Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-07-05

fer every possible right that you ever had
in the bust to me. am methodical man,
you see, and you never know what turn
events might take afterwards. Thank
YOU. Mr.. Sandeford; here is your money,
and l wish you a very good evening.
When our visitor has disappeared. Sher
lock Holmes movements were such as to
rivet our attention. He began by taking
clean white cloth from a drawer and lay
ing it over the table. Then he placed his
newly acquired bust in the center of the
cloth. Finally. he picked up his hunting
crop and struck Napoleon sharp blow on
the top of the head. The figure broke into
fragments, and Holmes bent eagerly over
the shattered remains. Next instant, with
a loud shout of triumph he held up one
splinter, in which round, dark object
was fixed Ike plum in a pudding.
'Gentlemen," he cried, "let me introduce
you to the famous black pearl of the Eor-
gias."
Lcstratic and sat silent for a n,cmcat.
and then. with spontaneous impulse, we
both broke out clapping. as at the we'll
wrought crisis of play. a flush of color
sprang to Holmes pale cheeks, and he
bowed to us like the master dramatist who
receives the homage of his audience. 1t
was at such moment that for an instant
he ceased to be a reasoning machine. and
betrayed his human love for admiration
and reserved nature which turned away
with disdain from popular notoricty was
capable of being moved to It's depths by
spontaneous wonder and praise from a
friend.
Yes, gentlemen" said he, lit IS the
most famous pearl now existing in the
world and 1t has been my good fortune.
by connected chain of inductive reason
ing. to trace 1t from the prince of Col
onna's bedroom at the Dacre hotel where
Ii was lost. to the interior OF this, the
last of the six busts of Napoleon which
We're manufactured by Gcldcr & Co.. OF
Stepncy You will remember Lestrade.
the sensation caused by the disappearance
of this valuable Jewel, and the vain eff
forts of the London police to recover it.
| was myself consulted upon Tho case. but
| was unable to throw any light upon 1T.
Suspicion fell upon the maid of the prin-
cess. who was an Italian. and ii was
proved that she had IA brother in London.
but we failed to trace any connection be-
tween them. Tho maids name WAS Lu-
crctia Nenucci, and there is no doubt in
my mind that this I'ietro who was murl-
cred two nights ago was the brother.
have been looking up the dates in the old
files of the paper. and find that the dis
appearance of the pearl was exactly two
days before the arrest of Bcppo. for some
crime of Niolcnce-an event which took
the very moment when these usts were
being made. Now you clearly see the
quence of events. though you see them.
of course, i'm the inverse order To the way
in which they presented themselves to
me. Beppo had the pearl in hts possession.
He may have stolen it from Pictro. he
may have been Pietro's confederate, he
may have been the go-bctwecn of Puerto
and his sister. 1t is of no consequence
a us which tho correct solution
'rhe main fact is that he had the pearl.
and at that moment. when 1t was OH his
person. he was pursued by the police He
made for the factory in which he worked.
and HI. knew that he had only n few min,
utes 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 in
the passage. One of them was still soft.
In an instant Rcppo, a skillfnl workman.
made small hole in the west plaster.
dropped in the pearl. and with few
touches covered over the aperture once
more 1t was an admirable hiding place.
No ono could possibly find it. l,ut
lacppo was condemned to n wears
imprisonment, and in the meanwhile his
SIX bl.sts We're scattered over London. lie
could not toll which contained his treas
ure Only by breaking them could he sec.
Even shaking would tell him nothing for
as the plaster was wet it was probable
that the pearl would adhere to it-;,s, in
fact, it has done. Bcppo did not despair
and he conducted his search with consid-
cradle ingenuity and perseverance,.
Through cousin who works with Gcl,lcr.
he found out the retail firms who had
bought the busts He managed to find ON
ploymcnt with Morse Hudson. and in that
way tracked down three of them The
pearl was not there. Then, with the help
of some italian cmployc. he succeeded III
finding out where the other three busts
had gone. The first was at Iarkcl.s
There he was logged by his confederate.
who held Beppo rcsponsibl" for the loss of
the pearl and he stabbed him in the scufhe
which followed.
'lf he was his confederate. why should
he carry his photograph" / asked.
'As Il means of tracing him, If he wished
to inquire about him from amy thirt, ,,ar-
son. That WAS the obvious reason Well
after the murder calculated that I;cppo
would probably hurry rather than delay
his movements. He would fear that the
police would read his secret and so he
FASTENED IN before they should get ahead
OF MIN. of course. could not say that
he had not found the pearl in IIarker's
bust had not even concluded for GER
tain that it was the pearl but it was evil
dent To that he was loklng for some
tn!HB since ne fdTIlel tfl' bust past the
other houses In order to break 1t In the
sar'ion which had a lamp overlook it,
Since lIarkcr's bust WAS one in three. the
chances wcr" exactly az told yoil-two to
one against the pearl being inside IT
There remained two busts, siud 1t was OBJ
vious that he would go Tor the London
one first. warned the ilimates Of the
house, as to avoid n 'aond tragedy
and went down with The happicst re-
suits. by that time, of cpiirse I knew
for certain that it was IN, i:orgia pear
that were after. The name Of the
murdered man linked the ore event with
the othcr-therc only remained a singh.
bust the Reading one-and lle pearl must
be there. bought It IN your presence
from the wner-an1 there il lies"
We sat in silence for n moment
"Well," said desirable "I've seen Won
handle good many cases Mr. Holmes
but | don't know that over knew a more
worknanlike one than that Were not
Jealous of you at Scotland Yard No
come down tomorrow. there's not a man.
from the oldest inspector to The younges,
constable. who wouldn't be glad to shake
you by the hand
.Thank you" said Holmes 'trhanh
you" and as he turned away 1t seemed to
me that he was more nearly moved by the
softer human emotions than had eyer
seen him. moment later ~ vas the cold
and practical thinker once more "put
the pearl in the safe Watson" said he,
and get ont the papers Of the Conk-
Singleton forgery case. Goodby, Lcstrade.
III amy little problem comes your way J
shall be happy, If can. to give you hint
or two as to it's solution