The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-10-31

aIn answer to an advertisement.
Was he the only applicant
mo, / had a Dozen
why did you pick HIM
because he was HANDY, n woulo
come cheap"
AT half-wages, in fact
Yes" !.
What is he like. his Vincent
Spaulding?" :.
Small, stout-built. very quick in
| his ways. no hair on his face. though
hes not short Of thirty. HAS a white
splash of acid upon his forehead"
Holmes sat up in his chain in con-
siderable excitement. Il thought as
much" said he. Have you ever OBJ
served that his ears are pierced for
earrings?"
YES, sir. He told me that a gypsy
had done it fer him when he was a
lad"
Hum said Holmes. sinking back
in deep thought. is still with
"Oh yes, sir; 1 have only just left
| him."
And has your business bee at
tended to in your a~tsence?'
Nothing to complain OF, sir.
morning"
THAT will do, Mr.. Wilson. I shall
be happy to give you an opinion upon
the subject in the course of a day or
two. Today is Saturday, and / hope
hat by Monday we may come to a
"well, WATSON said Holmes,
when our visitor had left US, what
do you make Of it alp"
81 make nothing Of it, l answer
ed, frankly. 1T is u most mysterious
business"
LAS a rule said Holmes, 1.-The
more bizarre a thing is the less mys
FERROUS it proves to be-. It is your
commonplace, featureless crimes
which are really p.uzzling, just as a
commonplace face is the most diff
cult to identify. But must be
prompt over this matter"
What are you going to do, them
I asked.
"To smoke" he answered. ct is
quite a ~three-pipe problem, and l beg
that you won't speak to me for fifty
minutes" He curled himself up in
his chair, with his thin knees drawn
up to his hawk-like nose, and there
he sat with his eyes closed and his
black clay pipe thrusting out like the
bill Of some strange bird. I had
come to the conclusion that he. had
dropped asleep, and indeed was nod
ding myself, when he suddenly
sprang out Of his chair with the
gesture of a man who has made up
his mind, and put his pipe down
upon the mantel-piece.
"Sarasate plays at the st. James's
Hall this afternoon he remarked
What do you think, Watson? Could
your patients spare you for a few
hours?"
II have nothing to do today. My
practice is never very absorbing"
Then put on your hat and come
I am going through the city first
and we can have some lunch on the
way. l observe that there is a good
deal Of German music on the pro
grarlIne, which is rather more to my
taste han italian or French. 1t is
retrospective, and / want to intro
spect. Com along!"
We, travelled by the Underground
as far as Aldersgate; and a shor,
walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square
the scene Of the singular story which
1t was a pokey, little, shabby-gentee.
place, where four lines Of dingy two
stored brick houses looked out int
a small railed-in enclosure, where q
lawn Of weedy grass and a few
cluInps Of faded laurel-bushes made
a hard fight against a smoke-lader
and uncongenial atmosphere. Three
gilt balls and a brown board with
"Jabez Wilson, in white letters, upon
a corner house, announced the place
where our red-headed client carried
on his business. Sherlock Holmes
stopped in front Of it with his head
on one side, and looked it all over
with his eyes shining brightly be-
tween puckered lids. Then he walk
ed slowly up h street, and then
down again to the corner, still look
ing keenly at the houses. Finally
he returned to the p~awnbroker's
and, having thumped vigorously upon
the pavement with his stick two OF
three times, he went up to the door
and knocked. 1t was instantly open
ed by a bright-looking, cIean-shaven
young fellow, who asked him to ster
in.
Thank YOU" said Holmes, II only
wished to ask you how you would
go from here to the Strand"
Third right, fourth left" an
swered the assistant, promptly, clos
ing the door.
Smart fellow, that" observed
Holmes, as we walked away. He is