
by your wakefulness. You may remember that
you did not take your usual drauSnt tnat hignt.
81 remember
az fancy that he had taken steps to make that
draught effcacious. and that he quite relied upon
Sa be wou rePeae the attempt It
could be done with safety Your leaving the
I room gave him the chance he wanted. | kent
i not anticipate u.s. Then. having given him the
idea that the coast was clear. I Kept guard as