The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-05-19

to you. Have You not tethered Il young
kid under a tree. lain above it with
your rifle and waited for the bait to
bring up your tiger? This empty
house il my trco. and You are my tiger.
You have pos5.5,y had other guns in
reserve in case there should be several
tigers or in the unlikely suppoSition of
your own aim failing YOU These"-he
pointed arounl-''are my other guns.
The parallel is exact"
Colonel Moran sprang forward with
snari Of rage. but the conStahles
dragged him back. The fury upon his
face was teI"i',le to look at
81 confess that you had one small
surprise fer me-" said Holmes 81 did
not anticipate that you would yourself
make use Of this empty house and this
convenient front window. l had mag
ined you as operating from the street,
where my friend Lestrade and his mer-
ry men were awaiting YOU. With that
exception all has gone as | expected"
Colonel Moran turned to the Official
detective.
You may or may not have just
cause for arresting me-" said lie. but
at least there can be no reason why
should submit to the giheS of this per-
son. If I am in the hands of the law
let things be done in legal way"
"Well that's reasonable enough
said Lestrade. Nothing further you
have to say Mr.. Holmes. before we
go?"
Holmes had picked up the powerful
air gun from the floor AMI was eXamin-
ing its mechanism.
"An admirable and unique weapon"
he said 'noiseleSs and of tremendous
power | knew Won IIcrder. the blind
German mechanic, WHO constructed it
10 the order Of the late Professor Mo-
riarty. For years have been aware
of its existence, though | have never
before had the opportunity of handling
it. l commend it very specially to
your attention. Lestrade, and also the
bullets which fit it."
You can trust us to look after that,
Mr.. Holiness" said Lestrade as the
whole party moved toward the door.
Anything further to say?"
only to ask what charge you in
tend to prefer?'
What charge, sir? Why, of course
, the attempted murder of Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes"
Not so, Lestrade. l do not propose
to appear in the matter at all. To you
and to you only belongs the credit of
the remarkable arrest which you have
effected Yes, Lestrade, l congratulate
you. With your usual happy mixture
of cunning and audacity, you have got
him."
Got him, Got whom, Mr.. Holmes?"
"The man that the whole force has
been seeking in vain-ColOnel Sebas-
tan Moran, who shot the Hon. Ronald
Adair with an expanding bullet from
an air gun through the open window of
the second floor front of 427 Park lane
upon the Both of last month. That's
the charge, Lestrade. And now, Wat
son, if you can endure the draft from
a broken window | think that half an
hour in my study over cigar may af-
ford you some profitable amusement"
Our old chambers had been left I'M
changed through the supervision of
Mycroft Holmes and the immediate
care of Mrs. Hudson. AS l entered
saw, it is true. an unwonted tidiness,
but the old landmarks were all in their
I place. There was the chemical corner
and the acid stained, deal topped table.
| There upon a shelf was the row of
formidable scrapbooks and books of
reference which many of our fellow cit
| liens would have been so glad to burn.
| The diagrams, the violin case and the
| pine rack-even the Persian slipper
which contained the tobacco-all met
nv eyes as glanced round me. There
We're two occupants of the room-one,
Mrs Hudson, who beamed upon Us
both as we entered; the other t&
J strange dummy which had played so
important a part in the evenings ad-
ventures. 1t was wax colored model
of my friend so admirably done that
it was perfect facsimile. 1t stood on
small pedestal table with an old
dressing gown of Holmes so draped
round it that the illusion from the
street was absolutely perfect.
II hope you preserved all precautions,
Mrs. Hudsonf" said Holmes.
Il went to it ON my knees, sir, just
as you told me-"
Excellent. You carried the thing
out well. Did you observe where the
bullet went?'
Eyes, sir. I'm afraid it has spoilt your
beautiful bust, for it passed right
through the head and fattened itself
ON the wall l picked it up from the
carpet. Here it is
Holmes held it out to me. "a soft
revolver bullet, as you perceive, Wat
son. There's genius in that, for who
would expect to find such thing fired
from an air gun. All right, Mrs. Hud-
son; | am much obliged for your as
sistance And now, Watson, let me see
you in your old seat once more, for
there are several points which should
like to discuss with YOU"
He had thrown off the seedy frock
coat, and now he was the Holmes of
old in the mouse colored dressing gown
which he took from his effigy.
1.-THE old shikari's nerves have not
lost their steadiness nor his eyes their
keenness." said he, with a laugh, as he
inspected the shattered forehead of his
bust.
spIumb in tho rniddIn of tho hacl. Of