The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-07-22

lue Adll-CIdu SIdDle-DOy WdIllIS5 the head. We both sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country carts were stirring, bearing in vegetables to the metropolis, but the lines of villas on either side were-as silent and hfeiess as some city in dream.
 "It has been in some points a singular case,'' said Holmes. fIicking the horse on into gal1op. "I con- fess that I have, been as blind as 9 mole, but it is better to learn wis., dom late than never to learn it at all '"
 In town the earliest risers were just beginning to look sleepily from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey side Pass : ing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the river, and dash ing up Wellington Stree wheeled sharply to the right, and found our selves in Bow Street. Sherlock Holmes was well known to the Force, and the two cons.ab1es at the door saluted him. One of them held the horses head while the other led us in.
 Who is on duty?' asked Holmes
 Inspector Brads.reet, sir"
 "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come down the stone-flagged passa:se. in a peaked cap and frogged jacket. 'I wish to have quiet word with you, Brad street,
 Certainly, MT. Holmes. Step into my room here-
 It was a small oifice-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table and telephone projecting from the wall. The inspector sat down at his desk.
 What can I do for you, Mr.
 q called about that beggarn1an, Boone-the one who was charged with being concerned ir the disap- pearance of MT. Neville St. Clair of Lee
 "Yes. He was brought up and re- handed for further inquiries
 50 I heard. You have him here?"
 "In the cells"
 'IS he quiet?''
 "Oh, he gives no trouble. But he is a dirty scoundreL"
 "Dirty?''
 "Yes. it is all we-can ao to make him wash his hands, and his face is as black as a tinker's. We'll when once his case has been settled. he I think, if you saw him, you would agree ~trl me that he needed it''
 'I should like to see him very much.''
 Come this way. You can leave your bag"
 'tNo, think that I'll take it.''
 Very good. Come this way If you opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each side.
 The third on the right is his, '' said the inspector. Here it is'' He quietly shot back panel in the up- per part of the door and glanced through.
 He is asleep said he 'tYou can see him very we'll.
 We both put our eyes to the grat- ing The prisoner lay with his face towards us, in a very deep sleep, breathing slowly and heavily. He was middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his calling with a colored shirt protruding through the rent in his tattered coat. He. was, as the inspector had said, extremely dirty. but the grime which covered his face could not conceal it's re- pulsive ugliness. A broad wheal from an old scar ran right across it traction had turned up one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a perpetual snarl. A shock of very bright red hair grew low over his eyes and forehead.
 Hes a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector.
 "He certainly needs a wash.'' re- marked Holmes. 'I had an idea that bringing my tools with me- He opened up the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my astonish- ment. very large bath-sponge. chuckled the inspector.
 Now if you will have the great goodness to open that door very quietly, we will soon make him cut a much more respectable figure
 Well, I don't know why not" said the inspector. "He doesn't look a credit to the Bow street cells does he?" He slipped his key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The sleeper half turned and then settled down once more into a deep slumber. Holmes stopped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the pris- oner's face.
 Let me introduce you" he shout in the county of Kent"
 Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The mans face peeled off under the sponge like the bark from a tree. Gone was the coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had scanned it across, and the twisted lip which had given the re- brought away the tangled red hair, end there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, sad-faced. refined-looking man, black haired and smooth-skin about him with sleep bewilderment Then suddenly realizing the expos- ure, he broke into a scream, and threw himself down with his face to the plllO"-
 Great heavens." cried the inspect or it is indeed. the missing man. l know .him from the photograph"
 The prisoner turned with the reck- less air of man who abandons him. self to his destiny Be it SO" said he. And pray. what am I charged with? ?''
 With making away with MT. Ne vile St.-Oh, come. you can't be charged with that, unless they make case of attempted suicide of it. said the inspector, with a grin Well I have been twenty-seven years ir the force, but this really takes the cake"
 "If am MT. Neville St. Clair, ther it is obvious that no crime has beer committed, and that therefore, I am illegally detained"
 ''No crime, but a very great errol has been committed" said Holmes You would have done better to have trusted your wife,
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