Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-01

cases have had the least promising COM
mencement You will remember, Watson,
how the dreadful business of the Abernetty
family was first brought to my notice by
the depth which the parsley had sunk into
the butter upon hot day. l can't afford,
therefore, to smile at your three broken
busts, Lestrade, and l shall be very much
obliged to you if you will let me hear of
any fresh development of so singular a
chain of events"
The development for which my friend had
asked came in a quicker and an infinitely
more tragic form than he could have i'm
agined | was still dressing in my bed
room next morning. when there was Il tap
at the door and Holmes entered, tele-
gram in his hand He read 1t aloud:
Come instantly. 131 Pitt street, Ken
sington.-Lestrade."
What is it, them" | asked.
Don't know-may be anything. But
suspect it is the sequel of the story of the
statues. In that case our friend the image
, breaker has begun operations in another
quarter of London. There's coffee on the
table, Watson, and L have a cab at the
door"
In half an hour we had reached Pitt
street. quiet little backwater just beside
one of the briskeSt currents of London life.
No. 131 was one of a row, all fat-chested,
respectable and most unromantic dwellings.
As we drove up, we found the ratings in
front of the house lined by curious crowd.
Holmes whistIed.
by George! it's attempted murder at the
least Nothing less will hold the London
message boy. There's a deed of violence
Indicated il that fellows round shoulders
and outstrclched neck. What's this, Wat
son? The top steps swilled down and the
other ones dry. Footsteps enough, any
how! Well. well. there's Lestrade at the
front window and we shall soon know all
about it."
The official received us with a very grave
face and showed us into a sitting ROOM
where an exceedingly unkempt and agitated
elderly man, clad In flannel dressing
gown. was pacing up and down. He was
introduced to us as the owner of the house
Mr.. Horace Harker, of the Central Press
Syndicate.
said Lestrade. You seemed interested
last night. Mr.. Holmes, so 1 thought per-
haps you would be glad to be present now
that the affair has taken a very much
graver turn"
What has it turned to, then?'
ITO murder. Mr.. Harker, will you tell
curred?"
upon us with most melancholy face.
IT'S an extraordinary thing said he,
that all my life I have been collecting
other peoples news, and now that a real
piece of news has come my own way l am
so confused and bothered that 1 can't put
two words together If l had come In here
as journalist, 1 should have interviewed
myself and had two columns in every even
IIlS paper AS II is, L am giving away Ealu-
able copy by telling my story over and
over to a string of different people, and 1
can make no use of 1t myself. However,
I've heard your name, Mr.. Sherlock Holmes
and If you'll only explain this queer bust
ness 1 shall be paid for my trouble in tell
ing you the story"
Holmes sat down and listened
1t all seems to center round that bust of
Napoleon which l bought for this very room
about four months ago. | picked it I'D
cheap from Harding Brothers, two doors
from the High street station. A great deal
of my journalistic work is done at night
and l often write until the early morning
So 1t was today. l sitting in my den,
which is a. the back of the top of the
house, about o'clock, when I was con-
WINGED that l heard some sounds downstairs
| listened, but they were not repeated and
| concluded that they came from outside
Then suddenly, about five minutes later,
there came a most horrible yell-the most
dreadful sound Mr.. Holmes, that ever l
heard. 1t will ring in my ears as long as
l live. l sat frozen with horror for min
ute two. Then l seized the poker and
went downstairs. When l entered this room
l found the window wide open. and l at
once observed that the bust was gone from
the mantelpiece Why any burglar should
take such thing passes my understanding
for 1t was only plaster cast. and of no
real value whatever.
You can see for yourself that any one
going out through that open window could
reach the fron~doOrstep by taking a long
stride. This was clearly what the burglar
had done. so 1 went round and opened the
door. Stepping out into the dark, | nearly
fell over a dead man, who was lying there.
l ran back for a light, and there was the
poor fellow, a great cash in his throat and
the whole place swimming in blood. He lay
on his back his knees drawn up and his
mouth horribly open. l shall see him in
my dreams. l had just time to blow on my