The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-03

| DO you know him.
"Oh yes; he is the green grocer
who brings our vegetables round. His
name is Francis Prosper
He stood" said Holmes, ''to the
left of the door-that is to say, far
Their up the path than is necessary to
reach the door,"
Yes, he did"
"And he is a man with a wooden
Lego"
| Something like fear sprang up in
the young lady's expressive black
eyes why, you are like a magician, y
said she. How do you know that %
She smiled, but there was no answer
ing smile in Holmes thin, eager face
II should be very glad now to go
| upstairs said he IF shall probably
! wish to go over the outside of the
house again. Perhaps / had better
take look at the lower windows be-
fore l go up"
He walked swiftly round from one
to the other, pausing only at the large
one which looked from the hall onto
the stable lane. This he opened, and
made a very careful examination OF
the sill with his powerful magnifyng
lens. Now we shall go upstairs, -
said he, at last
The bankers dressing-room was a
| plainly furnished little chamber, with
| long mirror. Holmes went to the bu-
| reau first and looked hard at the lock
! (which key was used to open it?''
he asked.
THAT which my son himself indi-
| cated-that of the cupboard of the
! lumber-room.'
| ''Have you it here?"
| THAT is it on the dressing table,
| Sherlock Holmes took it up and
! opened the bureau.
1T is a noiseless lock- said he. at
| is no wonder that it did not wake you.
| This case, l presume, contains the
| coronet. We must have a look at it.
He opened the case, and, taking out
| the diadem, he laid it upon the able.
1t was a magnificent specimen of the
| jewellers art, and the thirty-sx
stones were the finest / have ever seen.
! At one side of the coronet was a
cracked edge, where a corner holding
three gems had been torn away.
Now, Mr.. Holder" said Holmes,
| 'here is the corner which corresponds
to that which has been so unfortu-
nately lost. Might beg that you will
/ break it off,.
The banker recoiled in horror. 81
should not dream of trying" said he.
Then | WILL Holmes suddenly
| bent his strength upon it, but without
result. II feel it give little" said
he; but, though l am exceptionally
| strong in fingers, it would take me all
my time to break it. An ordinary
man could not do it. Now, what do
| you think would happen if ] did break
! it, Mr. Holder? There would be a
noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell
me that all this happened within a
| few yards of your bed, and that you
| heard nothing of it,"
Il do not know what to think. 1t is
all dark to me-"
But perhaps it may grow lighter
as we go. What do you think, Miss
| Holder?"
Il comics that I still share my I'M
cle'S perplexity.'
your son had no shoes or slip
| pers on when you saw him?"
He had nothing on save only his
trousers and his shirt"
Thank you. We have certainly
been favored with exceptional luck
during this inquiry. and it will be en-
| tirely our own fault if we do not sue
ceed in clearing the matter up. With
your permission, Mr.. Holder, l shall
now continue my Investigations out
side"
| He went alone, at his own request.
| for he explained that any unnecessary
| footmarks might make his task more
| difficult. For an hour or more he was
| at work, returning at last with his feet
| heavy with snow and his features as
| inscrutable as ever.
| 81 think that / have seen now all
! that there is to see Mr.. Holder" said
| he; Il can serve you best by returning
! ing to nv rooms"
but the gems. Mr.. Holmes. Where
are they?"
81 cannot tell
The banker wrung his hands. 81
shall never see them again." he cried.
| And my son? You give me hopes?"
| My opinion is in no way altered
Then, for Gods sake what was
| this dark business which was acted in
my house last night?"
| If you can call upon me at my Ba-
| ker Street rooms tomorrow morn
| ing between nine and ten | shall be
happy to do what / can to make it
| clearer. | understand that you give
me carte blanche to act for you, pro-
vided l only get back the gems and
| that you place no limit on the sum l
may draw"
81 would give my fortune to have
! them back.
| Very good. l shall look into the
matter between this and then. Good
| bye; it is just possible that l may have
to come over again before evening"
| 1t was obvious to me that my COM
| panion's head was now made up about
| the case, although what his conclu-
| SionS were was more than | could even
dimly imagine. Several times during
our homeward journey | endeavored
to sound him upon the point, but he
| always glided away to some other
topic until at last | gave it over in
| despair 1t was not three when we
found ourselves in our room once
lmore. He hurried to his chamber,
and was down again in a few minutes
| dressed as a common loafer. With
his collar turned up his shiny, seedy
coat, his red cravat, and his worn
boots, he was a perfect sample of the
| class.
II think that this should do" said
he, glancing into the glass above the
fireplace. L only wish that you could
come with me, Watson, but l fear that
it won't do. l may be on the trail in
this matter, or | may be following a
will-of- the-wisp. but ] shall soon
know which it is. / hope that / may
be back in a few hours" He cut a
slice Of beef from the joint upon the