Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-07-05
,lll-THE ADVENTURE OF THE SIX
NAPolEoNS.-c

vIll-THE ADVENTURE OF THE SIX
NAPOLEONS.-Con
Holmes had taken several notes dur
/ ing Mr.. Harding's evidence, and I
could see that ne was thoroughly salts
| fled by the turn which affairs We're TAX
ing. He made no remark. however,
be late for our appointment with Les
trade. Sure enough, when we reached
Baker street the detective was already
| there, and we found him pacing up and
down in fever of Impotence His
look of Importance showed that his
days work had not been in vain.
Holiness"
We have had very busy day. and
not entirely a wasted one" my friend
| explained. I'VE have seen both the re-
| tailers and also the wholesale manu-
4 facturers. can trace each OF the
bustS now from the beginning"
The busts!" cried Lestrade. We'll,
we'll. you have your own methods, Mr..
Sherlock Holmes. and it is not for me
to say word against them, but think
have done better days work than
you. have identified the dead man"
you don't say SOP
"And found cause for the crime"
"Splcndid.'
I'VE have an inspector Tho makes a
speciality of Saffron Hill and the italian
quarter. Well. this dead man had some
Catholic emblem round his neck. and that,
along with his color. made me think he
was from the south. Inspector Hill knew
him the moment he caught sight of him.
His name is Pietro Nenucc from Naples,
and he is one of the greatest cut throats
| In London He is connected with the
Matla, which, as YOU know. is a secret
political society, enforcing its DEGREES by
murder. Now, you see how the affair be
gins 10 clear up. The other fellow is
| probably an Italian also. and member
of the Malta. He has broken the rules
in some fashion Pietro is set upon hi
track. Probably the photograph we
| found in his pocket is the man himself,
! so that he may not knife the wrong per-
son. He dogs the fellow. he sees him en-
ter house. he waits outside for him, and
IN the scuffle he receives his own death
wound. How is that MIR. Sherlock
Holiness"
Holmes clapped his hands approvingly.
| Excellent, Lestradc, excellent" he
cried. But l didn't quite follow your ex-
| PLANTATION of the destruction of the busts. /"
1.-The busts! You never can get those
busts out of your head. After all, that is
nothing: petty larceny, six months at the
1
Investigating, and tell you that l am
gathering all the threads into my hands"
"And the next stage?"
els "A very simple one. ] shall go down
with Hill to the Italian quarter find the
man whose photograph we have got, and
arrest him on the charge of murder. Will
you come with us?'
~ think not. fancy we can attain our
end in a simpler way. ! can't say for
certain, because it all depends we'll, it
all depends upon a factor which is COM
pletely outside our control But i have
great hopes--in fact, the betting is OK
nctly two to one--that If You will come
with us tonight L shall be able to help
sou to lay him by the hecls,
1 I'm the Italian quartero
I mo, 1 fancy ChiswicS is an address
which is more likely to h,.d him. If you
| will come with me to Chiswict tonight.
lLestrade, I'll promise to go to the Italian
lquarter with you tomorrow, and no harm
will be done by the delay. And now |
think that a few hours sleep would do
us all good. for do not propose to leave
before II o'clock and it is unlikely that we
shall be back before morning. Youth dine
with U.S. Lcstrade, and then YOU are well
come to the sofa until it is tune for us 10
start. In the meantime, Watson. | should
be glad ii you would ring for an express
messenger for | have a letter to send and
1t is Important that it should go at once. y
Holmes spent the evening In rummaeing
among the files of the old daily papers
with which one of our lumber rooms was
packed. When at last he descended, 1t
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, had
followed step by step the methods by
which he had traced the various windings
of this complex case, and, though | could
reach l understood clearly that Holmes
expected this erotesque criminal to make
an attempt upon the two remaining busts,
one of which, remembered, was at CHS
| wick. No doubt the object of our journey
was to catch him i'm the very act, and ]
could not but admire the cunning with
which my friend had inserted wrong
clue iE the evening paper, 50 as to give
the fellow the idea that he could con
tinuc his scheme with impunity I was
not surprised when Holmes suggested tina,
| should take my revolver with me. lie
| had himself picked up the loaded hunting
crop, which was his favoritc weapon.
A four-wheeler was at the door at IL
and in it we drove to spot at the other
size of Hammcrsmth bridge. Here tho
| cabman Was directed to wait. a short
walk brought us to secluded road fringcd
| with pleasant houses, each standing in its
| own grounds In the light of Il stree,
lamp we read "Laburnum Villa" upon the
| gate-post of one of them The occupants
| had evidently retired to rest, for all was
dark, save for a fanlight over the hal
door. which shed single blurred circle
on to the garden path Tho wooden fence
road threw :, dense black shadow upon the
| inner side, and here it was that VIZ
| crouched.
81 fear that youl have q long wait
| Holmes whispered. we may thank oul
stars that it is not raining. don't thinl
\ we can even venture to smoke to pass Tho
time. However, it's a two to one chance
| that we get something to pay US for ou
trouble"
1t proved. however that our vigil wa.
/, not to be 50 long as Holmes had led to
| fear and ii ended in a very sudden ant
| singular fashion. In an instant, withou
1 the least sound to warn us of his coming
| the garden gate swung open. and a lith.
| dark figure. swift and active as al
! ape, rushed upon the garden path. WI
saw ii whisk past the light thrown from
over the door and disappear against tn
/ black shadow of the house. There was
| long pause, during which held GU
breath. and then Il very gentle creakin,
| sound came to our ears. The window wa
being opened. The noise ceased. and agar
| there was long silence The fellow wa
| making his way INTO the mouse. we saw
the sudden flash of dark lantern insid
the room. What he sought was evidcntl,
not there, for again we saw the fiasl
through another blind. and then through
another.
Let us get to The open window. We viii
nab him as he climbs out" Lestrade whis
| pered.
i But before VIC could move, the man ha'
emerged again. As he came out into tn
glimmering patch of light we saw tina
| he carried something white under hi