The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-09-10


patiently. when | have told you that
, l saw Arthur with the eoronet in HE
hands?"
. Wait a little, Mr.. Holder. We must
come back TO that. About the girl.
Miss Holder. You saw her return by
the kitchen door, l presume?'
} Yes; when l went to see if the
: her slipping in. saw the man, too,
in the gloom"
DO you know him."
'Oh, yes; he is the green grocer who
brings our vegetables round. His name
is Francis Prosper"
He stood" said Holmes, ito the left
of the dOor-that is to say, further up
the path than is necessary to reach
the dOor?"
Yes. he did"
And he is a man with a wooden
leg?"
Something like fear sprang up in the
young lady's expressive black eyes.
Why, you are like a magician" said
she. How do you know that?" She
smiled, but there was no answering
smile in Holmes thin, eager face.
II should be very glad now TO go
upstairs" said he. 81 shall probably
wish to go over the outside of the
house again. Perhaps / had better
I
fore I go up"
He walked swiftly round from one
TO the other, pausing only at the large
one which looked from the hall onto
the stable lane. This he opened and
made very careful examination of the
sill with his powerful mugnifying lens
Nov we shall go upstairs" said he
at last
The bankers dressing room was a
plainly furnished little chamber. with
a gray carpet, a large bureau and a
| long mirror Holmes went to the bu-
reau first and looked hard at the lock.
Which key was used to open it?'
he asked.
That which my son himself indi-
! cated-that Of the cupboard of the
lumber room"
''Have you il here?"
THAT is il on the dressing table"
Sherlock Holmes took il up and
| opened the bureau.
! 1T is a noiseless lock-" said he. ''It
is no wonder that it did not wake you.
This case. I presume, contains the
| corOnet. We must have look at it,
| He opened the case and, taking out
the diadem, laid ii upon the table. It
was a magnificent specimen of the
! jewelers. art, and the thirty-six stones
were the finest that / have ever seen.
At one side of the coronet was a
| cracked edge, where a corner holding
three gems had been torn away.
Now, Mr.. Holder" said Holmes,
| here is the corner which corresponds
10 that which has been so unfortu-
nately lost. Might 1 beg that you will
break it off?''
! The banker recoiled in horrO. IT
should not dream of trying he said.
''Then I will" Holmes suddenly bent
| his strength upon it, but without re-
| suit. II feel it give a little" said
| he: but, though I am exceptionally
| strong in the fingers, it would take me
all my time to break it. An ordinary
man could not do it. Now, what do
you think would happen if I did break
II. Mr. Holder? There would be a
noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell
me that all this happened within a
few yards OF your bed and that you
heard nothing of it?"
II do not know what to think. 1t is
all dark TO me-
But perhaps it may grow lighter
| as we go. What do you thing, Miss
| HOlder?'
| 7 confess that l still share my I'M
cle's perDleXity."
Your son had no shoes or slippers
| on when you saw him?'
He had nothing on save only his
trousers and shirt"
THANK you. We have certainly
/ been favored with extraordinary luck
during this inquiry, and it will be en-
tirely our own fault if we do not sue
cesd in clearing the matter up. With
your permission. Mr.. Holder, / shall
now continue my Investigations out
side"
He went alone, at his own request,
for he explained that any unnecessary
fOOtmarks might make his task more
difficult For an hour or more he was
! at work, returning at last with his feet
heavy with snow and his features as
inscrutable as ever.
II think that I have seen now all
that there is to see, Mr.. Holder" said
he; Il can serve you best by return
ing to my rooms"
But the gems, Mr.. Holmes. Where
are they?"
Il cannot tell"
The banker wrung his hands. 81
/ shall never see them againi" he cried.
And my son? You give me hopes?"
My opinion is in no way altered
Then, for Gods sake, what was this
dark business which was acted in my
| house last night
IF you can call upon me at my
! Baker street rooms tOmo4 row morning
bGLN Ctll anu ~ L SiAetll bC ndb0S ~
| do what / can to make it clearer. I
understand that you give me carte
blanche to act for you, provided only
! that I get back the gems, and that
you place no limit on the sum 1 may
| draw"
4 would give my fortune to have
them back
VERY good. shall look into the
matter between this and then. Good
/ bye; it is just possible that / may
have to come over hele again before
evening"
1t was obvious to me that my com
paniOn's mind was now made up about
the case, although what his conclu-
sions were was more than I could even
dimly imagine. Several times during
our homeward journey 1 endeavored
| TO sound him upon the point. but he
always glided away to some other
| topic until at last ] gave it over in
| despair. 1t was not yet when we
| found ourselves in our room once more.
He hurried to his chamber. and was
down again in a few minutes dressed
| as a common loafer, With his collar
turned up, his shiny, seedy coat, his
red cravat and his worn boots, he
was a perfect sample of the class.
Il think that this should do" said
he. glancing into the glass above the
! fireplace. II only wish that you could
come with me. Watson, but 1 fear it
| won't do. I may be on the trail in
| this matter, or / may De following a
will-of- the-wisp; but / shall soon
know which it is. l hope that l may
be back in few hours" He cut a
slice of beef from the joint on the side
| board, sandWiched it bsrweeen two
rounds of bread and, thrusting his rude
meal into his pocket, he started off
upon his expedition.