The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-10
PART TWO.

Holmes wrote name upon slip Of
paper and handed it to the Premier.
Exactly, 1t was he. And it is this
letter-this letter which may well
| mean the expenditure of thousand
millions and the lives of a hundred
in this unaccountable fashion,"
Have you informed the sender?"
Yes, sir. cipher telegram has
been dispatched"
Perhaps he desires the publication
Of the letter.
mo, sir, we have strong reason to
, believe that he already understands
| that he has acted in an indiscreet and
hot-headed manner. 1t would be a
greater blow to him and to his coun-
i try than to US if this letter were to
come out.
IF this is so, whose interest is it
| that the letter should come out? Why
should anyone desire to steal it or to
! publish it?"
There. Mr.. Holmes, you take me
into regions of high international
politics. But if you consider the Eu.
| ropean situation you will have no
difficulty in perceiving the motive.
The whole of Europe is an armed
camp. There is a double league which
makes fair balance of military power
! Great Britain holds the scales. If
| Britain were driven into war with one
confederacy. whether they Joined in
the war or not. Do you follow"
VERY clearly. 1t is then the inter
est of the enemies of this potentate to
secure and publish this letter, so as to
make breach between his country
and ours"
! Yes SIR
I And to whom would this document
be sent if it fell into the hands of an
| enemy"
ITO any of the great Chancelleries
Of Europe. 1t is probably speeding on
its way thither at the present instant
as fast as steam can take it."
Mr.. Trelawney Hope dropped his
head ON his chest and groaned aloud
The Premier placed his hand kindly
upon his shoulder.
| ut is your misfortune, my dear fell
low. No one can blame you. There
is no precaution which you have neg
lected. Now. Mr.. Holmes. you are in
! full possession of the facts. What
! course do you recommend"
| Holmes shook his head mournfully
You think, sir. that unless this doc
/ ument is recovered there will be
war;"
! Il think it is very probable"
Then, sir, prapare for war
THAT is a hard saying, Nj
Holmes"
"Consider the facts, sir. 1t is incon
ceivable that it was taken after elev
i,.ty OF piob CT 7 nj
Mr.. Hope and his wife were both in
was found out. I was taken, then
yesterday evening, between seven
thirty and eleven-thirty, probably nea,
the earlier hour, since whoever took
it evidently knew that it was there
and would naturally secure it as early
as possible. Now, sir, if document
of this importance were taken at that
! hour, where can it be now? No one
has any reason to retain it. 1t has
been passed rapidly on to those who
need it. What chance have we now
to oVertake or even to trace it? 1t Is
beyond our reach"
The Prime minister rose from the
settee.
What you say is perfectly logical
l., Mr. Holmes. | feel that the matter is
indeed out of our hands
Let us presume, for arguments
sake. that the document was taken by
! the maid or by the calet-''
They are both old and tried serv
ants"
Il understand you to say that you7
room is on the second floor, that there
is no entrance from without, and that
from within no one could go up unob-
served. 1t must, then be somebody in
the house who has taken it. To whom
would the thief take it? To one OF
several international spies and secret
agent, whose names are tolerably
familiar to me. There are three who
, may be said to be the heads of their
profession. I will begin my research