Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-01

\ on have possibly had other guns IN
reserve in case there should be several
tigers, or in the unlikely superstition
of your own aim failing you. These"
he pointed around ''are my other guns.
The parallel is exact"
Colonel Moran sprang forward with
n snarl of rage, but the constablcs
dragged him back. The fury upon his
face was terrible to look at
IL confess that you had one small
surprise for me-" said Holmes. II did
not anticipate that you would yourself
make use of this empty house and this
convenient front window. / had inn
agined you as operating from the
street, where my friend Lestrade and
his merry men were awaiting you
With that exception, all has gone rs /
expected"
Colonel Moran turned to the official
detective.
"Iou may or may not have just
cause for arresting me-" said he, but
at least. there can be no reason why |
son. II | am in the hands of the law,
let things be done in a legal way"
well, that's reasonable enough,
said Lestradc. Nothing further you
have to say, Mr.. Holmes, before we
go?"
Holmes had picked up the powerful
air-gun from the floor, and was exam
lining its mechapism.
An admirable and unique weapon"
said he, "noiseless and of tremendous
power | knew Won Herder, the blind
German mechanic, who constructed it
to the order of the late Professor Mo-
riarty. For years have been aware of
its existence, though l have never be-
fore had the opportunity of handling it.
| commend il very specially to your at
teution, Lestradc and also the bullets
which fit it,"
you can trust us to look after that,
Mr.. Holmes" said Lestrade, as the
whole party moved toward the door.
Anything further to say"
Only To ask what charge you intend
TO prefer"
What charge, sir? Why, of course,
the attempted murder of MIR. Sherlock
Holmes"
Not SO, I.estrade. | do not propose
TO appear in the matter at all. To you.
and to YOU only. belongs the credit of
the remarkable arrest which YOU have
effected Yes, Lestrade, | congratulate
YOU, With your usual happy mixture
of cunning and audacity you have got
him"
Got himl Got whom, Mr.. Holiness"
THE man that the whole force has
been seeking in vain-Colonel Sebas-
tan Moran, who shot the Honorable
Ronald Adair with an expanding bullet
from an airgun through the open win
dow of the second-hoor front of No. 427
Park Lane, upon the 30th Of last month.
That's the charge, Lestrade. And now,
Watson, if you can endure the draught
from a broken window, / think that
half an hour in my study over cigar
may afford you some profitable amusc-
ment."
Our old chambers had been left I'M
i changed through the supervision Of
Mycroft Holmes and the immediate
care of Mrs. Hudson. As l entered /
saw, 1t Is true, an unwonted tIdlness,
but the old landmarks were all IN their
place. There was the chemical corner
and the acld-starned, deal-topped table,
There upon a shelf was the row OF
formidable scrap-books and books OF
reference which many of our fellow
citizens would have been so glad to
burn. The diagrams, the vloln-case,
and the pipe-rack-even the Persian
slipper which contained the tobacco
all met my eyes as l glanced round me
| There were two occupants of the room
lone, Mrs Hudson, who beamed upon
us both as We entered-the other, the
strange dummy which had played SC
important part In the evenings adj
ventures. 1t was a wax-colored mode
of my friend, so admirably done that
1t was a perfect facsimile. 1t stood or
a small pedestal table with an old
dresslng-gown of Holmes so drapeo
round 1t that the illusion from the
street was absolutely perfect.
81 hope you preserved all precau-
tons, Mrs. Hudson?" SAID Holmes.
II went to 1t on my knees, sir, just
as you told me"
Excellent. You carried the thing
out very well. Did you observe where
the bullet VENT"
Eyes, sir. Pm afraid it has spoilt
your beautiful bust, for it passed right
through the head and fattened itsel
on the wall. 1 PICKED IL up from the
carpet. Here it is
Holmes held it out to me. "a sof
revolver bullet, as you perceive, Wat
son. There's genius in that, for WHIT
would expect TO find such a thing free
from an air-gun. All right, Mrs. Hud
son, / am much obliged for your assist
ance. And now, Watson, let me Sc,
you in your old seat once more, fo
there are several points which l SHOULD
like to discuss with you"
He had thrown off the seedy frock
coat, and now he was the Holmes o
old in the mouse-colored dressing
gown which he took from his effigy
"The old shikari's nerves have no
lost their steadiness, nor his eyes thei
keenness," said he, with laugh, as h,
inspected the shattered forehead of hi
bust.
Tomorrow-The MySforv NJ Nh,