The San Francisco call., 1905-04-23

watch upon that book Well. well. II s
a very strange business and 1 hope
that you will let me know If anything
comes of your inquiries
Holmes had taken several notes dur
ing Mr.. Harding's evidence and could
see that he was thoroughly satisfied by
the turn which affairs were taking.
He made no remark, however. save
that. unless we hurried, we should be
late for our appointment with Lestrade.
Sure enough. when we reached Baker
street the detective was already there
and we found him pacing up and down
in a fever of tmpatience. His look OF
Importance showed that his days
work had not been in vain.
"Well?'' he asked. What luck. Mr..
Holmes?"
I'VE have had a very busy day. and
not entirely wasted one" my friend
explained. I'VE have seen both the re-
tailers and also the wholesale manu-
facturers. / can trace each of the busts
now from the beginning"
THE busts," cried Lestrade. We'll.
! we'll. you have your own methods.
herlock Holmes, and it is not for me
tMsay word against them. but think
you.N have identified the dead man.
YoA don't say so?"
AhdNound cause for the crime. -
s'Splen&dl"
.sWe haze an inspector who makes
a speciality Af Saffron Hill and the Ital-
ian quarter. Well. this dead man had
some CathoIiA emblem round his neck.
and that, along with his color. made
ME think he wAs from the south. In
spector Hill kne( him the moment he
caught sight OF Nhim. His name is
PIetro yenucci flRm Naples, and he
is one OF the graRtest cutthroats in
London. He is c0Rnected with the
Mafia, which. as yoa know. is a secret
political society. enfArcing its DEGREES
by murder Now yuiA see how the af-
fair begins to clear Alp. The other
fellow is probably an italian also and
a member of the MafiA He has brok-
en- the rules in some fashion. Pietro is
set upon his track. P1pbably the pho
tograph We found IN As pocket Is the
man himself. so that hi may not knife
the wrong person. He dogs the fellow.
he sees him enter House, he waits
outside for him and ih the scuffie he
receives his own death wound. How
is that. Sherlock Holfdes?"
Holmes clapped his Hands approx
ingly
ENeilent, LestradeI excellent" he
cried But didn't Quite follow your
expisHaNon Of the deitruction Of The
0'.r busk ~ meier can get those
bustS out of AkII\head After all, that
is nothing; peky Sarckny. six months
at thf most IT is Nha murder that we
are rfalIy investigaNQk. and 1 tell you
that l am gathering AN the threads into
my hands,
ID the next stage?"
Isl very simple one. / shall go
dowJ with Hill to the italian quarter.
ind 1.-THE man whose photograph we
havd got and arrest him on the charge
<of murder Will you come with usf'
W think not. 1 fancy we can attain
oufsend in a simpler way. ! can't say
for certain because it all depends
well. 1t all depends upon factor
which Is completely outside our con-
troll. But have great hopes-in fact,
the betting is exactly TO THAT II
you will come with US tonight ! shall
be able to help you to lay him by the
heels
''In the Italian quarter"
mo, / fancy Chiswick is an address
which is more likely to find him. III
you will come with me to Chiswick to-
night. Lestrade, I'll promise to so to
the Italian quarter with you to-mor-
row. and no harm will be done by the
delay. And now I think that a few
hours sleep would do us all good. for
j do not propose to leave before II
o'clock. and it Is unlikely that we shall
be back before morning You'll dine
with US, Lestrade. and then you are
welcome to the sofa until 1t Is time
for us to start. In the meantime. Wat
son. I should be glad if you would ring