Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-17

came 10 riverside city or 1uU.OOO
souls. where the tenement houses swell
ter and reek with the outcssts of Eu-
rope. Here. in a broad thOroughfare.
once the abode OF wealthy city mer-
chants, we found the sculpture works
for which we searched. Outside was
considerable yard full OF monumental
masonry. Inside was a large room in
which fifty workers were carving or
molding. The manager. big blond
German, received us civilly and gave
a clear answer to all Holmes queS-
tons. 4 reference to his books showed
that hundreds of casts had been taken
from a marble copy of Devine'S head of
Napoleon. but that the three which had
been sent TO Morse Hudson a year or
so before had been half of a batch of
six. the other three being sent to Hard
ing Bros OF Kensington. There was no
reason why those six should be differ
ent from any OF the other casts. He
could suggest no possible cause why
any one should wish TO destroy them
In fact. he laughed at the idea. Their
wholesale price was q ShillingS. but the
retailer would get II or more. The
cast was taken in two molds from
each side OF the face. and then these
two profileS of plaster of paris were
Joined together to make the complete
bust. The work WAS usually done by
italians in the room we were in. When
finished the busts were put on a table
i'm the passage to dry and afterward
stored. That was all he could tell us.
But the production of the photograph
had Il remarkable effect upon the man
ager. His face flushed with anger. and
his brows kuotted over his blue leu
tonic eyes.
"Ah, the rascal. he cried. Yes. in
deed. I know him very we'll. This has
always been a respectable establish
ment, and the only time that we have
ever had the police in it was over this
very fellow. 1t was more than a year
ago now. He knitted another Italian in
the street and then he came 10 the
works with the police on his heels, and
he was taken here Beppo was his
name-his second name / never knew
Served me right for engaging II man
with such a face. But he was good
wOrkman-One Of the best"
"What did he get?'
1.-THE man lived, and he got Off with
a year. / have no doubt he is out now.
but he has not dared to show his nose
here. We have a cousin OF his here
and dare say he could tell you where
he is
mo, no." cried Holmes; mot a word
to the cOusin-nOt word, beg of you.
The matter is very important. and the
farther l go with il the more important
it seems to grow. When you referred
in your ledger TO the sale of those casts
1 observed that the date was June 8
of last year. Could you give me the
date when Beppo was arrested?"
81 could tell you roughly by the pay
list" the manager answered. Yes"
he continued, after some turning over
of pages. 'he was paid last on May 20"
THANK you" said Holmes. II don't
think that | need intrude upon your
time and patience any more" With a
last word of caution that he should say
nothing as to our researches we turned
our faces westward once more.
The afternoon was far advanced be-
fore we were able TO snatch n hasty
luncheon at a restaurant 4 news bill
at the entrance announced: "Kensing
ton Outrage. Murder by a Mailman"
and the contents of the paper showed
that Mr.. Horace Harker had got his
account into print after all. Two col
umns were occupied with n highly sen
satiOnal and fiOwery rendering of the
whole incident Holmes prOpped it
against the cruet stand and read il
while he ate. Once or twice he
chuckled.
This is all right. Watson" said he.
Listen TO this: 1t is satisfactory to
knew that there can be no difference
OF opinion upon this case. since AIr.
Lestrade, one OF the most experienced
members OF the official force, and Mr..
Sherlock Holmes, the well known con-
sulting expert, have each come to the
conclusion that the grotesque series OF
incidents. which have ended in so tragic
a fashion, arise from lunacy rather
than from deliberate crime. No ex-
PLANTATION save mental alteration can
cover the facts The press. Watson,
is "A most valuable institution. if you
only know how to use il. And now, If
you have quite finished. we will bark
back to Kensington and see what the
manager OF Harding Bros. has TO say
on the matter"
The founder Of that great emporium
proved to be "A brisk, crisp little per
son, very dappcr AMI quick, with
clear head and a ready tongue.
Yes. sir. / have already read the
account in the evening papers. Mr..
Horace HaTker is a customer OF ours.
We supplied him with the bust some
months ago. We ordered three busts
of that sort from Gelder a. Co. OF
Stepney. They are all sold now. 10
whom? Oh, l dare say by consulting
our sales book we could very easily tell
you. Yes, we have the entries here.
One TO Mr.. Harker, you see, and one
TO Mr.. Josiah Brown Of LaburnuIn
lodge, LabuTnum Vale, Chiswick, and
one to Mr.. SandefOrd Of Lower Grove
road, Reading. No, / have never seen
this face which you show me in the
You would hardly forget
"A