Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-24

Cohurg Square is serious.
Why serious2
| "A considerable crime is in contempla-
/ ton have every reason to believe that
We shall be in time TO stop it. But today
being Saturday rather complexities mat
ters. shall want your help tonight"
AT what time
Ten will be early enough
[ Il shall be at Baker street at 10"
Very well. And, j say. doctor. there
may DE some little danger so kindly put
your army revolver In your pocket" He
| waved his hand. turned on his heel and
| disappeared in an instant among the
crowd.
| / trust that I am not more dense than
| my neighbors, but I was always oppressed
| with sense of my own stupidity IN my
| dealings with Sherlock Holmes. Here
had heard what he had heard, had seen
what he had seen, and yet from his words
! It was evident that he saw clearly not
! only what had happened, but what was
! about To happen, while to me the whole
| business was still confused and grotesaue.
| As drove home to my house In Kensing-
| ton thought over II all, from the extra
the Encyclopedias" down to the visit to
| Saxe-Coburg Square. and the oEninous
| words with which he had parted from me.
What was this nocturnal expedition and
why should I go arnlees Where were we
| going and what were We to do? had the
! HAT from Holmes that this smooth-faced
| pawnbroker3s assistant was a formidable
! man man who might play deep game.
/ tried to puzzle 1t out. but gave 1t up In
1 desp pair ana set the matter aside until
| night should bring explanation.
/ II was a quarter past nine when /
! started from home and made my way
across the park. and so through oxford
| street to Baker street. Two hansoIns Were
t standing et the door and as | entered the
| passage ] heard the sound of voices from
J above. On entering his room l found
! Holmes n animated conversation with two
/ men, ore Of whom [ recognized as Peter
Jones. the official police agent, while the
| other was long, thin sad-faced man,
| with very shiny hat and oppressiyely re-
t spectacle frock coat
..Hal our party is complete" said
| Holmes, buttoning up his pea jacket and
| taking his heavy hunting crop from the
Jones of Scotland Yard? Let me intro
! duce you to Mr.. Merryweather. who is to
| be our companion IN tonights adventure.
We're hunting in couples again. doctor,
| you see," said Jones, in his consequential
| way. Our friend here Is wonderful
man for starting a chase. All he wants Is
an old dog to help him to do the running
| down"
Il hope wild goose may not prove to be
the end Of our chase" observed Mr.. Merry
weather gloomily.
You may place considerable confidence
in Mr. Holmes. SIR said the police agent
lofffIy. He has his own little methods,
which are, If he won't mind my saying SO.
just little too theoretical and fantastic.
but he has the makings of a detective In
him. 1t Is not too much to say that once
or twice, as in that business of the Sholto
murder and the Agra treasure, he has been
more nearly correct than the official
force
"Oh, If you say so, Mr.. Jones. 1t IS all
right, said the stranger with Difference
Still, confess that miss my rubber. 1t
Is the first Saturday night for seven-and-
twenty years that have not had my rub
ber"
Holmes, that you will play for higher
stake tonight than you have ever done yet.
and that the play will be more exciting.
For you Mr.. Merryweather, the stake viii
be some 10000; and for you, Jones, 1t Will
be the man upon whom you wish to lay
your hands"
John Clay. the murderer, thief, smash
er and forger. He's young man, Mr. Mer-
ryweather, but he is at the head of his pro-
.fession, and would rather have my brace
let's on him than on any criminal in Lon
don. He's a remarkable man. Is young
John Clay. His grandfather was royal
duke. and he himself has been to Elton and
Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his
fingers, and though we meet signs of him
at every turn, we never know where to ind
the man himself. He'll crack crib in Scot
land one week. and be raising money to
build an orphanage in Cornwall the next.
I've been on his track for years, and have
never set eyes him yet
II hope that l may have the pleasure OF
introducing you tonight. I've had one or
two little turns also with Mr.. John Clay,
and l agree with you that he is at the head
of his profession. 1t is past 10. however.
will take the first hanson, Watson and l
will follow in the second
Sherlock Holmes was not very conlmuni-
catfye during the long drive and lay back
In the cab humming the tunes which he had
heard In the afternoon. We ratified through
an endless labyrinth of gas-lit streets until
we emerged into Harrington street;
I'VE are close there now" by friend re-
marked This fellow Merryweather is a
bank director, and personally interested in
the matter. I thought it as well to have
Jones with US also. He is not a bad fell
low, though an absolute imbecile in his pro-
fession. He has one positive virtue. He is
as brave bulldog. and as tenacious as
a lobster If he gets his claws upon any one.
Here we are, and they are waiting for u.s.
We had reached the same crowded thor
oughfare In which we had found ourselves
in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed.
and, following the guidance of Mr.. Merry
wea Their we passed down a narrow passage
and through side door. which he opened
for us. Within there was a small corridor,
which ended In very massive iron gate.
This also was opened and led down flight
of winding stone steps, which terminated
at another formidable gate. Mr.. Merry
weather stopped to light a lantern, and
then conducted us down a dark, earth
smelling passage and so, after opening
third door into huge vault or cellar,
which was piled all around with crates and
massive boxes.
You are not very vulnerable from above"
Holmes remarked, as he held up the Ian
tern and Sazed about him.
Nor from below" said Mr., Merry
weather, striking his stick upon the flags
which lined the floor why, dear me, it
sounds quite hollow he remarked, looking
up in surprise.
81 must really ask you to be little more
quiet" said Holmes severely. You have
already impeFiled the whole success OF our
expedition. Might I beg that you would
have the goodness to sit down upon one of
those boxes. and not to interfere?'
The solemn Mr.. Merryweather perched
himself upon crate, with a very injured
expression upon his face while Holmes fell
upon his knees upon the floor. and, with
the lantern and a magnifying lens began
to examine minutey the cracks between the
stones. A few seconds sufficed to satisfy
him, for he sprang to his feet again and
put his glass in his pocket.
I'VE have at least hour before u.s.
he remarked: for they can hardly take any
steps until the good pawnbroker is safely
in bed. Then they will not lose minute
for the sooner they do their work the long
er time they will have for their escape. We
are at present, dcctor-as doubt you
have divined-in the cellar of the city
branch of one of the principal London
banks. Mr.. Merryweather is the chairman
of directors, and he will explain to you
that there are reasons why the more dar-