The San Francisco call., 1905-04-23

TO. an express messenger. for have
letter to send. and it is important that
Ii should go at once
Holmes spent the evening in rum
maging among the. files OF the old
daily papers with which one OF our
ICmber-r0oms was packed When at
last he descended ii was with triumph
in his eyes, but he said nothing to
either OF US as TO the result Of his re-
searches. For my own part l had fol-
lowed step by step the methods by
which he had traced the various wind
ings of this complex case. and though
i could not yet perceive the goal which
we would reach 1 understood clearly
that Holmes expected this groteSque
criminal TO make an attempt upon the
two remaining busts. one of which. I
remembered. was at Chiswick. No
doubt the object of our journey was
to catch him in the very act. and T
could not but admire the cunning with
which my friend had inserted a wrong
clew in the evening paper SO as to give
the fellow the idea that he could Con-
tinue his scheme with fmpunfty. ! was
not surprised when Holmes suggested
that I should take my revolver with
me. He had himself picked up the
loaded hunting-crop, which was his IA
vorite weapon.
A four-wheeler was at the door at
IL and in it we drove to spot at the
EdnmefSmILn
Here the cabman was directed to wait
A short walk brought US to a secluded
road fringed with pleasant houses. each
standing in its own grounds. In the
light of a street lamp we read La
burnum Villa" upon the gatepost OF
one Of them. The occupants had evil
IDENTIFY retired to rest. for all was dark
save for fanlight over the hall door.
which shed a single blurred circle on
to the garden path The wooden fence
which separated the grounds from the
road threw a dense black shadow upon
the inner side. and here it was that we
crouched-
II fear that you'll have a long wait"
Holmes whispered. I'VE may think our
think we can even venture to smoke
to pass the time However. it's a 2 to
1 chance that we get something to pay
US for our trouble"
1t proved. however, that our vigil
was not to be so long as Holmes had
led US 70 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 II whis<
past the light thrown from over the
door and disappear against the black
long pause. during which we held our
breath and then very gentle creak-
ing sound came tOEOur ears. The win
dow was being opened The noise
ceased. and again there was 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 fash
through another blind and then
through another.
Let US get to the open window.
We will nab him as he climbs out"
Lestrade 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 stealthflv
all round him. The silence OF the de-
serted street reassured him Turning
bis back upon us he laid down his
burden and the next instant there was
the sound OF a sharp tap, followed bv
a clatter and rattle. The man was So
intent upon what he was doing 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 Lestrade and I had
him by either wrist and the handcufYs
had been fastened. AS we turned him
over saw a hideous, sallow face with
writhing. furious features. glaring up
at U.S. and ! knew that IL was indeed