The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-24
The d=Headed League


 your filthy hands," remarked our pris- oner, as the handeuffs clattered upon his wrists. You may not be aware that nave royal blood in my veins. Have the goodness, also, when you address me al- ways to say sir and please"
 "All right" said Jones, with stare and snigger. Well, would you please sir, march upstairs. where we can get cab to carry your highness to the po- lice-station?"
 That letter" said John Clay, serene1y. He made sweeping bow 10 the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective
 Really Mir. Homes" said Mir. Merri- weather, as we followed them from the cellar, T do not know how the bank can thank you or repay you, There Is no doubt that you have detected and de- feated in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts at bank robbery that have ever come within my | experience.'
 "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mir John Clay" said Holmes. T have been at some small expense over this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund. but beyond that 1 am amply repaid by having had an experience which Is In many ways unique, and by hearing the very remark able narrative of the Red-headed League
 You see, Watson" he explained in the early hours of the morning, as We sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker street, "it was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible ob- ject of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the league, and the copying of the Encyclopaedia must be to get this not over bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every day. 1t was d curious way of man- aging it. but really it would be difficult to suggest better. The method was 10 1 doubt suggested to Clays ingenious mind 1 by the color of his accompliee's hair. The G4 a week was lure which must draw him, and what was 1t to them, who were playing for thousands? They put I in the advertisement, one rogue has tho temporary office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and together they manage to secure his absence every morn | ing In the week. From the time that heard of the assistant having come for ] half wages it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation"
 But how could you guess what the l motive wasp
 Had there been women in the house. 1 I should have suspected a mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the l question. The mans business was small one and there was nothing in his i house which could account for such elah- l crate preparat tions, and such an eXpendi- l ture as they were at. It must, then, be l something out of the house. What could l 1t be? 1 thought of the assistants fond ness for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the cellar. The cellarl There was the end of this tangled one. | Then I made inquiries as to this mys- l terious assistant and found that I had I to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London. He was do- 1 ing something in the cellar-something which took many hours day for months on end What could it be. once more? I could think of nothing save that he was running tunnel to some other | building.
 "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my | stick. I was aseertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. It was not in front. Then I rang the l bell, and, IS I hoped, the assistant an- swered 1t. We have had some skrmshes, but we had never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his face. His knees were what l wished to see. You must yourself have remarked how worn, wrinkled and stained they were. They spoke of those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they were burrowing for. walked round the | corner, saw that the City and Suburban bank abutted on our friends premises. i and felt that l had solved the problem. l When you drove home after the concert | l called upon Scotland Yard. and upon the chairman of the bank directors, with the result that you have seen.''
 And how could you tell that they would make their attempt tonght?" I asked.
 Well. when they closed their league offices that was sign that they cared no longer about MT. Jabez Wilson's pres- ence-in other words, that they had com- pleted their tunnel. But 1t was essential that they should use 1t soon, as 1t might be discovered, or the bullion might be re- moved Saturday would suit them better than any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. For all these reasons l expected them to come l tonight"
 You reasoned 1t out beautifully" ex- claimed, in unfeigned admiration. "It Is so long chain. and yet every link rings | true"
 yawning. "Alas I already feel 1t closing
 in upon me. My life is spent In one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence. These little problems help me to do so."
 And you are benefactor of the race" said I.
 He shrugged his shoulders. Well, per- haps, after all 1t Is of some little use" he remarked. "L'homme c'est rien- | Foeuvre cest tout as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand"