The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-25
The Adventure Of the Norwood Builder
BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Upright 1921 by Harper Bros Published by special
with The Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.

, mason and an asthmatic, know moth
ing whatever about YOU"
Familiar as / was with by friends
methods, it was not difficult for me to
follow his deductions, and 10 observe
the unudiness of attire, the sheaf of
legal papers. the watch-charm, and
the breathing which had prompted
them. Our client, however. stared in
amazement.
Eyes. l am all that, Mr.. Holmes;
and, in addition, am the most unfor-
tunate man at this moment in London
For Heavens sake, don't abandon me,
Mr.. Holmes! If they come to arrest
me before I have finished my story.
make them give me time, SO that !
! may tell you the whole truth. I could
go to Jail happy if l knew that you
were working for me outside"
Arrest you!" said Holmes. This is
really most grau-most interesting
On what charge do you expect to be
arrested?"
Upon the charge of numbering Mr..
Jonas Oldacre, of Lower Norwood"
My companions expressive face
| showed sympathy which was not, ]
| am afraid, entirely unmixed with sat
isfaction.
Dear me-" said he. "it was only this
moment at breakfast that was saying
to my friend, DR.. Watson, that sensa-
| tional cases had disappeared out OF
! our papers.
Our visitor stretched forward a
quivering hand and picked up the
Daily Telegraph, which still lay upon
Holmes knee.
If you had looked at it, sir, you
would have seen at a glance what the
errand is on which have come to you
this morning. I feel as if my name
| and my misfortune must be in every
mans mouth" He turned it over to
expose the central page. Here it is.
and with your permission will read it
to you. Listen to this, Mr.. Holmes
The headlines are: Mysterious Affair
at Lower Norwood. Disappearance of
e Well-known Builder. Suspicion of
Murder and Arson. A Clue to the
Criminal" That is the clue which
they are already following. Mr..
Holmes, and l know that it leads in
fallibly to me. I have been followed
from London Bridge Station. and AM
sure that they are only waiting for the
warrant to arrest me. 1t will break
my mothers heart-it will break her
! heart!" He wrung his hands in an
agony of apprehension, and swayed
backwards and forwards in his chair.
! looked with interest upon this
man, who was accused of being the
perpetrator of crime of violence. He
was flaxen-haired and handsome, in a
washed-out negative fashion, with
frightened blus eyes, and clean
shaven face, with a weak, sensitive
mouth. His age may have been about
twenty-sever, his dress and bearing
that of gentleman. From the pocket
of his light summer overcoat protrud-
ed a bundle of Endorsed papers which
proclaimed his profession.
I'VE must use what time we have
said Holmes. Watson. would you
have the kindness to take the paper
and to read the paragraph in ques.
ion?"
Underneath the vigorous headlines
which our client had quoted, read the
following suggestive narrative:
Late last night, or early this morn
ing, an incident occurred at Lever
Norwood which points. it is feared. to
a serious crime. Mr.. Jonas Oldacre is
well-known resident of that suburb.
where he has carried on his business
as builder for many years. Mr.. Old
acre is a bachelor, fifty-two years of
age, and lives in Deep Dene House, a.
the Sydenham end of the road of that
name. He has had the reputation OF
being a man of eccentric habits. .secre-
tive and retiring. For some years he
has practically withdraw from the
business, in which he Is SAID to have
amassed considerable wealth. A small
timber-yard still exists, however. at
the back of the house, and last night,
about twelve O'Clock, an alarm was
given that one -,f the stacks was On
FIRE. The engines were soon upon the
spot, by the dry wood burned with
great fury, and it was impossible to
arrest the conHagration until the stack
had been entirely consumed. Up to
this point the incident bore the ap-
pearance Of an ordinary accident, but