The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-10

one of whom / recognized as Peter
Jones' the official police agent. while
the other was long, thin, sad-faced
man, with a very shiny hat and or
pressively respectable frock- coat
"Ha! our party is complete" said
Holmes, buttoning up his pea-jacket.
and taking his heavy hunting crop
from the rack. Watson, l think YOU
know Mr.. Jones, of Scotland Yar62
Let me introduce you to Mr.. Merry
weather, who is to be our companion
in to-night's adventure"
Were hunting in couples again.
DOCTOR you see" said Jones, in his
consequential way. "Our friend here
is wonderful man for starting a
chase. All he wants is an old dog
to help him to do the running down."
81 hope a wild goose may not prove
to be the end of our chase" OBJ
served Mr. Merryweather gloomily.
you may place considerable con-
ffdence in Mr. Holmes, sir" said the
police agent loftily. "He has his own
little methods, which are, if he won't
mind my saying SO, just little too
theoretical and fantastic, but he has
the markings of a detective in him.
1t is not too much to say that once
or twice as i'm that business of the
Sholto murder and the Agra treasure,
he has been more nearly correct than
the official force"
ooh, if you say so. Mr. Jones. 1t
is all right" said the stranger with
Difference. "Still, / confess that I
miss my rubber. II is the first Sat
urday night for seven-and-twenty-
years that l have not had my rub
Der"
81 think you will find" said Sher-
lock Holmes, that you will play for
a higher stake tonight than you have
ever done yet, and that the play will
be more exciting. For you. Mr.. Mer-
rywcather, the stake will be some
$50, 900; and for you. Jones, it will be
the man upon whom you wish to lay
your hands"
John Clay the murderer, that,
smashcr and forger. He is q, young
man, Mr. Merryweathcr, but he is at
the head of his professions and n
would rather have my bracelets IN
him than on any criminal in London,
Hes q remarkable man, is younE
John Clay His grandfather was al
royal duke. and he himself has been
to Elton and oxford His brain is as
cunning as his fingers. and though we
meet signs of him at every turn, we
never know where to find the man
himself He'll crack a crib in Scot
land one week, and be raising money
TO build an orphanage in Cornwall the
next. I've been on his track for
years, and have never set eyes on
him yet"
Il hope that l may have the pleas
ure of introducing you tonight. I've |
had one or two little turns also with |
Mr.. john Clay. and / agree with you
that he is at the head of his profess
sion. IT is past ten, however and |
quite time that we started. II you |
two will take the first hanson. Wat |
son and / WI follow i'm the second
Sherlock Holmes was not very com
during the long drive, and |
lay back i'm the cab humming the |
tunes which he had heard in the af- |
ternoon. We ratified through an end |
less labyrinth of gas-lit streets until !
we emerged into Harrington Street
1--WE are close there now my |
friend remarked. This fellow Mer- |
ryweather is bank director, and per- |
sonally interested in the matter. 1 |
thought it as we'll to have Jones with |
us also. He is not a bad fellow, |
though an absolute imbecile in his I
profession. He has one positive vir I
tue. He is as brave as bulldog, !
and as tenacious as a lobster if he