The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-03


that the window had been opened in
the night and that the broken pieces
Of his second bust were strewn all over
the room. it had been smashed to
atoms where IL stood In neither case
were there any signs which could give
rs clew as 10 the criminal OF lunatc
who had done the mischief Now, Afr.
Holmes. you have got the facts"
They are singular. not to say gro
tesque." said Holmes. MAY I ask
whether the two busts smashed IN DIT.
BarnicOts rooms were the exact du-
plicates Of the one which was destroy
ed En- Morse Huds0n's shOpf"
They were taken from the same
mold"
"Such a fact must tell against the
theory that the man who breaks them
Is Influenced 10y any general hatred
OF Napoleon. Considering how many
hundreds az statues Of the great en-
peror must exist in London. it is too
much 20 suppose such q coincidence as
that q promiscuous fconoclast should
chance TO begin upon three specimens
Of the same bust"
"Well. / thought as you do" said
Lestrade con the other hand. this
Morse Hudson IS the purveyor Of busts
I'm that part Of London. and these three
were the only ones which had been in
his shop for years So. although, as
you say. there are many hunSreds Of
statues in London. it is very probable
that these three were the oS'y ones in
that district Therefore q local fanatic
would begin with them What do you
+ think. DR. WatsonY'
There are no limits TO the possibil-
flies Of monomania, answered.
THERE'S the condition Z. ich the mod
ern French psychologists have called
the 'idee hxe,' which q be trihing in
+ character and accoml panied by com
+ plete sanity I'm every other way. A
man who had read deeply about Napo-
f leon or who bad possibly received
some hereditary family injury through
the great war might conceivably form
such an idee nxe and under It's infu-
ence be capable of any fantastic out
rage"
-rhat won't do, my dear Watson"
said Holmes. Sinking his head, for no
amount Of ldee fxe' would enable your
I interesting m0nomaniac to find out
where these busts were situated"
"Wen how do you explain t2r
81 don't attempt TO do SO. I would
1 only observe that there Is q certain
method he the gentleman's eccentric
I proceedings For example in Dr. Bar
nicots hall. where q sound might
! arouse the family. the bust was taken
, outside before being broken. whereas
in the surgery. where there was less
4 danger Of en- alarm. Il was smashed
where it stood The affair seems alb
surdly tri1inC. and yet dare call moth
4 ing trivial when I reflect that some Of
I my most classic cases have had the
+ least. promising commencement. You
] viii remember. Watson. how the dread
/ ful business OF the Abernetty family
was first brought to my notice by the
depth which the parsley had sunk into
the butter upon q hot day. I can't az
ford. therefore. TO smile at your three
I broken busts. Lesrade. and I shall be
very much obliged 70 you II you VIII
let me hear Of any fresh development
4 Of So singular chain of events"
The development for which my friend
f had asked came q. quicker and an
infinitely more tragic arm than he
ING in my bedroom next morning when
there was a tap at the door. and
f Holmes entered. q telegram In his
hand. he read II aloud.
Come instantly. Isl Pitt street. Rensins,
ton. LESTRADE.
"What It IT, Them / asked.
Don't know-may he anything But
I suspect II IS the sequel OF the story
+ Of the statues. I'm that case orr friend
the image breaker. has begun opera
tons in another quarter Of London
There's coffee on the table. Watson
and I have a cab at The door"
In half an hour we had reached Pit
street q quiet little backwater Just
beside one Of the briskest currents OF
= London life. 10. ISL was one Of 8
row. an fat chestod. respectable and
most unromsnuc dwellings,. AS We
drove mp we found the ratings in from
Of the house lined by a curious crowd
Holmes whisted-
"By George. It's attempted murder
az the least Nothing less win hold thI
gond0a message boy. There's o dec
Of violence indicated in that fellow
round shoulders and outsuetched neck
What's this. watson The top stepi
swiiled down and the other ones dry
Footsteps enough. anyhow Wehs well
there's Lestrade az the front window
and we shall soon know all about IT,"
The Official received MS with yer!
/, grave face and showed us into sitdn.
room. where an exceedingly unkemp
and aEitated elderly man clad In .
flannel dressing gown was pacing NJ
and down. He was introduced 70 Us a
the owner 81 the hOuse-Mr. Horac
Harker Of the Central Press syndicate
eIfs the Napoleon bust bushes
arain.r sid Lestr6de. You scene,