The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-25

D. /. Il
Then we have stopped all the holes:
And now we must be silent and wait.
What a time it seemed! From com
pairing notes afterwards it was but an
hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to
me that the night must have almost
gone, and the dawn be breaking above us.
feared to change my position; yet my
nerves Were worked up to the highest
pitch Of tension, and my hearing was so
acute that l could not only hear the
gentle breathing of my companions, but
I could distinguish the deeper, heavier in
breath of the bulky Jones from the thin
signing note of the bank director. From
the direction of the floor. Suddenly my
eyes caught the CLINT Of a light.
AT first it was but lurid spark upon
out until it became yellow line, and
then, without any warning or sound, a
cash seemed to open and a hand ap-
which felt about in the center of the little
area of light For minute or more the
hand, with it's writing fingers, protruded
as suddenly as it appeared, and all was
dark again save the single lurtd spark
which marked a chink between the stones.
molnentaryp. e With a l'' rending, tearing
sound, one Of the broad, white stones
| turned over upon its side and left
square, gaping hole thru which streamed
the light of lantern. Over the edge
which looked keenly about it, and then,
with a hand on either side Of the aper
high, until one knee rested upon the edge.
| In another instant he stood at the side
| Of the hole and was hauling after him
a companion, 1.-THE and small like him
| self, with a pale face and shock Of very
red hair. rs
tits all clear" no whispered. "Havs
you the chisel and the bags. Great
swing for it!'
Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and
seized the intruder by the collar. The
| other dived down the hole, and I heard
the, sound of rending cloth as Jones
clutched at his skirts. The light flashed
upon the barrel Of a revolver, but Holmes
hunting crop came down on the mans
wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the
stone floor. "
Its no use. John Clay" said Holmes,
blandly: You have no chance at ALL
=, so see," the other answered, with
the utmost GOODNESS. 81 fancy that my
pal IS all right, tho see that you have
got his coat-ta1ls."
at the door, said Holmes.
/ "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done
the the, thing thu very completely. Unjust COM
'..And 1 you" Holmes answered ''Your
red headed idea was very new an effect
said Jones. lies p quicker S at s Climbing
down holes than I am. Just hold out
while fix the derbies''
4 4 beg that you will not touch me with
your filthy hands, remarked our pris-
oner, as the handouts elattered upon his
wrists. ""You may not be aware that
have 1ao royal blood in my veins; Have the
ways to say sir and please
and singer. well, would You please,
cab to carry your hghness to the police
station
'That is better" said John Clay, Sc
renely He made sweeping bow to the
the custody of the detective. =
REALLY, Mr. Holmes" said Mr.. Merry
weather. as we followed them from the
thank you or repay you. There is no
: doubt that you have detected and de-
feated in the most complete manner one
, Of the most determined attempts at bank
robbery that has ever come within my ex-
perience."
II have had one or two little scores of
my own to settle with Mr.. John Clay"
> said Holmes 81 have been at some small
: expense over this matter. which I shall
expect the bank to refund, but beyond
,, that am amply repaid by having had an
> > experience which is in many ways unique
= and by hearing the very rema rkab BILE mar
> rative of the Red-headed League"
: "You see, Watson" he, explained in
: sat over a glass of whisky And soda in
Baker street. est was perfectly obvious
:, from the first that the only possible OBJ
ject Of this rather fantastic business of
= ! the advertisement of the league, and the
copying of the Encyclopedia must be
: to get this not overnight pawnbroker
out Of the way for a number Of hours
every day: It was a curious way of man
. aging it, but really, 1t would be difficult
> to suggest better. The method was no
! doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind
y by the color Of his accompice's hair. The
. 81 week was lure which must draw
. him, and what was 1t to them, who were
g playing for thousands? They put in the
p orer oice the oe oteT rogue ncises the
= man to apply for It, and together they
: manage to secure his absence every
morning In the week. From the time that
d heard Of the assistant having come for
d half wages. it was obvious - 70 = :.
S he had some strong motive for securing
l, the situation"
), "But how could you guess what the
g motive WASP"
: Had there been women in the house,
s I should have suspected a mere vulgar
ne mans VI
. small one, and there was nothing in his
e house which could account for such elab-
r crate preparations and such an expendi-
a ture as they We're at. It must. then, be
k something out Of the house What could
If it be? thought of the assistants fond
s ness for photography, and his trick Of o..
Il There was the end of this tangled clue.
e Then made Inquiries as to this mystert-
: Gus assistant, and found that had to
y deal with one of the coolest and most
n daring criminals in London He was do
IL ing something in the cellar-somethin1
which took many hours a day for months
e on end. What could it be, once moref
IS could think of nothing save that he
- was running a tunnel to some other
building .- .....-.- .-.s. .a
Is $50 far had got when we went to
= visit the scene of action. surprised you
IS by beating upon the pavement with my
e stick. was astertaining whether the
N cellar stretched out in front or behind II
VI was not in front. Then rang the bell,
n and, as I hoped, the assistant answered
q It. We have had some skirmishes, but we
'e had never set eyes upon each other before.
n I hardly looked at his face. His knees
e. were what wished to see You must
s. yourself have remarked how worn,
wrinkled and stained they were. They
D spoke Of those hours Of burrowing. The
At only remaining point was what they were
ct burrowing for. walked round the cor
to ner saw that the City and Suburban Bank
Y abutted on our friends premises, and
er felt that had solved my problem. When
i you drove home after the concert,
called upon Scotland Yard and upon the
* chairman Of the bank directors, with the
ut result that you have seem.
III "And how could you tell that they
ee would make their attempt tonight?"
he asked.
&c "Well, when they closed their League
st offices that was sign that they cared
lg no longer about Mr.. Jabez Wilson'S pres
a ence-in other words, that they had com:
m pIeted their tunnel. But 1t was esseTltia
c11N I,,ca 1ierI,t