Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-07-06


| ter and rattle. The man was so intent
upon what he was doing that he never
heard our steps as we stole across the
grass plot. With the bound Of a tiger
Holmes was on his back, and an instant
later Lestrade and l had him by either
wrist, and the handouts had been fas-
tened. AS we turned him over | saw a
hideous. sallow face, with writhing, fur
ious features, glazing up at us, and L
knew that II was indeed the man of the
photograph whom we had secured.
But il was not our prisoner TO whom
Holmes was giving his attention. Squatted
or the doorstep. he was engaged in most
careful examining that which the man
had brought from the house. 1t was a
bust of Napoleon, like the one which we
had see that morning. and 1t had been
broken into similar fragments. Carefully
Holmes held each separate shard TO the
light but in no way did II differ from any
other shattered piece of plaster. He had
just completed his examination when the
hall lights flew up. the door opened, and
the owner Of the house, a jovial, rotund
figure IN shirt and trousers, presented
himself.
Mr. Josiah Brown, / suppose?' said
Holmes.
Yes, sir; and you, no doubt, are Mr..
Sherlock Holmes? / had the note which
you sent by the express messenger, and l
did exactly what you told me. We locked
every door on the inside and awaited de-.
velopments. Well, / am very glad to see
that you have got the rascal. l hope, gen.
tlemen, that you will come in and have
some refreshment."
However, Lestrade was anxious to get
his man into sare quarters, so within a
few minutes our cab had been summoned
and we were all four upon our way to
London. Not a word would our captive
say, but he glared at US from the shadow
Of his matted hair, and once, when my
hand seemed within his reach, he snapped
at It like a hungry wolf. We stayed long
enough at the police station TO learn that
a search of his clothing revealed nothing
save a few shillings and a long sheath
knife, the handle of which bore copious
traces of recent blood.
That's all right" said Lestrade, as we
parted. "Hill knows all these gentry, and
he will give a name to him. Youll find
that my theory of the Malta will work out
all right. Blu I'm sure | am exceedingly
obliged to you, Mr.. Holmes, for the work
manlike way in which you laid hands upon
him. / don't quite understand 1t all yet"
II fear ii is rather too late an hour for
explanations" said Holmes. Besides,
there are one or two details which are not
finished off, and 1t is one of those cases
which are worth working out to the very
end. If you will come round once more
to my rooms at 6 o'clock tomorrow, l
think / shall be able to show you that
even now you have not grasped the entire
meaning of this business, which presents
some features which make 1t absolutely
original I'm the history of crime. If ever
/ permit you to chronicle any more OF my
little problems, Watson, / foresee that you
will enliven your pages by an account of
the singular adventure of the Napoleonic
busts."
When we met again next evening, Les
trade was furnished with much informa-
ton concerning our prisoner. His name, 1t
appeared, was Beppo, second name UNI
known. He was a w~ell-known ne'er-do-
we'll among the Italian colony. He had
once been a skillful sculptor and had
earned an honest living, but he had taken
to evil courses and had twice already been
in g~aol-once for a petty theft, and once,
as we had already heard, for stabbing a
fellow countryman. He could talk Eng
fish perfectly well. His reasons for de-
s~troying the busts were still unknown, and
he refused to answer n questions upon
the subject, but the police had discovered
! that these same busts might very well
nave been made by his own hands, since
he was engaged in this class of work at
the establishment of Gelder & Co. To all
this information, much OF which we al
ready knew, Holmes listened with polite
attention. but L, who knew him so well,
could clearly see hat his thoughts We're
elsewhere, and I detected a mixture of
mingled uneasiness and expectation be-
meath that mask which he was won't 10
assume. At last he started In his chair.
and his eyes frightened. There had been
a ring at the bell. A minute later we
heard steps upon the stairs, and an ell
-. - 49, .rltA ortr~lnR eide
hiskers was ushered In. In his right
hand he carried an old-fashioned carpet
bag. which he placed upon the table.
rs Mr.. Sherlock Holmes here?'
My friend bowed n smiled. 'Mr.
Sandeford, of ReSd.ng, / suppose" said
he. Ia
Yes. sir, I fear that I am a little late,
but the trains were awkward. You wrote
to me about a bust thai Is in my posses
sion.'
Exactly
81 have your letter here. You said, Il
desire TO possess a copy of Devine's Ma
poleon, and am prepared to pay you ten
pounds for the one which is IN your pos
session Is that r.ght?"
Certainly"
"I was very much surprised at your let
ter. for / could not imagine how you
knew that l owned such a thing"
.sOf course you must have been sur
prised. but the explanation is very SIM
pie. MI. Harding. of Harding Brothers,
said that they had sold you Their last
copy, and he gave me your address"
'.Oh that was 1t. was IL? Did he tell
you what l paid for ity@
mo, he did not
"Welf, Tam an honest man, though not
a very rich one. l only gave fifteen shill-
ings for the bust, and l think you ought
to know hat before / tax ten pounds
from YOU"
II am sure the scruple does YOU honor.
Mr.. Sandeford. But l have named tina;
price. so I intend to stick 10 IT,"
Well. IL is very handsome Of you, Mr..
Holmes. I brought the bust up with me,
as you asked me to do. Here 1t .s." He
opened his bag. and at last we saw placed
upon our table a complete specimen OF
!: | 80 l