Evening Star Newspaper, March 29, 1925, Page 74

This ix the fourth of a serie of stories, never bofors pub- lished in @ newspaper, in which “good old Watson" tells some of the most thrilling adven- tures of Sherlock Holmes. T can't hurt now,” was Mr. Sherlock Tiolmes' comment, when, for the tenth time In as many years, I asked his leave to reveal the following narra- tive. §6 it was that at last I obtained permisgion to put on record what was, in some ways, the supreme mo- ment of my friend's career. Both Holmes and I had a weakness for the Turkish bath. It was over a garetts in the pleasant lassitude of e drying room that I have found him less reticent and more human than anywhere elss. On the upper tioor of the Northumberland avenue establishment there is an isolated cor- 1ar where two couches lie side by =ide, and it was on these that we lay upon September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins. T had asked Lim whether anything was stirring. d for answer he had shot his long, thin, nervous arm out of the sheets which enveloped him and had drawn cnvelope from the inside pocket the coat which hung beside him, Tt may be some fussy, self-impor- tant fool, may be a matter of life or death,’ wid he, as he handed me the note. “I Know no more than this message tells me.” Tt was from the dated the evening before. w I read r James Damery presents his compliments to Mr. Sherlock Holmes and will call upon him at 4:30 to- morrow. Sir James begs to say that the matter upon which he desires to vonsult Mr. Tlolmes is very delicate and also very important. Iie trusts, therefore, that Mr. Holmes will make effort to grant this interview, t he will confirm it over the telephone to the Carlton Club." “I need not da that I have con- firmed it, Watso said Holmes as T returned the paper. “Do vou know anything of this man Damery?" “Only that his name is a household word in soclety.’ “Well, T can te'l you a little more an that. He has rather a reputa- for arranging delicate matters h are to be kept out of the vapers. You may remember hls ne- =otiations with Sir George Lewl!s over the Hammerford will case. He is a| man of the world with a natural turn for diplomac I am bound,| therefore, to hope that {t is not a| false scent and that he has somsa real need for our assistunce. “Our?” Well, Watson.” “I shall be honored.” ““Then you have the hour—4:30. TUn- til then we can put the matter out of | our heads.” [ Carlton Club and This 1s| it you will be so good,| * ok ok ok J WAS living fn my own rooms in Queen Anne street at the time, but T was round at Baker street befora the time named. Sharp to the half lour, Colonel Sir James Damery was unced. It is hardly necessary to describe him, for many will remembe that large, bluff, honest personality that broad, clean-shaven face; abc I, that pleasant, mellow volce. Frank uess shone from his gray Irish eyes and good humor played round his mobile, smiling lps. His lucent top hat, his dark frock coat—indeed, every I from the pearl pin in the black satin cravat to the lavender spats over the varnished shoes—spoke of the me- ticulous care in dress for which he was famous. The big, masterful aristocrat dominated the little room )f course T was prepared to find Dr. tsén,* he remarked, with a courte- ous bow. His collaboration may be very necessary, for we are dealing on this occasion, Mr. Holmes, with a man to whom violence is familiar and who will, literally, stick at nothing. I should say that there is no more dangerous man in Europe.” have had several opponents to whom that flattering term has been applied,” said Holmes with a smile. “Don’t you smoke? Then you will ex- cuse me If 1 light my pipe. If your man is more dangerous than the late Professor Moriarty, or than the living Colonel Sebastian Moran, then he is d worth meeting. May I ask his nams?” “Have you ever heard of Baron ou mean the Austrian murderer?" Colonel Damery threw up his kid- oved hands with a laugh. “There is getting past you, Mr. Holmes: onderfull So you have already sized up as a murderer?” ‘It is my business to follow the de- tails of continental crime. Who could bly have Iread what happened at | Prague and have any doubts us to the man's guilt! It was a purely technical egal point, and the suspicious death of # witness, that saved him! I am as sure that he killed his wife when the so-calied ‘accldent’ happened in the Splugen Pass as if T had seen him do 1. I knew, also, that he had come to fingland, and I had a presentiment that sooner or later he would