The news & observer., 1905-08-06
well. then, l sha'n't tell you.


be, if you were as pestered as ! am.
When / pay good money for a good
article there should be an end of the
business; but it's What will you take
for the geese? One would think they
were the only geese in the world, to
hear the fuss that is made over them.
We'll, | have no connection with
any other people who have been max,
ing Inquiries" said Holmes, careless
ly. "If you won't tell us the bet is off.
that is all. But I'm always ready
to back my opinion on matter OF
fowls, and / have a FLYER on it that
the bird l ate is country bred"
well, then. you've lost your flyer,
for it's town bred" snapped the sales
man
Its nothing of the kind"
81 say it is
Il don't believe it.
"D'vou think you know more about
fowls than l, who have handled them
ever since | was a nipper? :ell yon.
all those birds that went to the
Alpha were town bred
'Youll never persuade me to be-
lieve that"
"Will you bet. them"
Its merely taking your money, for
know that i am right. But III have
q sovereign on With you, just 20 teach
you not to be obstinate"
The salesman chuckled grimly.
Bring me the books, Bill said he
The small boy brought round
small thin volume and a great greasy
backed one, laying them out together
beneath the hanging lamp.
Now then, Mr.. Cocksure, said the
salesman, Il thought that | Nas out
of geese, but before finish ycu'll find
that there is still one left in my shop.
You see this little book p
well ?"
That's the list of the folk from
whom l buy. D'you see? Well, then.
here on this page are the country folk,
and the numbers after their names are
where their accounts are in the big
ledger. Now, then! You see this
other page in red ink? Well, that is
a list of my town supplies. Now, look
at that third name. Just read it out
to me-
Mrs OaKshott, III, Brixton Road
-249," read Holmes.
quite so. Now turn that up in
the ledger
Holmes turned to the page indi"aI~
ed. Here you are, Mrs. Oakshott
III, Brixton Road, egg and poultry
supplier.'
Now, then, what's the last entry"
"'Decemher %. TWenty-f"Gr geese
at rs. Cd
"'sold to Mr. Windigate of the
'Alph, at 12s.
What have you to say noW?"
Sherlock Holmes looked deeply
chagrined. He drew sovereisn from
his pocket and threw it down upon
the slab, turning away with the air
of a man whose disgueSt is too deep
for words. A few yards off he stopped
under a lamp-poSt, and laughed H.
the hearty, noiseless fashion which
was peculiar to him.
when you see a man with Whisk-
ers of that cut and the pink 'un' pro-
truding out of his pocket, you can al
ways draw him by a bet" said he II
dare say that if I had put f1a0 down
ir front of him, that man would not
have given me such complete infor-
nation as was drawn from him by
the idea that he was doing ire on Z
wager. We'll, Watson, we are.
fancy, nearing the end of our quest
and the only point which remains TO
hc determined is whether wc should
go on to this Mrs. Oakshott Tonight
or whether we should reserve it fol
tomorrow. 1t is clear from what
that surly fellow said that there are
others besides ourselves who are
anxiou3 about the matter and
should
His remarks We're suddenly cut
short by loud hubbub which broke
cut from the stall which we had just
left Turning round we saw a little
! at-faced fellow standing in the centrs
of the circle of yellow light which
was thrown by the swinging lamp,
" lille Breckinridge, the salesman,
framed in the door of his stall, was
shaking his fists fiercely at the cring-
ing figure.
i've had enough of you and your
geese" he shouted. Il wish Juu We're
III at the devil together. If vou come
fostering me any more with Jour silly
talk III set the dog at yor. You
bring Mrs Cakshott here and TIL an
swer her, tut what have you to do
with it? Did | buy the geese of you?'
NO; but one of them was nine al.
the same,' whined the little man.
"Well, then ask Mrs. OakshOtt for
.She told me to ask you"
"Well, you can ask the King of
Proosia, for all I care. I've ha'!
enough of it. Get out of this!" He
rushed flercely forward and the iii
quirer lifted away into the darkness.
"Hai this may save us 4 visit 10
Brixton Read whispered IIolme%.
Come with me, and we will see what
is to be made of this fellow. Stridins
through the scattered knots Of peopl"
WHO iOullScu IOui1u tile ildIiilS Sletiio'
my companion speedily overlook the
little man and touched him upon the
shoulder. He sprang round and !
could see in the gas-light that every
restige of color had been driven from
his FACE.
"Who are you, then? What do you
want?' he asked, in quave' 'ihg voice
You will excuse me- said Holmes,
blandly, "but / could not help over
hearing the questions which you put
to the salesman just now. l think
that l could be of assistance to you
You? Who are you? How could
YOU know anything of the natter
my name is Sherlock Holmes. t
is my business to know what other
people don't know"
But you can know nothing OF
this?"
Excuse me, / know everything OF
it. You are endeavoring to trace some
geese which were sold by Mrs. Oak
shott, of Bcixton Road. to salesman
named Breckenridge, by him in turn
to Mr. Windigate, of the Alpha and
by him to his club of which Mr.. Hen
ry Baker is q member"
"Oh, sir, you are the very man
whom I have longed to meet" cried
tha little fellow with OutStretched