The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-03

interested last night, Mr.. Holmes, SO
I thought perhaps you would be glad
to be present now that the affair has
taken q very much graver turn"
"What has it turned to, thenW
'ero murder. Mr.. Harlzer, viii you
tell these gentlemen exactly what has
occurredg"
The man fin the dressing gown turned
upon us with q most melancholy face.
"Its ana extraordinary thing" said
he. chat all my life 1 have been col
lecting other peoples news, and now
that a real piece Of news has come my
own way 1 am so confused and bother
ed that I can't put two words together
II / had come In here as a journalist I
should have interviewed myself and
had two columns in every evening pa
per As It IS, I am giving away val
liable copy BY telling my story over
and over 10 a string OF different people.
and I can make no use Of 1t myself.
However. I've heard your name, dr.
Sherlock Holmes. and if you'll only OK
plain this queer business I shall be
paid for my trouble in telling you the
story"
Holmes sat down and listened.
at all seems to center round that
bust Ct Napoleon which I bought for
this very room about four months ago.
I picked It up cheap from Harding
Bros, two doors from the High Street
station. A great deal OF my journal
istic work is done at night and 1 Of
ten write until the early morning, 50
it was today. I was sitting in my den.
which is at the back Of the top Of the
house, about 3 o'clock when was
convinced that heard some sounds
downstairs. 7 listened. but they we're
not repeated, and I concluded that
they came from outside Then sud
denly. about five minutes later, there
came q most horrible yell-the most
dreadful sound. Mr. Holmes, that ever
1 heard It viii ring in my ears as
long as I live. / cat frozen with hor-
ror for a minute or two; then seized
the poker and went Downstairs Ngnen
entered this room j found the win
dow wide open, and at once observed
that The bust was gone from the man
telpiece. Why any burglar should take
such a thing passes my understand
ing, for it was only a plaster cast and
of no real value whatever.
you can see for yourself that any
one going out through that open win
dow could reach the front doorstep by
taking a long stride. This was clearly
what the burglar had done, so 1 went
round and opened the door. Stepping
out into the dark, I nearly fel over a
dead man who was lying there. ran
back for a light, and there was the
poor fellow, great cash in bis throat
and the whole place swimming In
blood He lay on his back, his knees
drawn up and his mouth horribly open.
shall see him in my dreams. I had
just time to blow on my police whistle.
and then I must have tainted. for /
knew Dothing more until / found the
policeman standing over ME in the
hall"
''Wen, who was the murdered mann
asked Holmes.
There's nothing to show who he
was" said Lestrade. you shall see
the body at the mortuary. but we have
made nothing Of it up to now. He is
a tail man, sunburned. very powerful,
not more than thirty He IS poorly
dressed. and yet docs not appear to
be a laborer. A horn handled clasp
knife was lying in pool of blood be
side him. Whether it was the weapon
which did the deed or whether it be-
longed TO the dead man 1 do not know
4 There was no name on his clothing
and nothing in his pockets save an
apple. some string, a shilling map OF
4 London and a photograph. Here it is. =
/ 1t was evidently taken by a snapshot
from Q small camera. 1t represented
+ an alert sharp featured simian man
with thick eyebrows and a very pc
culiar projection Of the lower part Of
the face, like the muZzle Of q baboon.
And what became Of the bustg' ask
I ed Holmes after a careful study Of this
picture.
I'VE had news Of it just before yor
came. 1t has been found in the front
4 garden Of an empty house in Camp
den House road. Tt was broken into
fragments. I am going round now Il
see it. win you Gomez
Certainly. I must just take one looh
round" He examined the carpet and
the window. "The fellow had ethel
very long legs or was a most active
man" said be. "With an area beneath
/ 1t was no mean feat to reach that win
dow ledge and open that window. Get
ting back was comparatively simple
Are you coming with us to see the re
mains Of your bust. 0Ir Harker?"
The disconsolate journalist had seat
ed himself ct a writing table
Il must try and make something Of
IT, said he. though I have no douh
that the first editions Of the evening
i papers are out already with full de
tails. It's ike my luck You remembe
4 when the stand fell at Doncaster2 We'll
was the only journalist in the stan,
and my journal the only one that has
/ no account Of il, for I was too shaker