Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1906-02-22
BY a. CONAN DOYLE.

in the unlikely supposition of your own
aim failing you. These" he pointed
around the room, ARE my other guns
The parallel is exact
Colonel Moran sprang forward with
q snnrl OF rage. but the constables
dragged him back. The fury upon his
face was terrible to look at.
Il confess that you had one small
surprise for me-" said Holmes II did
not anticipate that you would yourself
convenient front window. had inn
agined you as operating from the
street. where my friend Lestrade and
his merry men were awaiting you.
With that exception. all has gone az
| expected
Colonel Moran turned to the oficial
detective.
You may or may not have just
cause for arresting me-" said he. hut
at least there can be no reason why
should submit to the gibes OF this
person. II am in the hands of the
law. let things be done in legal way"
! We'll, that's reasonable enough"
said Lestrade. Nothing further you
/, have TO say. Mr.. Holmes. before we
Holmes had picked up the powerful
air-Run from the floor. and WAS ex-
amining its MECHANISM.
AN admirableF and unique weapon"
said he. 'noiseless and tremendous
power knew Won Herder, the blind
German mechanic, who constructed it
to the order OF the late Professor MORT
arity. For years have been aware of
Its existence. though ! have never be-
fore had the opportunity OF handling
H. l commend 1t very specially to
your attention. Lestrade, and also the
h1YII lat t<,ln
You can trust us to look after that,
Mr.. Holiness said Lestrade. as the
whole party moved towards the door.
Anything further TO say"
Only to ask what charge you intend
to PREFER
What charge. sir? Why of course.
the attempted murder OF Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes"
Not So Lcstrade. l do not propose
to appear in the matter Mt all. To you
and to you only. belongs the credit
Of the remarkable arrest which you
have effected. Yes. Lestrade. con-
graduate you. With your usual happy
have got him.
Got him. Got whom. Mr.. Holiness"
1.-The man that the whole force has
! been seeking in Nain-Colonel Sebas-
tian Moran. who shot the Honorable
Ronald Adair with an expanding bullet
from an air-gun through the open win
dow OF the second-front of No. 427
Park Lane. upon the Both OF last
month. That's the charge. Lestrade.
And now. Watson, IL you can endure
the draught from a broken window.
think that half an hour in my study
over cigar may afford some profitable
amusement"
Our old chambers had been left UNI
oh ha ytn nP
Mycroft Holmes and the immediate
care of Mrs. Hudson. AS entered
l saw. ii is true. an unwonted tidiness.
but the old landmarks We're all in place.
There was the chemical corner and the
acid stained. dealtopped table. There
scrap books and books of reference,
which many of our fellow citizens
would have been so glad to burn. The
diagrams. the violin-case. and the pipe
rack the Partisan slipper which
contained the tobacco-all met my eyes
as glanced round me. There We're
two occupants of the room-one, Mrs.
Hudson, who bcamed upon us both az
we entered--the other. the strange
dummy which had played so important
a part in the evenings adventures. II
was a waN-colored model of my friend.
so admirably cone that il was a perfect
-sinile. 1t stood on a small ped
of Holmes so draped round il that the
illusion from the street was absolutely
perfect.
u hope You preserved all precau-
lions. Mrs Hudson?" said Holmes.
Il went To II on my knees. sir, just
as YOU told me-
"k.xcelent. You carried the thing
out Very Well Did you observe where
the bullet Vent"
Yes. sir I'm afraid it has spoilt
your beautiful bust. for 1t passed right
through the head and tlattened itself
ON the wall picked ii UP from the
carpet. Here i. isl"
revolver bullet. as you perceive. Wat
son. There's genius in that. for who
| would expect To find such Il thing fired
| from an air gun. All right Mrs. Hud-
son. l am much oblit. ed for Your assist
ance. And now. Watson. let me see
you in the old seat once more, for there
are several points which l 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 eftigy.
The old shikaris nerves have not
lost their steadiness, nor his eyes their
keeness,' said he With laugh. as he
inspected the shattered forehead OF the
| bust.
Plumb in the middle of the back of
the head and smack through the brain.
He was the best shot in India and
expect that there are few better here
in London. Have you heard the
| name"
| mo, l have not"
| We'll WE'LL such is fame! But. then.
| II l remember right. you have not
heard the name of Professor James
Moriarity, who had one of the great
brains OF the century. just give me
down my index OF biographies from the
shelf"
| He turned over the pages lazlly.
leaning back in his chair and blowing
great clouds of smoke from his cigar
My collection of Ms is n fine one"
said he "MoraritN himself is enough
here is Morgan the poisonei, and Mer-
riner of abominable memory. and
! Matthews. who knocked on, my left
canine in the waiting room AT Charing
Cross. and finally. hc,c is o,E friend of
| tonight"
He handed over the book. and read.
MORAN. Sebastian. colonel. tnem-
| ployed. Formerly Of LIST Bengalore Pio-
neers. Born London. 1910. Son OF Sir
Augustus Moran. G. r.. once British
ministe. 10 Persia. Educated Elton and
oxford. Served in Jowalii campaign.
| Afghan campaisn. t'harasiab tdispatch-
es), Sherpur anG 'abu. Author of
Heavy Game OF the Western lIimalay
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