find me some work to do. Well, what has Baron Bruner been up to? 1 presume it is this tragedy which hes come n w Rim ot old | should not be personally involved in ip ugain? “No, it is m revenge crime e serious than that. To | is important, but to pre- | vent i s more It is u terrible Mr. Holmes, to sse a dreadful | ent, an_atrocious situation. preparing tself before our ciearly to| nderstand whith it will lead, and yet to b utterly unable to & it 2 n beir trying position” Perhaps not ‘Then you will sympathize client in whose interests I ar T di merely principal “Mr. Ho! T must beg you not with the acting. ar is the | intermediary. Who not understand that you were |c 0 press that question. It is impor- tant that 1 should be able to assure | m that his honored name has been | in no way dragged lonorable and chivalrous, but he pre- fers to remain unknown. T need not say that vour fees will be assured and that vou will be given a perfectly | free hand. Surely the actual name of vour client is immaterial?” “T am sorry,” said Holmes, “1 accustomed to have mystery at of cases, but to have it at! both cnds it too confusing. 1 fes Sir Janic that I must decline to act. R vi darkened pointment or was greatly large. * sensitive with emotion “You hardly realize the effect of your own action Mr. Holmes,” said he. “You place me in + most serlous dilemma, for 1 am| perfectly certain that you would be | vroud to take over the case if T could | zive vou the facts, and yat a promise | forblds me from revealing them all.| Say 1, at leasi, 127 ail that I can be- | fore you?" “By all means, so long as it is/ understond tha i commit myself to nothing. | “That is understood. Tn the first| place, you have no doubt heard of | enaral da Meryille?" { De Merviile of Khiyher fame? have heard of him.’ “He has & daughter, Violet de Mer- ville, young, rich, beautiful, accom- | pilshed, @ wonder woman in every | way. It is this daughter, this lovely | tnnocent girl, whom we are endeavor- | ng to save from the clutches of a| fiend.” Baron Gruner has some hold over then 2" “The strongest of all holds where & Weman is concerned—the hold of disturbed. | face was| and disap- Yes, - | I nto the matter. | His motives are, to the last degree, | that Sherlock Holmes now proposed to turn, | structions, love. The fellow is. as you may have heard, extraordinarily handsome, with a most fascinating manner, a gentle volce, and that air of romance and mystery which means so much to a woman. He Is sald to have the whole sex at his mercy and to have made ample use of the fact. “But how came such a man to meet a lady of the standing of Miss Violet de Merville?" “It was on & Mediterranean Yacht- ing voyage. The company, though select, pald 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 ab- solutely won her heart. To say that she loves him hardly expresses it 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. Bverything 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 how to pre- vent her. “Does episode? “The cunning devil has told her every unsavory public scandal of his past life, but always in such & way as to make himself out to be an Inno- cent martyr. She absolutely accepts his version and will listen to mo other.” “Dear ma! inadvertently your clfe Mervill e know about the Austrian But surely you have let out the name of 1?7 It is no doubt Gen. de| * x4 % UR visitor fldgeted in his chair. “I could deceive you by saying no, Mr. Holmes, but it would not be true. De Merville is a broken man. The strong soldier h; been utterly demoralized by this incident. He has lost the nerve which never failed him on the battlefleld and has become a weak, doddering old man, utterly in- capable of contending with a bril- lMant, forceful rascal llke this Aus- trian. My client, however, iy 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 trocks. He cannot see this tragedy consummated without some attempt to stop it. There is nothing on which Scotland Yard can act. It was his own suggestion that you should be called in, but it was, as I have said, on the express stipulation that he the matter. 