Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-29

fellow left me last week, and I've
heard nothing Of him since. No, l don't
know where he came from nor where
he went to. / had nothing against him
while he vas here. He was gone two
days before the bust was smashed"
We'll that's all we could reasonably
expect from Morse Hudson said
Holmes, as we emerged from the shop.
w have this Beppo as a common
factor, both in Remington and in
Kensington, so that is worth a ten
mile drive. Now, Watson, let us make
for Gelder & Co, of Stepney, the
source and origin of the busts. | shall
be surprised If we don't get some help
Town there"
In rapid succession we passed
through the fringe of fashionable Lon
don, hotel London, theatrical London,
literary London, commercial London
and. finally, maritime London, till we
came to q riverside city of a hundred
thousand souls, where the tenement
houses swelter and reek with the out
casts of Europe. Here, in a broad
t~hOroughfare, once the abode OF veal
thy city merchants, we found the
sculpture works for which we searched.
Outside was a considerable yard full OF
monumental masonry. Inside was a
large room in which fifty workers were
carving or moulding. The manager. a
big blonde German, received US civilly,
n gave q clear answer to all Holmes
questions. A reference to his books
showed that hundreds Of casts had
been taken from a marble copy of De-
ines head of Napoleon, but that the
three which had been sent to Morse
Hudson a year or so before had been
half of a batch of six, the other three
being sent to Harding Brothers, of
KensingtOn. There was no reason why
those six should be different to n Of
the other casts. He could suggest no
possible cause why any one should
wish to destroy them-in fact, he
laughed at the idea. Their wholesale
price was 6 shillings, but the retailer
would get II or more. The cast was
taken in two moulds from each side
Of the face, and hen these two profiles
of plaster Of Paris were Joined tOgeth-
er to make the complete bust. The
work was usually done by Italians, in
the room we were in. When finished,
the busts were put on a table in the
passage TO dry, and afterwards stored.
That was al he could tell us.
But the production of tn" photograph
had a remarkable effect upon the man
ager. His face flushed with anger, and
his brows knotted over his blue leu
tonic eyes.
"Ah, the rascal" he cried. yes, in
deed, l know him very well. This has
always been a respectable establish
ment, and the only time that we have
ever had the police in it was over this
very fellow. 1t was more than a year
ago now. He knitted another Italian in
the street, and then he came to the
works with the police on his heels, and
he was taken here. Beppo was his
name-his second name | knew.
Serve me right for engaging a man
with such a face. But he was a good
workman-one of the best"
What did he get?"
The man lived and he got off with
a year. ! have no doubt he is out now,
but he has not dared to show his nose
here. We nave a cousin of his here,
and l dare say he could tell you where
he is"
mo, no." cried Holmes, not a word
to the cousin-not a word, l beg of
you. The matter is very important.
and the farther l go with 1t, the more
important 1t seems to grow. When you
referred in you ledger to the sale of
those casts l observed that the date
was June 3 of last year. Could you
give me the date when Beppo was ar
rested"
Il could tell you roughly by the pay
list" the manager answered. Yes
he continued, after some turning over
of pages, "he was paid last on May 90"
Thank you," said Holmes. II dom
think that 1 reed intrude upon your
time and patience any more" With a
last word of caution that he should
say nothing as to our researches, we
turned our faces westward once more
The afternoon was far advanced be-
fore we were able to snatch a hasty
luncheon at a restaurant. A news bill
at the entrance announced "Kensing-
ton Outrage. Murder by a Madman.'
and the contents of the paper showed
hat Mr.. Horace Harker had got his
account into print after all. Tive col
umns were occupied with a highly SEN
s%ational and fowery rendering of the
whole incident. Holmes propped il
against the cruet stand and read II
while he ate. Once or twice hs
chuckled.
This is all right, Watson" said he
Listen to this: 1t is satisfactory tc
know that there a be no difference
of opinion upon this case, since Mr.
Lestrade, one of the most experienced
members of the official force, and Mr.
Sherlock Holmes, the well known con
sulting expert. have each come to tn,
conclusion hat the g~rotesque series o
Incidents, which ave ended in 81
tragic a fashion, arise from lunac,
rather h q from deliberate crime. N,
explanation save mental alteration cal
cover the facts The press, Watson
is a most valuable institution. If yo,
only know how to use it. n now, /
you have quite finished, we will harl
back to K~ensington, and see what tn
manager of Harding Brothers has t
say on the matter"
The founder of that great emporium
proved to be a brisk, crisp little per
son, very dapper and quick. with
clear head and a ready tongue.
Yes, sir, l have already read tn
account in the evening papers. MI
Horace Harker is a customer of ours
We supplied him with the bust som
months ago. We ordered three bust
Of that sort from Gelder & Co., O
Stepney. They are all sold now. T
whom? oh, l dare say by consuitin
our sales book we could very easily tie,
you. Yes. we have the entries here
One to Mr.. Harker. you see. and on
} to Mr.. Josiah Brown, OF Laburnur
Lodge, Laburnum Vale, Chiswick, an
one to MI. Sandeford, of Lower Grow
: Road, Reading. No, ! have never see
this face which you show me in tn
photograph. You would hardly forge
1t, would you, sir, for I've seldom see
an uglier. Have we any Italians 0
the staff? Yes, sir, we have severe
among our workpeople and cleaner
I dare say they might get a peep G
that sales book IL they wanted Il
There is no particular reason for keep
ing a watch pom that book. Wei
we'll, it's a very strange business. an
/ hope that you will let me know
anything comes of your inquiries"
Continued Next Week.