Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-11
clothes detective. rushed through tn. from.

clothes detective. rushed through the front
entrance and into the room.
That you. Lestrade?' said Holmes.
Yes Mr.. Holmes. l took the Job my
self It's good to see you back In London,
SIR
II think you want little unofficial help.
Three undetected murderers in one year
| won't do, Lestrade. But you handled the
Molesey mystery with less than your usual
that to say, you handled 1t fairly we'll"
We had all risen to our feet our prls-
| oner breathing hard. with stalwart con-
| stable each side of him Already a few
| loiterers had begun 10 collect in the street
Holmes stepped up to the window, closed
| 1t, and dropped the blinds Lestrade had
produced two candies, and the policemen
) had uncovered their lanterns. ] able
| at last to have a good look at our prisoner.
1t was tremendously v5rile and yet sim
| lister face which was turned towards US.
! With the brow of a philosopher above and
| the Jaw of n sensualist below the man
| must have started with great capacities for
| good or for evil. But one could not look upon
| his cruel blue eyes. with their dropping,
| cynical lids, or upon the fierce. aggressive
| nose and the threatening, deep-lined brow.
without reading Natures plainest danger
| signals He took no heed of any Of us. but
| his eyes were fixed upon Holmes face with
| an expression IN which hatred ard amaze
| ment were equally blended. You dendi"
| he kept on mattering, you clever. clever
| fiend!'
"Ah. Colonel!' said Holmes arranging
| his rumpled collar, " journeys end I'm
| lovers meetings. as the old play says.
l don't think / have had the pleasure OF
seeing you since you favored me with those
attentions 1 lay on the ledge above the
Reichenbach fall
The Colonel still stared at my friend like
a man in a trance. You cunning cunning
fend!" was all that he could say.
Il have not introduced you yet said
Holmes This. gentlemen. Is Colonel Sc
bastian Moran. once of her majestys In
dian army, and the best heavy-game shot
| that our eastern empire has ever produced.
| believe | am correct. colonel. IN saying
| that your bag OF tigers still remains I'M
| rivaled?'
The fierce old man said nothing but still
| glared al my companion. With his savage
| eyes and bristiing mOustache he was won
| derfully Ike a tiger himself.
Il wonder that my very simple stratagem
could deceive SO Old shkaTt' said
| Holmes. 1T must be very familiar to you.
| Have you not Jethered a young kid under
| tree. lain above it with your rifle and
! waited for the bait to bring up your tgeT2
| This empty house is my tree. and you are
my tiger. You have possibly had other
guns in reserve in case there should he
several tigers or in the unlikely SUPPOSE
ton of your own aim failing you. These"
he pointed around. are my other guns The
parallel is exact
Colonel Moran sprang forward with u
snarl of rage. but the constable dragged
him back The fury upon his face was ter
rible to look at
II confess that you had one small sur
prise for me- said Holmes. Il did not an
ticipate that you would yourself make use
of this empty house and this convenient
front window. l had imagined you as oper-
attng from the street, where my friend
Lestrade and his merry men were awaiting
you. With that exception. all has gone as
l expected
Colonel Moran turned to the official de-
tective.
You may or may not have just cause for
arresting me- said he, but at least there
can be no reason why l should submit TO
the gibes OF this person. II | am IN the
hands of the law, let things be done in a
legal way"
''WeIl. that's reasonable enough" said
Lestrade. Nothing further YOU have 70
say, Mr.. Holmes. before We Coz
Holmes had picked up the powerful air
gun from the floor and was examining its
mechanism.
An admirable aud unique weapon" said
he, 'nOiseless and Of tremendous power 1
knew Won Herder, the blind German me
chanic, VINO constructed It 20 the order OF
the late Prof. Morarty. For years l have
been aware of its existence. though [ have
never before had the opportunity Of hand
ling it, l commend il very specially to
your attention Lestrade, and also the bull
lets which fit it,"
You can trust US to look after that. Mr..
Holmes" said Lestrade, the whole party
moved toward the door. Anything further
to say?'
only to ask what charge you intend to
prefer?''
What charge, sir? Why Of course. tho
attempted murder of Mr.. Sherlock Holmes"
Not so, Iestrade. / do not propose to
appear In the matter at all To YOU and
to you only, belongs the credit OF the
markable arrest which you have effected.
Yes, Lestrade, / congratulate you! With
your usual happy mixture OF cunning and
audacity, you have got him"
Got him! Got whom, Mr. Homes?-
THE man that the whole force has been
seeking in vain-Col. Sebastian Moran, who
shot the Hon. Ronald Adair with an ex-
panding bullet from an air gun through the
open window Of the seCond-hoOr front OF
No. 421 Park lane, upon the Both of last
month. That's the charge. Lestrade.
And now, Watson, If you can endure the
draught from a broken window / think
that half an hour in my study over a cigar
may afford you some profitable amuse-
ment."
Our old chambers had been left unchanged
through the supervision of Mycroft Holmes
and the immediate care of Mrs. Hudson.
AS entered | saw, It is true, an unwonted