1 have no doubt, Mr. Holmes, with your great powers, you could easily trace my cllent back through me, but I must ask you as a point of honor to refraln from doing | so and not to break in upon his in- cognito.” Holmes gave a whimslcal smile. “I think 1 may safely promise that,” said he. “I may «dd that your problem interests me, and that I shall be prepared to look into it. How shalil I keep {n touch with yo “The Carlton Club wi find me. But in case of emergency there is a private telephone call—XX 31." Holmes noted {t down and sat, still smiling, with the open memorandum book upon his knee. The baron's present please?" “Vernon Lodge, near Kingston. Tt is a large house. IHe 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 “Apart from what you have told me, can you give me any further in- fokmation about the man?" “He has expensive tastes. Te 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 lcave. Ha collects books and plctures. He is a man with | considerable artistic side to his ns- ture. He is, 1 belleve, « recognized | authority upon Chinese pottery, and has written & 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 artiat. T could quote many more. Well, Sir James, you will inform vour client that I am turning m. mind upon Baron Gruner. I can say no more. I 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 la how- | eve: e came brisk. ack earth. | ‘Well, Watson, any views”" he asked. | “I should think you had bette the young lady vourself.” | My r Watson, If her poor old broken father cannot move her, how | shail 1, a stranger, prevail? And yet | there is something in the suggestion if | all else fafls. But I think we must be- | gin from a different angle. 1 rather fancy that Shinwell Johnson might be | a help.” [ HAVE not had occasion to mention Shinwell Johnson in these memoir because 1 have seldom drawn my cases from the lutter phases of my friand's | career. During the first years of the | century he became a valuable assist- ant. Johnson, 1 grieve to say, made his name first as a very dangerous villatn and served two terms at Park- hurst. Finalls he repented and: allied himseif with Holmes, acting as his agent in the huge criminal underworld London and cbtaining information vhich often proved to be of vital im portance. Had Johnson been & ‘nark’ of the police, he would soon have been exposed; but, as he dealt with cases which never came directly into the irts, his activities were never real- ized by his companions. With the glamour of his two convietions upon him, he had the entree of every night club, doss house and gambling den in the town, and his quick observation and active brafn made him an ideal agent | for guining information. It was to him address. * * ¢ ’ It was not possible for me to follow the immediate steps taken by my friend, | for 1 had some pressing professional | business of my own, but I met him by appointment that evening at Simpson’s where, sitting at a small table in the one | front window, and looking down at the | win the Strand, | had rushing stream of life be told me something passed. “Johnson s on the prowl™ said he. | ‘He may pick up some garbage in the | darker recesses of the underworld, for| it is down thers, amid the black roots of crime, thdt we must hunt for this man's secrets.” But If the lady will not accept what is already known why should any fresh discovery of yours turn her from her purpose?” “Who knows, Watson? Woman's heart and mind are insoluble puzzles to the male. Myrder might be condoned or explained. and yet some wmaller offense might rankle. Baron Gruner remarked to me—" “He remarked to you! Oh. to be sure, T had not told you of my plans! Well, Watson, 1 love to come to close gips with my man. 1 ifke to mect him eye to eve and read for myxelf the stuff that he is made of. When 1 had given Johuson his in- I took & cab out to King- ston and found the baron in & most affable mood.” Did he recognize you>" There was no difficulty about tha for I simply sent in my card. He I8 an excellent antagonist, cool as ice, silky-voiced and soothing as one of, your fashionable consultants, and poisonous as a cobra. He has breed in him, 2 real aristocrat of crime, In the of what | bility | can pos | intended to give vou | put ishért antennae of an | card there, Mr. Holmes, | thing clear t THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, The Adventure of the Illustrious-Client @ = = = “IT CAN'T HURT NOW." SAID SHERLOCK HOLMES. WHEN, AFTER MANY YEARS, HE GAVE WATSON PERMISSION TO TELL THE STORY TRIOUS CLIENT, WITH ITS CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO WOMEN FROM THE OPPOSITE EXTREMES OF SOCIETY. - “MR. HOLMES, T BEG THAT YOU WILL BRING THIS INTERVIEW TO AN END.” SAID AN ICY VOICE. “I HAVE OBEYED MY FATHER'S WISH IN SEEING YOU, BUT I AM NOT COMPELLED TO LISTE) OF THE ILL TO THE RAVID D. C, MARCH 29, GS OF THIS PERSON.” 1925—PART 5. 