The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-24


 He answered that the name was new to him.
 We'll said I, the gentleman at No. 4s
 What. the red-headed man?'
 Yes
 "'Oh, said he his name was William Morris. He was a solicitor. and was using my room as temporary conven- ience until his new premises were ready He moved out yesterday.
 "where could I find him?
 "Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. res, II King Edward street, near St. Pauls'
 T started off, MT. Holmes. but when I got to that address it was a manu- factory of artificial knee-caps. and no one in it had ever heard of either MT. William Morris or MT. Duncan Ross" And what did you do then?" asked Holmes.
 q went home to Saxe-Coburg Square, and l took the advice of my assistant But he couldn't help me in any way. He could only say that if I waited I should hear by post. But that was not quite good enough, MT. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place without a struggle, so, as l had heard that you were good enough to give advice to poor folk who were in need of it, I came right away to you.'
 And you did very wisely" said Holmes. Your case is an exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. From what you have told me l think that it Is possible that graver issues hang upon 1t than might at first sight appear.
 Grave enoughr' said MT. Jabez Will son. Why. l have lost four pounds | week."
 "As far as you are personally con- cerned," remarked Holmes, do not see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary league. On the con trary, you are, as I understand, richer by some f30 to say nothing of the min ute knowledge which you have gained | on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have lost nothing by them" 'No sir. But l want to find out about them, and who they are, and what their | object was in playing this prank-if it was prank-upon me. It was pretty expensive joke for them, for it cost them two and thirty pounds"
 We shall endeavor to clear up these points for you. And, first, one or two questions, MT. Wilson. This assistant of yours who first called your attention to the advertisement-how long had he been with you?"
 About month then" How did he come?" "In answer to an advertisement"
 Was he the only appllcant?' NO, had a dozen." Why did you pick him?" Because he was handy and would come cheap"
 "a. half wages, in fact" "Yes."
 What is he like, this Vincent Spauld- | ing?"
 Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways no hair on his face, though he's not short of thirty. Has white splash | of acid nnon his forohaad | Holmes sat up in his chair in consider 1 able excitement. 'I thought as much," 1 said he. Have you ever observed that his ears are pierced for earrings?" Yes, sir lie told me that a gypsy had done 1t for him when he was lad.'
 "Hum!' said Holmes, sinking back in deep thought. 'Ie is still with you?"
 "Oh yes, sir; have only just left him."
 And has your business been attended to in your absence ?" "Nothing to complain of, sir There's never very much to do of a morning" That will do, MT Wilson. I shall be ] happy to give you an opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. Today is Saturday, and l hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion.
 Well, Watson" said Holmes, when our visitor had left us what do you make of it all?"
 l q make nothing of it." I answered : frankly. Tt is most mysterious busi- ness"
 "As rule" said Holmes, 'the more l bizarre a thing is the less mysterious It proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless crimes which are really pug zling, just as a commonplace face Is the most difficult to identify But I must l be prompt over this natter
 What are you going to do, then?" I asked.
 "ro smoke" he answered. "It Is quite three-pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes" He curled himself up in his chair. with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose. and there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. had come to the conclusion that he had | dropped asleep, and indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of his chair with the gesture of man who has made up his mind and put his pipe l down upon the mantle-piece.
 ''Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon" he remarked. What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare you for a few hours?'
 T have nothing to do today. My prac- tice is never very absorbing"
 "Then put on your hat and come I am going through the city first, and we can have some lunch on the way. I observe that there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is rather more to my taste than Italian or French. 1t is introspective, and I want to intro spect. Come alongl' We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square, the scene of the singular story which we had listened to | in the morning. It was a pokey, little, shabby genteel place, where four lines of dingy two-storied brick houses looked out into small railed-in enclosure, where a of faoed laurel bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with "Jabez Wilson" in white letters, upon a corner house, an nounced the place where our red-headed l client carried on his business. Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of 1t with his | head on one side, and looked 1t all over, with his eyes shining brightly between puckered lids. Then he walked slowly l up the street, and then down again to the corner, still looking keenly at the houses. Finally he returned to the pawnbroker' s, and, having dumped vigorously upon the pavement with his stick two or three times. he went up to the door and knocked. It was instantly opened by a bright-looking, clean-shaven young fel- !. low, who asked him to step in. | Thank you" said Holmes, q only wished to ask you how you would go from here to the Strand" Third right. fourth left" answered the assistant promptly, closing the door.
 Smart fellow, that observed Holmes. ] as we walked away. He is, in my judg- ment, the fourth smartest man in Lon don, and for daring I am not sure that