Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05

At for in
won reputation both sides of the At
lantic. lie became connected with the En-
Eiish police when quite young and soon
investigation which is better known TO the
AMERICAN public as Scotland Yard" The
signed is given herewith more an example
OF the methods pursued by English detectives
individual skill. The of the nonleman
mas mas been discussed and some permissible
story. but the main facts though presented
IN composite form; are true, and demonstrate
that Sherlock He!mes has his prototypes in
Great Britan.l
~ IR WILLIAM and Lady Hart had
- the reputation of being the most
hospltable pair i'll all of Great
49, Britain-and that is saying a good
deal. They had beautiful coun-
try seat just outside of London, where
they entertained on a palatial scale.
House parties were of frequent occur
renee, and the guests on such occasions
included the best people in England.
Titles were the rule and coronets were
very much in evidence. Sir William was
the ruling spirit and his constant desire
was to make every one happy. During
the day outdoor sports had precedence,
but in the evening there was music and
cards in the handsome drawing rooms,
with the noble host acting as master Of
the revels.
On the occasion to which the present
story refers Sir William and Lady Hart
gave q particularly elaborate affair. 1t
was seVen-day house party, concluding
with brilliant ball. There were some
forty guests in all and four of them at
Probably eight or ten of the gentlemen
were accompanied by their personal
Wallets and nearly all of the ladies were
attended by their own maids Such were
the characters and such was the lavish
manner in which the exceptional enter
tainment was planned. The seven days
program was carried out without hitch.
On the first day there was polo game
in which the guests who had brought
their own smart ponies participated. On
each succeeding day there was some diff
ferent form of entertainment.
On the evening of the final day-it must
have been a Friday-there was great
ado over the preparations for the ball.
No one was more excited than Lady Hart
herself. And we'll might she be, for on
that occasion she was to wear for the
first time a magnificent creation from
Paris. Besides. she was to deck herself
out in the Hart gems. Any one who has
ever had the pleasure of seeing these
rare old family heirlooms need not be
told that they are both unique and costly.
My lady had been busily engaged in her
bOudoir with her maid for over an hour.
She was all ready for the ball. Every
thing was in place except the gems-they
lay on the dressing table ready to be
fastened in Lady Harris corsage The
clock on the mantel pealed out seven
slvery strokes. Lady Hart looked at
her maid. She was compassionate wom-
an. She said:
MY child, you look thoroughly ex-
hausted. I'm through with you for the
present. 1 can attach the jewels to my
dress without your aid. Go to your room
and rest and report to me again at mid
night
The girl thanked her mistress and left
vey of herself in the long pier mirror. 1t
was satisfactory. But the feminine desire
to get the judgment of some one else took
possession of her mind. She picked up
the jewels and was about to put them on.
The large one was ma gnificently beautiful
IT was a. great ruby surmounted with a
glttering( framework of the purest dia-
monds. Two others. in the forms of cres-
cents, WE'RE pure pearls. Altogether they
represented modest fortune. Lady Hart
hesitated for a moment. She wanted to
know what another woman would think
of her Partisan gown by itself-minus the
prestige which would be given 1t by the
famous genls Lady Sutherland, her spe-
cial friend, tNas nearby in room on the
IL her side &f the corridor. She laid the
ieAes on the dressing table and tripped
Nj of the room She was gone less than
Nye minutes.
N-ady Sutherland was in raptures over
tn new gown. 1t would surely make a
Lady Hart, delighted. re-