The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-13


geese" he shouted. I wish you were
all at the devil together. If YOU come
Fostering me any more with your silly
talk III set the dos at you You bring
Mrs Oakshott here and I'll answer her;
but what have you to do with II
Did ] buy the geese Off you2''
mo; but one Of them was mine. all
the same" whined the little man.
well. then. ask Mrs. OakshOtt for
it, -
She told me to ask you"
We'll. you can ask the King of Proc
STA for all 1 care. I've had enough of
it. Get out of thisi" He rushed fierce
ly forward, and the inquirer fitted
away into the darkness.
Ia, this may save us visit to BriX-
ton road" whispered Holmes. Come
with me, and we viii see what is to be
made of this fellow" Striding through
the scattered knots of people who
lounged round the fIaring stalls, my
companion speedily overlook the little
man and touched him upon the shout
der. He sprang round, and 1 could
see in the gaslight that every vestige
of color had been driven from his face.
who are you, then2 What do you
want?" he asked, in a Quavering voice.
You will excuse me,P said Holmes
blandly but I could not help over
hearing the questions which you put
to the salesman just now. I think
that could be of assistance to you
y
you know anything of this matter?'
My name is Sherlock Holmes. 1t
is my business to know what other peo-
pie don't know"
But you can know nothing of this
Excuse me, I know everything of it.
You are endeaVoring to trace some
geese which were sold by Mrs. Oak
shOtt Of BriXtOn road to a salesman
named Breckenridge, by him in turn
to Mr.. Windigate of the Alpha, and by
him TO his club. of which Mr.. Henry
Baker is a member"
"Oh, sir, you are the very man whom
have longed to meet" cried the little
fellow, with outstretched hands and
quivering fingers. IT can hardly eX-
plain to you how interested 1 am in
this matter"
Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheel-
er which was passing. I'm that case
we had better discuss it in a c,giy room
| rather than in this windswept market
place" said he. But, pray tell me,
before we go further, who it is that
1 have the pleasure of assisting
The man hesitated for an instant.
MY name is John Robinson" he an
swered with a sidelong glance.
mo. no; the real name" said Holmes
| sweetly. 1T is always awkward do
ing business with an alias
a flush sprang to the white cheeks of
| the stranger.
Wei, then. said he, my real name
is James Ryder"
Precisely so. Head attendant at the
Hotel Cosmopolitan. Pray step into
! the cab and ] shall soon be able to
tell you everything which you wish to
know"
The little man stood glancing from
one TO the other of us with half-fright
ened, half-hOpefu1 eyes, as one who
/ is not sure whether he is on the verge
/ Of a windfaH or of a catastrophe. Then
he stepped into the cab, and in half
an hour we were back in the sitting
room at Baker street. Nothing had
been said during our drive. but the
high, thin breathing of our new COM
paniOn and the claspings and Unclasp-
ings of his hands spoke of the nervous
tension within him.
Here We are!" said Holmes. cheer
! lily. as we filed into the room. THE
fire looks very seaSonable in this
weather You look cold, Mr.. Ryder
Pray take the basket chair I will put
on my slippers before we settle this
! little matter OF yours. Now them You
want TO know what became of those
geese"
Yes. sir"
OR. rather I fancy, of that goose.
1t was one bird, L imagine, in which
you were interested-white. with
! black bar across the tail.
Ryder quiVered with emotion. ''Oh.
sir" he cried, "caR you tell me where
it went top
1T came here"
-'Here?"
Yes; and a most remarkable bird
it proved. I don't wonder that you
should take an interest in it. 1t laid
an egg after it was dead-the bOnniest.
brightest little blue egg that ever was
seen. have it here in my museum
Our visitor staggered to his feet and
| clutched the nnantelpiece with his right
hand. Holmes unlocked his strong box
] a NJ ha arnrr oh,
shone out like a star, with a cold, bril-
liant. Inany-pointed radiance. Ryder
stood glaring with a drawn face. I'M
certain whether to claim or to disOwn
it
The games up Ryder said Holmes.
/ quietly. Hold up, man, or you'll be
into the fret Give an arm back to
his chair, Watson. He's not got blood
enough TO go in for felony with i'm
Dunity. Give him a dash of brandy.
So Now he looks a little more hu-
man What a shrimp it is. to be surel''
For a moment he had staggered and
nearly fallen, but the brandy brought
! a tinge of color into his cheeks. and
he sat staring with frightened eyes at
his accuser.
hands, and all the proofs which L
could possibly need, so there is little
which YOU need tell me. Still that lit
tie may as We'll be cleared up to make
the case compete. You mad heard, by
/ der. of this blue stone of the Countess
OF NIorcar's?''
1t was Catherine Cusack who told
| me of it, said he, in a cracking
voice.
4 see-her ladyship's waiting maid
/ Well, the temptation of sudden wealth
SO easily acquired was too much for
you, as it has been for better men be-
fore you; but you were not very scru-
pulous in the means you used 1t seems
to me. Ryder. that there is the making
of a very pretty villain in you. You
knew that this man Horner, the plumb
er, had been concerned in some such
| natter before, and that suspicion
would rest more readily upon him.
! What did you do, then? You made
! some small job in my lady's room
you and your confederate Cusack-and
you managed that he should be the
man sent for. Then, when he had left,
you rified the jewel case, raised the
alarm and had this unfortunate man
arrested. You then
Ryder threw himself down suddenly
upon the rug and ciutched at my com
panion's knee For Gods sake have
mercy" he shrieked- Think of nv
father of my mother. It would break
| their hearts. l never went wrong be-
, forel 1 never will again. 1 swear it.
/ IN swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't