The citizen., 1905-07-07
Copy right by Golfers Weekly.

THE FIR
come with US tonight l shall be able to
help you to lay him by the heels'
I'm the Italian quarter?"
mo: fancy Chiswick is an address
which is more likely to find him. If
you will come with me to Chiswick
tonight. Lestrade. I'll promise to go to
the Italian quarter with you tomorrow.
and no harm will be done by the de-
lay. And now think that few
hours sleep would do us all good. for
do not propose to leave before II
o'clock, and it is unlikely that we shall
be back before morning. You'll dine
with us. Lestrade and then you are
welcome to the sofa until it is time for
us TO start. In the meantime. Watson.
l should be glad if you would ring for
an express messenger. for l have let
ter to send, and it is important that it
should go at once"
Holmes spent the evening in rum
maging among the files of the old daily
papers with which one of our lumber
rooms was packed. When ut last he de-
scended it was with triumph in his
eyes. but he said nothing to either of
us as to the result of his researches.
For my own part | had followed step
by step the methods by which he had
traced the various windingS of this
complex case. and. though | could not
get perceive the goal which we would
reach. | understood clearly that Holmes
expected this grotesque criminal to
make an attempt upon the two remain
ing busts. one of which, | remembered,
was at Chiswick No doubt the object
of our journey was to catch him in the
very act, aud | could not but admire
the cunning with which my friend had
inserted wrong clcw in the evening
paper so as TO give the fellow the idea
that he could continue his scheme with
impunity. I was not surprised when
Holmes suggested that | should take
my revolver with me- He had himself
picked up the loaded hunting crop
which was his favorite weapon.
A four wheeler was at the door at IL,
( and in it we drove to Il spot at the
other side of IfammerSmith bridge.
Here the cabman was directed to wait.
A short walk brought us to a secluded
road frnged with pleasant houses,
each standing in its own grounds. In
the light of a street lamp we read
"Laburnum Villa" upon the gatepost
of one of them. The occupants had ev.
identity retired to rest, for all was
dark save for a fanlght over the hall
door, which shed a single blurred cir
Gle on to the garden path, The wood
en- fence which separated the grounds
from the road threw dense black
shadow upon the inner side, and here
it was that we crouched.
. 81 fear that you'll have long wait"
Holmes whispered. I'VE may thank
our stars that it is not raining.
don't think we can even venture to
smoke to pass the time However, it's
a two to one chance that we get some
thing TO pay us for our trouble"
1t proved, however, that our vigil
was not to be so long as Holmes had
led us to fear, and it ended in a very
sudden and singular fashion. In an
instant, without the least sound to
warn us of. his coming, the garden
gate swung open, and a 1.-THE, dark
figure, as swift and active as an ape,
rushed up the garden path. We saw
it whisk past the light thrown from
over the door and disappear against
the black shadow of the house. There
was a long pause during which we
held our breath. and then a very gen.
tie creaking sound came to our ears.
The window was being opened. The
noise ceased, and again there was a
long silence. The fellow was making
his way into the house We saw the
sudden flash of dark lantern inside
the room. What he sought was evil
IDENTIFY not there, for again we saw the
fash through another blind and then
through another.
Let us get to the open window.
We will nab him as he climbs out,"
Lestrade whispered.
But before we could move the man
had emerged again. AS he came out
into the glimmering patch of light we
saw that he carried something white
under his arm. He looked stealthily
all round him. The silence of the de-
serted street reassured him. Turning
his back upon us, he laid down his bur-
den, and the next instant there was the
sound of a sharp tap, followed by
clatter and rattle. The man was so
intent upon what he was doing that he
never heard our steps as we stole
across the grass plot. With the bound
of a tiger, Holmes was on his back,
and an instant later Lestrade and
had him by either wrist and the hand
cuffs had been fastened. AS we turn
ed him over | saw a hideous, sallow
face. with writhing, furious features,
glaring up at us, and l knew that it
was indeed the man of the photograph
whom we had secured.
But it was not our prisoner to whom
Holmes was giving his attention.
Squatted on the doorstep, he was en-
gagged in most carefully examining that
which the man had brought from the
house. 1t was bust Of Napoleon, like
the one which we had seen that morn
ing, and it had been broken into similar
fragments. Carefully Holmes held each
separate shard to the light, but in no
way did it differ from any other shat
tered piece of plaster He had just
completed his examination when the
hall lights flew up. the door opened and