Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-13


/ had not seen Holmes for some days
and had no idea of the new channel
into which his activities had been
directed He was in a chatty mood
that morning, however. and had just
settled me down into the well worn
low armchair on one side of the fire,
while he had just curled down with
his pipe in his mouth upon the oppo-
site settee when our visitor arrived.
If l had said that mad bull had ar
rived. it would give IA clearer impress
sion of what occurred.
The door had flown open and Il huge
negro had burst into the room. He
would have been comic figure if he
had not been terrific. for he was
dressed in a very loud gray check suit
with n flowing salmon-cOlored tie. His
broad face and tlattened nose were
thrust forward. as his sullen dark
eyes, with smoldering CLEAN of
malice in them. turned from one of
us to the other.
(Which of you gentlemen is Masser
Holiness" he asked.
Holmes raised his pipe with a Ian
guild smile.
"Oh! it's you. is it?'' said our WISH
tor, coming with an unpleasant
stealthy step round the angle of the
table ''See here, Mr. Holmes. you
keep your hands out of other folk
business. Leave folks to manage
their own affairs. Got that, Mr..
Holiness"
Keep on talking" said Holmes,
its fine
''Oh, it's fine. is it," growled the
man. at won't be so damn fine if
+ have to trim you up a bit. I've
they didn't look fine when I was
through with them. Look at that, Mr..
Holiness
He swung a huge knotted lump of
a. fist under my friends nose.
Holmes examined it closely with an
Air of great interest. Were you born
so?' he asked. ''Or did it come by
degrees?'
1t may have been the icy GOODNESS
of my friend. or it may have beer
the slight clatter which l made as
picked up the poker. In any case
our visitors manner became less
flambovant.
''Well. I've given YOU fair warnin',"
said he. I've friend that's inter.
ested out Harrow way-you know
what I'm meaning-and he don't
mean to have no buttin' in by you.
Got that? You amt the law, and
amt the law either, and if YOU come
in. I'll be on hand also. Don't you
forget it,
1--WE wanted TO meet you for some
time said Holmes. Il won't ask you
to sit down, for 1 don't like the smell
OF you. but aren't you Steve Dixie. the
bruiser?'
That's my name. Masser Holmes.
and you'll get put through it for sure
II YOU give me any lip"
1T is certainly the last thing you
need" said Holmes. staring at our
visitors hideous mouth. But it was
the killing OF young Perkins outside
the Holborn Bar-What. you're not
going?"
THE negro had sprung back and
- his face was leaden. Il won't
listen to no such talk" said he.
What have / to do with there ere
Perkins, Masser Holmes? L was
trainin' at the Bull Ring in Birming-
ham when this boy gone done get
into trouble
Yes, you'll tell the magistrate
about it, Steve" said Holmes. I've
been watching you and Barney Stock
dale"
$50 help me the Lord Masser
Holmes
That's enough. Get out of it.
I'll pick you up when / want YOU"
Good mornin', Masser Holmes. /
hope there amt no hard feelin's about
this ere visit?"
There will be unless you tell me
who sent you"
And who set him onto ito"
''S'elp me. ! don't know, Masser
Holmes! He just say Steve, you go
see Mr.. Holmes. and tell him his life
amt safe If he go down Harrow way
That's the whole truth"
Without waiting for any further
inc tod nf
the room almost as precipitately as
he had entered. Holmes knocked out
the ashes of his pipe with a quiet
chuckle.
II am glad you were not forced to
break his head. Watson. 1 observed
your maneuver with the poker. But
he is really rather a harmless fellow,
great Muscular, foolish, clustering
baby, and easily cowed, as you have
seen. He is one of the Spencer John
gang. and has taken part in some
dirty work of late which / may clear
up when j have time. His immediate
principal, Barney, is more astute
person. They specialize in assaults.
intimidation and the like. What l
want to know is, who is at the back
of them on this particular occasion?"
But why do they want to intimi-
date your"
1T is this Harrow Weald case. 1t
decided me to look into the matter,
for IL ii Is worth any ones while to
take so much trouble, there must be
something in it,
But what is it?''
Il was going to tell YOU when we
had this comic interlude. Here is
Mrs. Maberley's note. If you care to
come with me we will wire her and
go out at once"
Dear Mr.. Sherlock Holmes" Il
read:
II have had succession of strange
incidents occur to me in connection
with this house, and | should much
value your advice. You would find
me at home any time tomorrow. The
house is within a short walk of the
Weald Station. L believe that my late
husband, Mortimer Maberley, was one
of your early clients.
Yours faithfully,
MARY MABERLEY."
The address was THE Three
Gables, Harrow Weald."
so thet's that" said Holmes.
And now, II you can spare the time,
Watson, We will get upon our way"
4 X X *
A SHORT railway journey, and a
"a shorter drive. brought us to the
house, a brick and timber villa, stand.
ing in it's own acre of undeveloped
grass land. Three small projections
above the upper windows made a
feeble attempt to justify its name.
Behind was n grove of melancholy
half-grown pines, and the whole as
pect Of the place was poor and de-
pressing. None the less. we found
the house to be we'll furnished, and
the lady who received us was a most
engaging elderly person who bore
a. al