The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-26

been impossible to make the facts ptlb-
lie. but now the principal person con-
cerned is beyond the reach of human
law. and with due suppression the story
may be told in such fashion as TO in
Jurc no one II records an absolutely.
antique experience i'm the career both of
AIR Sherlock Holmes and of myself
The reader viii excuse me if ] con
Ceal the date or any other fact by
Which he might trace the actual oc-
Currencc.
We had been out for one OF our even
ing rambles, Holmes and ], and had re-
turned about o'clock on d cold. frosty
winters evening. As Holmes turned UP
the lamp the light fell upon d card on
Inc table. He glanced at il, and then
with an ejaculation OF disgust, threw
IL on the floor / picked it up and read:
CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON,
Appledore Towers.
Agent. Hampstead.
Who is hc2' [ asked
The worst man i'm London Holmes
answered, as he sat down and stretched
lis legs before the fire. Is anything
on the back of the card
I turned it over
VIII call at 500. 4. M read
Hum, He's about due. Do you feel
q creeping. shrinking sensation. Wat
son. when you stand before the serpents
il The zoo, and see the slithery. gliding
NCnomouS creatures, with their deadly
4 cS and wicked, fiattcned faces2 Well
that's how MilvertOn impresses me
I've had to do with nifty murdererS m
ny career. but the worst of them never
r we mc the repulsion which [ have FOR
this fellow. And vet I can't get out of
ing business with him-indecd, he Is
here at my invitation"
But who is hc2'
RI tell you, Watson. IIe is the king
o. all the blackmaileTS. Heaven help
Tie man. and still more the woman,
whose secret and reputation come into
The power of Milverton, With "a smiI-
ing face and a heart of marble, he will
squeeze and squeeze until he has
drained them dry. The fellow is a. ge-
IiuS i'm his way, and would have made
his mark in some more SaVOTy trade.
His method is aS follows lie allows IL
60 be kncWn that he il prepared to pay
~cry high sums for letters which COM
promise people of wealth and position.
JIc receives these wares not only from
1rcachCrOuS Wallets or maids, but fire.
Queutly from ECutCCl TufiiHuS. who have
gained the confidence and affection OF
trusting women. He deals with no mig
gard hand. ! happen To know that he
paid 200 pounds to a toOtWaU for "a
note two lines in length. and hat the
ruin of a noble family was the result.
Everything which is in the market goes
- MilVerton, and there are hundreds i'm
the great city who turn white at his
llsillit- NO one KNOWS Wtf'ff MS Eftn
may fan, for he is far too rich and far
loo cunning To- work from hand to
mouth. He Will hold \. card back for
years i'm order to play it at the moment
when the stake is best worth winning.
] have said that he is the worst man
81 London, and I would ask YOU how
could one compare the rufiiau. " ho- ia
1ot blood bludgeOuS his mate. with this
jnau. who methodically and at his 1eiS-
urc fortunes the soul and wrings the
nerves i'm order to add to his already
swollen money bags
] had seldom heard my friend speak
with such intensity of feeling.
'But surely" said I. the fellow must
j. within the grasp OF tho law
Technically, no doubt. but practiC-
= ilv not What would IT. profit a. wo-
Jusu. for example. to get him a few
months imprisonment. if her own ruin
must Immediately follow His victims
dare not hit back. If ever ne black
mailed an innocent person. then in
deed we should have him, but he is as
cunning as the evil one No. no. we
EIust find other ways to fight him.
And why is ne here"
Because an illUStrioUs client has
placed her piteOHs case in my hands. It
$ tho Lady Eva Blackwell, the most
beautiful debutante of last season. She
Is 10 be married in fortnight to the
= arl of DOVenCOurt-- This fiend 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. Milvertou viii
send the letters To the earl unless "A
large sum of money is paid him. I have
been commissioned 10 meet him. and
20 make the best terms I can
At that instant there was a CIatter
ana rattle in the street below. Look
ing down I saw q; stately carriage and
pair. the brilliant lamps cleaning on
In, glossy launches of the noble chest
nuts. \ fOotmau opened the door. and
a small. stout man in "a shaggy astrak-
han overCoat descended. y minute
later nc was i'm the room.
Charles Augustus Miverton was "a
man OF %. with large, intellectual
head. a round. plump, hairless face, a
perpetual frozen smile, and two keen
gray eyes. which cleaned brightly from
behind broad. EOld-rimmed glasses.
There was something of Mr.. Pickwick' 3
bcuevoIeuce in his appearance. married
only by the iuSiuccTity OF the fixed
smile and by the hard glitter of those
RESTLESS and penetrating eyes. His
voice was aS smooth and SuaVC AS his
CoUutcuJUcc, as he advanced with a
plump little hand extended. murmur-
ing his regret for having missed us at
EiS first visit. Holmes disregarded the
OUtstrctched hand and looked mt him
with a. face of granite MilVertou' :
dcrs. removed his ovCrcOat. folded il
with great dCliberatiOn over the back OF
3 chair. and then took seat.
This gentleman said he. with a
wave in my direction. is il discreet
J. it right
DR. Watson is my friend and part
nor"
VERY good, Mr.. Holmes It is only
IN your clients interests that I protest
ed The matter is 50 very delicate
DIR. Watson has already heard OF it.
Then We can proceed to business
You say that YOU are acting for Lady
Eva- Has she empowered you to accept
my terms2'
What arc your terms -
seven thousand pounds
And the alternative"
My dear sir. it Is painful for me 10
discuss ii. but if tho money is not paid
On the 18th, there certainly will be no
. hlaTri3gc Oh the 18th" His inSufferablc
{ smile was more COmDlaccnt than ever.
Holmes thought for n little.
You appear TO me he said. at last,
"to be taking matters too much for
granted ] am. of course. familiar with
fine contents Of these letters. NV client
will cert ainly do what ] may advise L
shall counsel her to tell her future hus-
band the whole story. and to trust TO