Evening star., 1925-03-29

ut was on a Mediterranean yacht
ing voyage. The company, though
select, paid their own passages. No
doubt the promoters hardly realized
the baron's true character until it
was too late. The villain attached
himself to the lady and with such
effect that he has completely and alb
solutely won her heart. To say that
she loves him hardly expresses il.
She dotes upon him: she is obsessed
by him. Outside of him there is
nothing on earth. She will not hear
one word against him. Everything
has been done to cure her OF her
madness, but in vain. To sum up, she
proposes to marry him next month.
AS she is OF age and has a will Of
iron, it is hard to know hoy to pre-
vent her"
Does she know about the Austrian
episode?''
The cunning devil has told her
every unsavory public scandal OF his
past life, but always in such a way as
to make himself out TO be an inno-
cent martyr. She absolutely accepts
his version and will listen to no
other"
Dear me, But surely you have
inadvertently let out the name OF
your client? 1t is no doubt Gen. de
Merville."
OUR visitor fidgeted in his chair.
~ 81 could deceive you by saying
no, Mr.. Holmes, but il would not be
true. De Merville is a. broken man.
The strong soldier has been utterly
demoralized by this incident. He has
lost the nerve which never failed him
on the battlefield and has become a
weak. doddering old man, utterly in
capable OF contending with brill
liant, forceful rascal like this Aus
trian. My client. however, Is an old
friend, one who has known the gen.
eral intimately for many years and
taken a paternal interest in this
young girl since she wore short
frocks. He cannot see this tragedy
consummated without some attempt
to stop 1t. There is nothing on which
Scotland Yard can act. 1t was his
own suggestion that you should be
called in, but It was, as I have said,
on the express stipulation that he
should not be personally involved in
the matter I have no doubt, Mr..
Holmes, with your great powers, you
could easily trace my client back
through me, but I must ask you as a
point Of honor to refrain from doing
SO and not to break in upon his in
Cognito."
Holmes gave a whimsical smile.
II think 1 may safely promise
that" said he. Il may add that your
problem interests me, and that I shall
be prepared to look into IL. How shall
1 keep IN touch with you?'
The Carlton Club will find me.
But in case of emergency there is a
private telephone call-HX 81"
Holmes noted II down and sat, still
smiling. with the open memorandum
book upon his knee.
The barons present address,
please?"
Vernon Lodge, near Kingston. 1t
is a large house. He has been for
tunate in some rather shady specula-
tions, and is a rich man. which, nat
urally, makes him a more dangerous
antagonist"
is he at home at present
Yes"
Apart from what you have told
me. can you give me any further in
formation about the man?"
"He has expensive tastes. He is a
horse fancier. For a short time he
played polo at Hurlingham, but then
this Prague affair got noised about
and he had to leave. He collects
books and pictures. He is a man with
considerable artistic side to his na-
ture. He Is, I believe, a recognized
authority upon Chinese pottery, and
has written a book upon the sub
ject"
"A complex mind" said Holmes.
'All great criminals have that. My
old friend Charlie Peace was a violin
virtuoso. Wainwright was no mean
artist. I could quote many more.
Well, Sir James, you will inform
your client that. I am turning my
mind upon Baron Gruner. l can say
no more. l have some sources of
information OF my own, and I dare
say we may find some means of open
ing the matter up"
When our visitor had left US
Holmes sat so long in deep thought
that it seemed to me that he had for
gotten my presence. At last how
ever, he came briskly back to earth
We'll, Watson. any views" he asked
/. II should think You had better see
the young lady yourself
My dear Watson, If her poor old
broken father cannot move her. how
shall !, a stranger, prevail? And yet
there is something in the suggestion il
all else fails. But think We must be-
gin from a different angle. I rather
fancy that Shinwell Johnson might be
a help"
T HAVE not had occasion TO mention
Shinwell Johnson in these memoirs
because I have seldom drawn my cases
from the latter phases of my friends
career. During the first years of the
century he became valuable assist
ant. Johnson, ] grieve TO say, made
his name first as a very dangerous
villain and served two terms at Park
hurst. Finally he repented and allied
himself with Holmes. acting as his
agent in the huge criminal underworld
of London and obtaining information
which often proved TO be OF vital i'm
portance. Had Johnson been a mark
of the police. he would soon have been
exposed: but, as he dealt with cases
which never came directly into the
courts. his activities were never real
! lied by his companions. With the
glamour of his two convictions upon him,
he had the entree of every night club,
doss house and gambling den in the
town, and his quick observa tion and
active brain made him an ideal agent
for gaining information. 1t was to him
that Sherlock Holmes now proposed to
turn.
It was not possible for me to follow
the immediate steps taken by my friend,
for l had some pressing professional
business Of my own, but | met him by
appointment that evening at Simpsons S.
where, sitting at small table in the
front window, and looking down at the
rushing stream OF life in the Strand,
he told me something Of what had
passed.
johnson is on the prowl," said he.
HrHe may pick UP some garbage in the
darker recesses OF the underw orld, for
1t is down there, amid the black roots
OF crime, that We must hunt for this
mans secrets
But II the lady will not accept what
is already known why should any fresh
discovery of yours turn her from her
purpoSe?"