Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15

! II called about that beggar,nan, Boone
the one who was charged with being CON-
4 st. Clair of Lee"
Ties. He was brought up and remanded
so heard. Have you him hereg'
In the cells.
els he quiet -
.oh. he gives no trouble. But he Is a
dirty scoundrel.'
| Yes. 1t is all we can do to make him
wash his hands. and his face is as black as
o tnker's. Well. when once his case has
BATH and think. IL you saw him. you
would agree with me that he needed IT.
Il should like to see him very much
1 Would your That Is easily done. Come
this way. You can leave your bag"
/ mo. i think that I'll take it,
| Very good. Come this way, if you
I, barred door. passed down winding stair
/ and brought us to a whitewashed corridor
with line of doors on each side.
The third on the right is his" said the
back panel in the upper part OF the door
| and glanced through.
| 'sHe Is asleep said he. You can
i We both put our ayes to the grating. The
/ prisoner lay with bis face toward US In
/ very deep sleep. breathing Slowly and heav-
| lily. He was middle-sized man. coarseiy
clad, as became his calling. with coiored
| shirt protruding through the rent in his
tattered coat He was, as the inspector
had said extremely dirty, but the CRIME
which covered his face could not conceal Its
repulsve uigliness broad wheal from an
! old scar ram right across 1t from eye TO
chin, and ty its contraction had turned up
| one side of the upper lip, so that three
/ teeth were exposed in perpetual snarl.
1 A shock OF very bright red hair grew low
| over his eyes and forehead
He's beauty. isn't her" said the in
! spector.
! He certainly needs a wash" remarked
| Holmes. Il had idea that he might,
and took the liberty of bringing the tools
/ with me-" He opened the Gladstone bag
| as he spoke and took out. to my astonish-
| ment, a very large bath sponge.
He! he, You are funny one," chuckled
| the INSPECTOR.
| ness to open that door very quietly, we will
soon make him cut much more respectable
figure.
Inspector. HE doesn't look credit to the
| Bow street cells, does he?" He slipped his
key Into the lock and we all very, quietly en-
tered the cell The sleeper half turned and
then settled down once. more into a deep
slumber. Holmes stopped to the water jug.
moistened his sponge and then rubbed it
twice vigorously across and down the pris-
oner's face.
Let me introduce you," he shouted, ito
Mr.: Neville st. Clair of Lee. in the county
of Kent"
Never in my life have / seen such
sight. The mans face peeled off under the
sponge like the bark from a tree. Gone
was the coarse brown tint! Gone, too. was
the horrid scar which had scanned il across
and the twisted lip which had given the
repulsive sheer to the face! twitch
brought away the tangled red hair and
there, sitting up in his bed, was a PALE
sad-faced. rehned-looking man. black
haired and smooth-skinned, rubbing his
eyes and staring about him with sleepy be-
wilderment. Then. suddenly realizing the
exposure he broke into scream and threw
htrr1cn dnr DC Co. H.
Great heavens!' cried the Inspector. at
is. indeed, the missing man. I know him
from the photograph
The prisoner turned with the reckless air
OF man who abandons himself to his des-
tiny. Be it So" said he And pray,
what am charged within
With making away with Mr.. Neville st.
-. Oh come. you can't be charged with
that, unless they make case of attempted
suicide Of it." said the Inspector. with a
grin. We'll. I have been twenty-seven
years in the force, but this really takes the
cake"
III am Mr.. Neville ST. Clair, then 1t is
obvious that no crime has been committed
and that, therefore. I am Illegally de-
tanned"
mo crime. but a very great error has
been committed said Holmes You would
have done better to have trusted your
ut was not the wife, it was the children"
groaned the prisoner. God help me, I
would not have them ashamed of their
father. Ny God! What an exposure! What
can I do?'
Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on
the couch and patted him kindly on the
shoulder.
the matter up" said he, "of course Won
can hardly avoid publicity. On the other
hand, II you convince the police authorities
that there is possible case against Won
do not know that there is anv reason Su,
tnat the details should find their way into
the papers. Inspector Bradstreet would 7
am sure, make notes upon anything which
you might tell US. and submit 1t to the prom
er authorities. The case would then never
go into court at all"
God bless your cried the prisoner mas
slohateiy. would have endured imprison-
ment. ave. even execution, rather than have
iert my miserable secret as a family blot
to my children.
You are the first who have ever heard
my story. My father was a schooIma ster in
Chesterfield, where I received an excellent
education. travelled in my youth took to
the stage and finally became a reporter on
an evening paper in London. One day my
editor wished to have a series of articles
upon begging in the metropolis, and l vol
unteered to supply them. There was the
point from which all my adventures started
II was only by trying begging as an anna
teur that could get the facts upon which
TO base my articles. When an actor I had,
of course, learned all the secrets of making
up, and had been famous In the green room
Tor my skill. took advantage now of my
attainments. l painted my face and 10
make myself as pitiable as possible 1 made
good scar and fixed one side of my lin In
twist by the aid of a small slip of flesh
colored plaster Then with red head of
hair. and an appropriate dress, l took nv
station in the busiest part of the city. os-
tensioiy as match seller. but really as
beggar. For seven hours l piled my trade
and when l returned home in the evening
found. to my surprise, that L had, re-
ceived no less than Dos i'd
Il wrote my articles, and thought little
more of the matter until some time later
backed bill for a friend and had a writ |
served upon me for R25 1 was at NV |
wits end where TO get the money, but a |
sudden Idea came to me. I begged a fort |
nlght's grace from the editor. asking for |
holiday from my employers. and spent the |