Evening star., 1925-03-29

and then look at me with a steady
eye and say: He died within a
month"; 1t wasn't hot air either. But
took little notice-you see, l loved
him myself at that time. Whatever
| he did went with me same as with
this poor fool There was just one
thing that shook me. Yes, by cripes.
If IT had not been for .is poisono us.
lying tongue that explains and
soothes, I'd have left him that very
night. It's book he hasa brown
leather book with lock and. his arms
in gold on the outside. / think he
was a bit drunk that night or he
would not have shown it to me-
What was it, them"
'I tell you, Mr.. Holmes, this man
collects women and takes pride in
his collection. as some men collect
moths or butterflies. He had It all in
that book. Snapshots, photographs,
names, details, everything about
them. II was a beastly book-a book
no man. even IL he had come from
the gutter, could have put together.
But It was Adelbert Gruner's book all
the same. Souls I have ruined He
could have put that on the outside II
he had been so minded. However,
that's neither here no there. for the
book would not serve you, and if it
would you can't get It.
Where is it?'
How can I tell you where it is
now? It's more than year since
! left him. / know where he kept it
| then. He's a precise. tidy cat of a
man in many of his ways. so maybe II
is still in the pigeonhole of the old
bureau in the inner study. Do you
know his house?"
I've been in the study" said
Holmes.
Have you, though? You haven't
been slow in the job IL YOU only
| started this morning. Maybe dear
Adelbert has met his match this time.
| The outer study is the one with the
| Chinese crockery in it-big glass cup
! board between the windows. Then,
behind his desk. is the door that leads
| to the inner study-a small room,
where he keeps papers and things"
rs he not afraid of burglars?"
"Adelbert Is no coward. His worst
! enemy couldn't say that of him. He
| can look after himself There's a
| burglar alarm Al night. Besides, what
is there for a burglar, unless they got
away with all this fancy crockery?"
mo good said Shinwell Johnson,
| with the decided voice of the expert
. NO fence wants stuff of that sort
| that you can neither melt nor sell"
/ quite So" said Holmes. We'll
now, Miss Winter, II you would call
| here tomorrow evening at ) would
consider in the meanwhile whether
! your suggestion of seeing this lady
| personally may not be arranged /
| am exceedingly obliged to you for
! your co-operation. need not say
that my clients will consider lib
erally-"
None Of that, Mr.. Holmes" cried
| the young woman. Il am not out for
| money. Let me see this man in the
| mud and I've got all l worke ed for
! in the mud with my foot on his cursed
| face. That's my price. I'm with you
! tomorrow or any other day, so long
as you are on his track. Porky here
| can tell you always where to find me-"
| r did not see Holmes again until the
L following evening. when we dined
| once more at our Strand restaurant.
| He shrugged his shoulders when !
| asked him what luck he had had in
| his interview. Then he told the story,
| which I would repeat in this way.
/ His hard, dry statement needs some
| little editing to soften it into the
| terms OF real life:
There was no difficulty at all about
| the appointment" said Holmes, "for
| the girl glories in showing abject
| filial obedience in all secondary things
| in an attempt to atone for her ia
grant breach OF it in her engagement.