The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-14

tOOntinue0 FROM 1eetef0Ay.l
I began to understand what my
friend meant when he said that his
brother possessed even keener faculties
than he did himself. He glanced across
at me and smiled. Mycroft took snuff
from a tortoise-shell box, and brushed
away the wandering grains from his
coat front with a large, red silk hand
kerchief.
by the way, Sherlock said he, II
have had something quite after your
own heart-a most singular problem
submitted to my judgment. l really
had not the energy to follow it up save
in a very incomplete fashion, but IL
gave me a basis for some pleasing
speculations. If you would care to hear
the facts MY dear Mycroft, l
should be delighted"
The brother scrubbed a note upon a
leaf of his poeketbook, and, ringing
the bell, handed it to the waiter.
Il have asked Mr.. Melas to step
across" said he. "He lodges on the
floor above me, and I lave some slight
acquaintance with him. which led him
to come to me in his perplexity. Mr..
Melas is a Greek by extraction, as |
understand, and he is a remarkable
linguist. He earns his living partly as
interpreter in the law courts and partly
by acting as guide to any wealthy ORR
entails who may visit the Northumber-
land avenue hotels. l think l will leave
him to tell his very remarkable expert
ence in his own fashion,"
A few minutes later we were Joined
by a short, stout man whose olive face
and coal-black hair proclaimed his
Southern origin, though his speech was
that of an educated Englishman. He
shook hands eagerly with Sherlock
Holiness and his dark eyes sparkled with
pleasure when he understood that the
specialist was anxious to hear his story.
II do not believe that the police
credit NEON my word, l do not" said
he in a wailing voice. Just because
they have never heard of 1t before. they
think that such a thing cannot be. But
/ know that l hall never be easy in
my mind until 1 know what has become
of my poor man with the sticking
plaster upon his face" 81 am all at
tention,' said Sherlock Holmes.
This is Wednesday evening" said
Mr.. Melas. well, then, it was Mon
day night-only two days ago, you UNI
derstand-that all this happened. I an
an interpreter, as perhaps my neighbor
there has told you. l interpret all lam
guages-or nearly all-but as ] am a
Greek by birth and with a Grecian
name. ii is with that particular tongue
that l am principally associated. For
many years l have been the chief
Greek interpreter in London, and my
name is very well known i'm the hotels.
1T happens not ~infrequently that !
am sent for at strange hours by for
eigners who get into difficulties, or
by travellers who arrive late and wish
my services. | was not surprised,
therefore. on Monday night when q
Mr.. Latimer, a very fashionably
dressed young man, came up to my
rooms and asked me to accompany him
in a cab which was waiting at the
door. A Greek friend had come to see
him upon business, he said, and as he
could speak nothing but his own tongue.
the services of an interpreter were in
~dispensable. He gave me to under
stand that his house was some little
distance off. in Kensington, and he
seemed to be in a great hurry, busting
me rapidly into the cab when we had
descended to the street.
Il say into the cab, but I soon be-
came doubtful as to whether it was
not a carriage in which l found myself.
1t was certainly more roomy than the
! ordinary wheeled disgrace TO Lon
don, and the fittings, though frayed,
were Of rich quality. Mr.. Latimer
seated himself opposite to me and we
started off through Charing Cross and
up the Shaftesbury avenue. We had
come out upon Oxford street and / had
ventured some remark as TO his being
a roundabout way to Kensington, when
my words were arrested by the eXtraor-
binary conduct of my companion.
He began by drawing a most for
Misunderstanding bludgeon loaded with
lead from his pocket, and switching 1t
backward and forward several times,
as if to test it's weight and strength.
Then he placed it without a word upon
the seat beside him.. Having done this,
he drew up the windows on each side,
and l found to my establishment that
they were covered with paper so as TO
prevent my seeing through them.
u am sorry to cut off your view
Mr.. Melas,' said he. THE fact is that
I have no intention that you should
see what the place is to which we are
driving. 1t might possibly be incon-
venient to me if you could find your
way there again.
LAS You can imagine. l was utterly
taken aback by such an address. MY
companion was a powerful. broad
shouldered young fellow, and. a part
from the weapon, I should not have
had the slightest chance in a struggle
with him.
This is very extraordinary conduct,
Mr.. Latimer,' l stammered. You must
be aware that what you are doing is
quite illegal
1t is somewhat of q liberty, no
doubt said he, but We'll make it up
to you. I must warn you, however,
Mr.. Melas, that if at any time tonight
You attempt to raise an alarm or do
anything which is against my inter-
ests, o will find it a very serious
thing. I beg you to remember that no
one knows where you are, and that,
whether you are in this carriage or my
house, you are equally in my power
His words were quiet, but he had
a rasping way of saying them which
was very menacing, l sat in silence
wondering what on earth could be his
reason for kidnapping me in this
~traordinary fashion. Whatever it might
be, it was perfectly clear that there
was no possible use in my resisting,
and that 7 cOuId nnlV wait 10 see what