The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-02

The founder of that great emporium
proved to be a brisk, crisp little per-
son. very dapper and quick, with a
clear head and a ready tongue.
Eyes, sir, have already read the ac-
count in the evening papers. Mr..
Horace HarlSer is a customer of ours.
Ne supplied him with the bust some
months ago. We ordered three busts
of that sort from Gelder and Co, of
Stepney. They are all sold now. To
whom? Oh L dare say by consulting
our sales-book we could very easily tell
you. Yes. we have the entries here
One to Mr.. Harker, you see, and one
to Mr.. Josiah Brown of Laburnum
Lodge, Laburnum Vale, Chiswiclx. and
one to Mr.. Sandeford of Lower Grove
Road, Reading. No, 1 have never seen
this face which you show me in the
photograph. You would hardly forget
1t, would you, sir, for I've seldom seen
an uglier. Have we any Italians on
the staff? Yes, sir, we have several
among our work-people and cleaners.
dare say they might get a peep at
that sales-boolx If they wanted to.
There is no particular reason for keep
Ing a watch upon that book. Well.
well, It's a very strange business, and
/ hope that you will let me know If
anything comes of your inquiries"
Holmes had taken several notes DUR
Ing Mr.. Hardins evidence, and l 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 Les
trade. Sure enough, when we reached
Baker street the detective was all
ready there, and we found him pacing
up and down in a fever of impotence.
His look of Importance showed that his
days work had not been in vain.
''Well?" he asked. What luck, Mr..
HoImes?''
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. l can trace each of the
busts now from the beginning"
THE bustsi" cried Lestrade. well,
we'll you have your own methods, Mr..
Sherlock Holmes, and 1t is not for me
10 say a word against them. but L
think I have done a better days work
than you. l have identified the dead
man"
you don't say so?"
And found cause for the crime"
Splendid
a speciality of Saffron Hill and the 1tal-
ian Quarter. Well this dead man had
some Catholic emblem round his neck.
and that, along with his colour, made
me think he was from the South. In
specto or Hill knew him the moment he
caught sight of him. His name is
Pietro Venucci, from Naples, and he Is
one of the greatest cut-throats In Lon
don. He is connected with the Mafia,
which, as you know, is a secret polit-
ical society, enforcing its DEGREES by
murder Now. you see how the affair
begins to clear up. The other fellow is
probably an Italian also. and a member
of the Malta. He has broken the rules
In some fashion. Pietro Is set upon
his track Probably the photograph
we found in his pocket is the man him
self, so that he may not knife the
wrong person. He dogs the fellow,
he sees him enter house, he waits
outside for him. and In the scuffle he
receives his own death-wound. How
is that, Mr. Sherlock Holmes?'
Holmes clapped his hands approx
ingly.
Excellent, Lestrade, excellentp he
cried. "But 1 didn't quite follow your
explanation of the destruction of the
busts."
The busts! You never can get those
busts out of your head. After all,
that is nothing; petty larceny. six
months at the most. 1t is the murder
that we are really investigating, and
Istell you that I am gathering all the
threads into my hands"
''And the next stage?'
us a very simple one. I shall go
down with Hill TO the Italian quarter,
find the man whose photograph we
have got. and arrest him on the
charge of murder. VIII you come
with us?"
Il think not. I fancy we can attain
our end in simpler way. can't say
for certain, because it all depends
well, it all depends upon factor
which Is completely outside our con-
troll. But have great hopes-in fact,
the betting is exactly two to one-that
If you will come with us tonight l
shall be able TO help you lay him by
the heels