The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-07-05

that Dust winch we had already seen more
than once In fragments.
Holmes took a paper from his pocket
and laid n tcn-pound note upon the table.
you will kindly sign that paper. Mr..
Sandeford. In the presence of these wit
ncsscs. IL In simply 20 say that you trans
fer every possible right that you ever had
In the bust to me. I am n methodical man.
you see. and you never know what turn
events might take afterwards. Thank
you. Mr.. sandcford: here - your money.
and I visa you a very good evening"
when our visitor has disappeared. Shcr-
lock Holmes movements were such as TO
rivct our attention. lie began by taking a
clean white cloth from n drawcr and lay
ing u over the table. Then he pir ed his
newly acquired bust I'm the center OF tho
cloth. Finally. he picked UP his hunting
crop and struck Napoleon n sharp blow on
the top Of the head. The nguro broke into
fragments. and Holmes bent eagerly ever
the shattered remains. Next instant. with
a loud shout OF triumph he held up one
splinter. In which a round. dark object
was nxed like n plum In n pudding.
Gentlemen" he cried. let me Introduce
you to the famous black pearl Of the Bor-
Eias."
Lcstradc and I sat silent for a moment.
ari then. with n spontaneous impulse. We
both broke out clapping. rs at the we'll
wrought crisis Of n play. A nush OF color
spranE TO Holmes pale checks. and he
bowed 60 us like the master dramatist who
receives the homage OF his audience. IL
was Mt such moment that for an instant
he ceased to be a reasoning machine. and
betrayed his human love for admiration
and applause. The same slngulariy proud
and reserved nature which turned away
vvlth HiaHaIn fraua Nnns.iaH Katorl.g.. .go
capable OF being moved to It's depths by
spontaneous wonder and praise from q
friend.
Yes. gcntlcme-," said he. 1T IN the
most famous pearl now existing In tho
world and 10 has been my good fortune.
by n connected chain Of ,nductive reason
Ing. to trace II from the prince OF Coll
onna's bedroom at the Dacre hotel. where
IL was lost. to the interior OF this. the
last Of the six busts OF Napoleon which
were manufactured by Gclder a Co.. OF
Sicpncy. You will remember, LcEtradc.
the sensation caused by the disappearance
OF his valuable jewel. and the vain cf-
forts OF the London police TO recover Il.
I was myself consulted upon the case. hut
I was unable TO throw any llgh, upon IL.
Suspicion fell upon the maid OF the prin-
cess. who was an Italian. and IL was
proved that she had a brother In London.
but we failed 20 trace any connection be-
tween them. The maids name was Luz
cretia Ncnucci. and there ir no doubt In
my mind hat this Pictro who was murd-
cred two nights ago was the brother. I
have been looking up the dates In the old
nlcs OF tho paper. and I Ind that the dts
appearance Of the pearl was exactly two
days before the arrest OF Beppo. for some
crime OF yiolencc-an event which took
place I'm the factory OF Geidcr a Co. at
the very moment whcn these Lusts were
being made. Now you clearly see the s-
qucnce OF events. though you sec them.
Of course. in the inverse order 90 the way
In which they presented themselves TO
me-. Repro had the pearl In his possession.
He may have stolen II from rictro. he
may have been Pictro's confederate. hc
may have been the Ro-bctwccn OF ptcrto
and his sister. IL In OF M consequence
TO MS which IL the correct solution.
Tho main fact In that he had the pearl.
and at that moment when Il was on his
person. he was pursued by the police. lie
made for the factory In which he worked.
and he knew that he had only n few min
utcs In which to conceal this enormously
valuable prize. which would otherwise be
found on him when he was searched. Six
plaster casts Of Napoleon were drying 'n
the passage. one OF them was stIll Hoft.
In an instant Bcppo. a skillful workman.
mad" n small hole N the west plaster.
dropped In the pearl. and with n few
touches covered over the aperture once
more. IL was an admirable hiding place.
No one could possibly ind u. But
Bcppo was condemned 20 n years
imprisonment, and In the meanwhile his
six busts were scattered over London. lie
could not tell which contained his treas
ure. only by breaking them could ne see.
Even shaking would tell him nothing. for
as the plaster was wet u was probable
that the pearl would adhere TO it-as. In
fact. IL has done. HCppo did not despair.
and he conducted his search with consid-
srable ingenuity and perseverance,.
Through a cousin who works with Gcldcr.
hc found out the retail firms who had
bought the busts. lie ana to ind en-
ploymcnt with Morse Hudson. and In that
way tracked down three OF them. The
pearl was not there. Then. with the help
NJ some Italian cmployc. he succeeded In
nndInE u whore the other three busts
had gone. The first was at Harkcr's.
There he was dogRcd by his confederate.
who held Repro responsible for the loss Of
the pearl and he stabbed him In the scufne
which followed"
m he was his confederate. why should
he carry his photograph" asked.
"As a means Of tracing him. IL he wished
20 inquire about him from any third per-
son. That was the obvious reason. We'll,
after the murder ! calculated that Beppo
would probably hurry rather than delay
his movements lie would fear that the
police would read his secret. and 30 no
FASTENED on before they should get ahead
OF him. OF course. I could not say that
he had not found tho pearl In Harkcr's
bust. I had not even concluded for GER
tain that II was the pearl. but 10 was evil
dent TO me that he was loklng for some
thing. sine. he carried the bust past the
other houses In order TO break &, In the
garden which had n lamp overlook II.
Since Hnrkcr's bust was one In three. the
chances were exactly ms I told you-two to
ono against the pearl being inside 81.
There remained two busts. and IL was OBJ
vious that he would 40 for the London
one fret. I warned the inmates OF the
house. so as TO avoid a second tragedy.
and We went down with the happicst re-
suits. by that time. OF course. I knew
for certain that u was the BorgIa pearl
thai We were after. The name OF the
murdered man linked the on. event with
the ~othcr-thcrc only remained n single
hust-the Reading onc--and the pearl must
he there. I bought q I'm your presence
from the owncr-and there IL lies"
". sat IN silence FOR n moment
Wen" said Lcsiradc. rive seen YOU
handle n good many cases. Mr.. Holmes.
but I don't know that | ever knew u moro
wofkmanlikc one than that. We're not
Jealous OF you at Scotland Yard. No.
- 1890 80. =