The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-02

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 at
tai nour end in simpler way. 1 can't
say for certain, because it all depends
well, it all depends upon a factor
which is completely outside our con-
troll. But l have great hopes-in fact,
the betting is exactly two to one
that If you win come with US tonight
| shall be able to help you lay him
by the heels"
In the Italian Quarter?"
No, l fancy Chiswick is an address
which is more likely to find him. II
you will come with me TO Chiswick
tonight, Lestrade, I'll promise to go
to the Italian Quarter with you to-
morrow, and no harm will be done by
the delay. And now l think that a
few hours sleep would do us all good,
for | do not propose to leave before
eleven O'Clock, and it is unlikely that
we shall be back before morning
You'll dine with us, Lestrade, and then
you are welcome to the sofa until it
is time for us to start. In the mean
time. Watson, | should be glad if you
would ring for an express messenger.
for l nave a letter to send. and ii Is
that IL SuOulu 20 DIT
Holmes spent the evening in rum
aging among the files of the old daily
papers with which one of our lumber
rooms was packed. When at last he
descended. it was with triumph in his
eyes, but he said nothing to either of
us as to the result of his researches.
For my own part. l had followed step
by step the methods by which he had
traced the various windings of this
complex case, and. though / could not
yet perceive the goal which we would
reach, / understood clearly that
Holmes expected this grotesque GRIM
inal to make an attempt upon the two
remaining busts, one of which, l re-
membered, was at Chiswick No
doubt the object OF our journey was
to catch him in the very act, and 1
could not but admire the cunning with
which my friend had inserted wrong
clue in the evening paper, so as to
give the fellow the idea that he could
continue his scheme with impunity. 1
was not surprised when Holmes Sug-
gested that L should take my revolver
with me. He had himself picked up
the loaded hunting-crop, which was
his favorite weapon.
A four-wheeler was at the door at
eleven, and in it we drove to a spot
at the other side of Hammersmith
Bridge. Here the cabman was direct
ed to wait. A short walk brought us
to secluded road fringed with pleas
ant houses, each standing in it's own
grounds. In the light of a street lamp
we read "Laburnum Villa" upon the
gate-post of one of them. The occu-
pants had evidently retired to rest,
for all was dark save for a fanlight
over the hall door, which shed a
single blurred circle on to the garden
path. The wooden fence which sep
- Il
threw a dense black shadow upon the
inner side, and here it was that we
crouched.
Il fear that you'll have a long watt
Holmes whispered. I'VE may thank
our stars that it is not raining. / don't
think we can even venture to smoke
to pass the time. However, it's a
two to one chance that we get some
thing to pay us for our trouble
1t proved, however, that our vigil
was not to be SO long as Holmes had
led us to fear, and it ended in a very
sudden and singular fashion. In an
instant, without the least sound to
warn US of his coming, the garden gate
swung open. and a 1.-the, dark figure,
as swift and active as an ape. rushed
up the garden path. We saw it whisk
past the light thrown from over the
door and disappear against the black
shadow of the house. There was a
long pause, during which we held our
breath, and then a very gentle creak-
ing sound came to our ears. The win
dow was being opened. The noise
ceased, and again there was a long
silence. The fellow was making his
way into the house. We saw the sud
den flash of a dark lantern inside the
room. What he sought was evidently
not there, for again we saw the flash
through another blind, and then
through another.
Let us get to the open window. We
will nab him as he climbs out Les
trade whispered.
But before we could move, the man
had emerged again. AS he came out
into the glimmering patch of light, we
saw that he carried something white
under his arm. He looked Stealthily
all round him. The silence of the de-
serted street treasured him. Turning
his back upon us he laid down his
burden, and the next instant there
was the sound of a sharp tap, followed
by a clatter and rattle The man
was so intent upon what he was do
ing that he never heard our steps as
we stole across the grass plot. With
the bound of tiger Holmes was on
his back, and an instant later Les
trade and l had him by either wrist,
and the handouts had been fastened.
AS we turned him over / saw hide
Gus, SalloW face, with writing, furl-
Gus features, glazing up at us, and
/ knew that it was indeed the man of
the photograph whom we had Sc
cured.
But it was not our prisoner to
whom HolmesNwas giving his attention.
Squatted on the doorstep, he was en-
gagged in most carefully examining
that which the man had brought from
the house. 1t was a bust of Napoleon,
like the one which we had seen that
morning, and it had been broken into
similar fragments. Carefully Holmes
held each separate shard to the light,
but in no way did it differ from any
other shattered piece of plaster. He
had just completed his examination
when the hall light flew up, the door
opened, and the owner of the house,
a joyial rotund figure in shirt and
trousers. presented himself.
mir. Josiah Brown, suppose 2" said
Holmes
Yes, sir; and you, no doubt are
Mr.. Sherlock Holmes? / had the note
which you sent by the express mes
senger, and l did exactly what you told