The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-26

Ss~S'F e 1865, loasos sS sS with due sup
-------- preston t h e
story may be told in such fashion as to
iniure no one. 1t records an abso-
lutely unique experience in the career
of MIR. sherlock Holmes and of myself.
The reader will excuse me if L conceal
the date of any other fact by which
he might trace the actual occurrence
We had been out for one of our
evening rambles. Holmes and I, and
had returned about six o'clock on a
cold. frosty winters evening. AS
Holmes turned up the lamp the light
fell upon card on the table. He
glanced at it. and then. with an
ejaculation of disgust, threw it on the
floor. l picked it up and read
CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON.
AGENT. HAMPSTEAD.
who is he?" 1 asked.
1.-THE worst man in London" Holmes
answered. as he sat down and stretch
ed his legs before the fire. rs any
thing on the back of the card?"
/ turned it over.
"Will call at 6:SO-C. NJ. A." 1
read. ~.
Hum! He's about due. Do you
feel a creeping. shrinking sensation,
Watson, when you stand before the
serpents in the Zoo, and see the slith-
y x
their deadly eyes and wicked, hattened
faces? Well, that's how Milyerton i'm
presses me. I've had to do with fifty
murderers in my career. but the worst
Of them never gave me the repulsion
which have for this fellow. And yet
1 can't get out of doin% business with
him-indeed. he is here at my invita-
tion.''
but who is he?''
"I'll tell you Watson. He is the king
of all the blackmailerS. Heaven help
the man, and still more the woman.
whose secret and reputation come into
the power of Milverton! With a
smiling face and a heart of marble, he
viii squeeze and squeeze until he has
drained them dry. The fellow is u
genius in his way, and would have
made his mark in some more savourY
trade. His method is as follows: He
allows it to be known that he is pre-
pared to pay very high sums for letters
which compromise people of wealth
and position. He receives these wares
not only from treacherous Wallets or
maids, but frequently from genteel
ruffians, who have gained the conf
dence and affection of trusting women.
He deals with no niggard hand. L
happen to know that he paid seven
hundred pounds to q footman for a
note two lines IN length. and that the
ruin of 4 noble family was the re-
suit Everything which is in the mar
ket goes To Milverton, and there are
hundreds III this great city who turn
white at his name. No one knows
where his grip may fail, ICr he Is far
too cunning to work from hand TO
mouth He will hold a card back for
years in order to play it at the mo-
ment when the stake is best worth
winning. [ have said that he is the
worst man in 14ondCn, and L would
ask you how could one compare the
ruftian. who in hot blood bludgeons his
mate, with this man. who methodically
and at his leisure tortures the soul
ana wrings the nerves in order to add
to his already swollen money-bags?' p
/ had seldom heard my friend speak
with such intensity of feeling.
but surely" said 1, 'the fellow
must be within the grasp of the law? 2"
Technically. no doubt. but prac-
tically not. What would it profit a
woman, for example, to get him few
months Imprisonment, if her own ruin
must Immediately follow? His victims
dare not hit back. If ever he black
mailed an innocent person. then in
deed we should have him. but he is as
cunning as the Evil One. No, no. we
must find other ways to fight him."
And why is he here?''
Because an illustrious client has
placed her piteous case in my hands.
1t is the Lady Eva Blackwell. the
most beautiful debutante of last sea-
son. She is to be married in fort
night to the Earl of Dovercourt. This
fend has several imprudent letters
imprudent, Watson. nothing worse
which were written to an impecunious
young squire in the country. They
would suffice to break off the match.
Milverton will send the letters to the
Earl unless a large sum of money is
paid him. / have been commissioned
to meet him, and-to make the best
terms / can
At that instant there was a clatter
and a rattle in the street below Look
ing down 1 saw a stately carriage and
pair, the brilliant lamps cleaning on
the glossy launches of the noble
chestnuts A footman opened the door,
and a small, stout man in a shaggy
astrakhan overcoat descended. A
minute later he was in the room.
Charles Augustus Milverton was a
man of fifty. with a large. intellectual
head! a round. plump. hairless face. a
perpetual. frozen smile. and two keen
grey eyes. which cleaned brightly
from behind broad. gold-rimmed
glasses. There was something of Mr..
Pickwick's benevolence in his appear
ance. marred only by the insincerity