Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-24

dome II tor him Wlen ne WAS a lau<
"Hum," said Holmes. sinking back In
deep thought. .He is still with your
"Oh yes. sir; have only just left him..
Ard mas your business been attended to
In Your absence?''
Nothing to complain Of sir There's
never very much to do of morning
THAT will 90. Mr.. Wilson. / shall be
happily TO give you an opinion upon the sub
Ject in the course of a day or two. Today
Is Saturday. and | hope that by Monday
we may come to q conclusion
Wei, Watson said Holmes, when our
visitor had left US, what do you make OF
Il make nothing of 1T" I answered
frankly. 1t is most mysterious bust
ness
las a rule" said Holmes 1.-THE more BIZ
zarre a thing is the less mysterious it
proves to be. 1t is your commonplace.
featureless crimes which are really puz-
zling. just as commonplace face is the
most difficult to identify But / must be
prompt over this matter
! asked.
ITO smoke he answered. TT is quite a
| three-pipe problem, and 1 beg that yon
| won't speak to for fifty minutes" He
| eurled himself up IN his chair, with his
thin knees drawn up TO his ha VIZ like ncse,
and there re 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 noddag myself, when he
gesture OF man who has made Up his
mind. and pu, his pipe down upon the
mantel1lece.
"Sarasa,e plays at the st James Hall
| this afternoon" he remarked. what do
you think, Watson? Could your patients
spare you fer few hours?"
Il have nothing to do today. My prac-
| tee is never very absorbing"
Then put on your hat and come. am
going through the city frSt and we can
have some lunch on the way. I observe
that there IS a good deal of German music
on the program. which is rather more to
my taste than Italian or French. 1t is in
| trospective.i and want to introspect. Come
| along"
We Travelled by the underground as far
as Aldersgate; and a short walk took us to
Saxe-Coburg Square. the scene of the singu
lar story which we had listened to in the
morning. 1t was pokey, little, shabby
genteel place. where four lines of dingy
two-storied brick houses looked out into
a small railed-in enclosure. where a lawn
of weedy grass and few cfumps of faded
laurel-bushes made hard fight against
smoke-laden and uncongenial atmosphere.
Three gilt balls and a brown board with
Jabez wilson In white letters, upon a
corner house, announced the place where
our red-headed client carried on his bust
ness. Sherlock Holmes stopped In front Of
1t with his head on one SIDE and looked 1t
all over, with his eyes shining brightly be-
tween puckered lids. Then he walked
slowly up the street, and then down again
to the corner still looking keenly at the
house. Finally he returned to the pawn
brokers', and, having thumped vigorously
upon the pavement with his stick two or
three times, he went up to the door and
knocked, It instantly opened by
.brfght-looking. clean-shaven young fellow,
who asked him to step In.
Thank you said Holmes. 81 only wish
ed 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 London.
and for daring am not sure that he has
not claim to be third. I have known
something of him before"
Evidently" said I. Mr.. Wilson'S assist
ant counts for good deal in this mystery
of the Red-headed League I am sure that
you inquired your way merely IN order that
you might sec him"
Not him"
What them"
1.-The knees of his trousers"
And what did you see?"
+. What l expected to See"
why did you beat the pavement"
MY dear doctor. this is a time for OBJ
servation, not for talk. We are spies in an
enemy's country. We know sonnet hing of
Saxe-Coburg Square. Let US now explore
the parts which lie behind It,"
The road in which we found ourselves as
we turned round the corner from the re-
great contrast to it as the front of pic
ture does to the back. It was one of the
main arteries which convey the traffic of
the city to the north and west. The road
way was blocked with the immense stream
OF commerce flowing in a double tide in
ward and outward, while the footpaths
were black with the hurrying swarm of
pedestrians. 1t was difficult to realize as
we looked at the line of fine shops and
stately business premises that they really