13 'I\l i with a superficial suggestion of after- noon tea snd all the cruelty of the grave behind it. Yes, I am glad to have had my attention called to | Baron Adelbert Gruner. “You say he was affable?" “A purring cat who thinks he sees prospective mice. Some people's affa- is more deadly than the vio- lence of coarser souls. His gree: ing was characteristic: ‘I rather thought I should see you sooner or | later, Mr. Holmes, said he been engaged. no doubt, by Merville to endeavor to stop my riage with his duughter, Violet is so0, is it not?" T dear man,’ said he, ruin your own well tion. It is not ibly succeed work, to say some danger advise you is a cus ill have | of in- very | off at barren curring strongly once.’ Wit that nothing Let me to draw is curious, 1 answered was the very advice which 1 had 1 have a re- spect for your brains, baron, and the little which I have seen of your per- sonality has not lessened it. Let me it to you as man to man. No one wants to rake up your past and make you unduly uncomfortable. It is over, and you are now in smooth waters, but If you persist in this mar- riuge you will ralse up a swarm of powerful enemies who will neves leave you alone until they have made Engiand too hot to hold you. Ts th game worth it? Surely you would b wiser if you left the lady alone. I would not be pleasant for you If these facts of your pust were brought t her notice.’ ‘but GTHE baron has little waxed tips of hair under his nose, like the insect. These quivered with amusement #s he lis- tened. and he finally broke into a gen- | tie chuckla, “‘Excuse my amusement, Mr. Holmes,' aald he, ‘but it is really funny to see you trying to play a hand with no cards in it. I don't think any one could do it better, but it is rather pathetic, all the same. Not & color nothing but the smallest of the small.’ “*So you think.' “'So T know. Let me make the you, for my own hand is 80 strong that [ can afford to show it 1 have been fortunaie enough to ntire affection of this lady. | This was given to me in spite of the fact that T told her very clearly of | certain unhappy incidents in my past life. 1 also told her that certain wicked and designing persons—I hope you recognize vourself—would come to her and teil her these things and T warned her how to treat them. You have heard of post-hypnotic sugges- tion, Mr. Holmes? Well, you will see how it works, for & man of person- ality can use hypnotism without any vulgar passes or tomfoolery. So she is ready for you and, 1 have no doubt, would give You an appointment, for she is quits amenable to her father's will—save only in the one little mat- ter. “Well, Watson, there seemed to be no more to say, so I took my leave | with as much cold dignity as T could symmon, but as T had my hand on the doorhandle he stopped me. “‘By the way. Mr. Holmes,' said he ‘did you know Le Brun, the French | agent? “Yes,! said I “*Do you know what befell him? “f heard that he was beaten by some apaches in the Montmartre dis- trict_and crippled for life.’ “'Quite true., Mr. Holmes. Ry a curfous coincidence. he had been’ in- | it quiring into my affairs only a week before. Don't do it, Mr. Holmes; it's not & lucky thing to_do. Several have found that out. My last word » to you and let e go mine, “So there you are, are up to date now.” “The fellow seems dangerous.” “Mighty dangerous. blusterer, but this is the sort of man who says rather less than he means.” fust you interfere? Does it really matter If he marries the girl?" “Considering” that he undoubtedly murdered his last wife, T should say mattered very much. Besides, the Well, well, we need not dis- that. When you have finished is to go_your own way Good-bye " Watson. You client cuss | your coffee you had best come home With me, for the bliths Shinwell will be there with his report found him, sure enoug huge. coarse, red-faced, scorbutic with & pair of vivid black eyes which were the only external sign of the very cunning mind within. Tt seems that he had dived down what was peculiarly his kingdom, and beside him on the settee was & brand which he bad brought up in the shape of a slim, flamelike young woman with a pals, intense face, youthful, and yet so worn with sin and sorrow that one read the terrible vears which had left their leprous mark upon her. “This fs Miss Kitty Winter.” said Shinwell Johnson, waving his fat hand as an Introduction. 't know—well, there, she'll speak herself. Put my hand right on Mr. Molmes, within an hour of our message.” “I'm casy to find” said the young voman. “Just London gets me every ime. Same address for Porky Shin- ¢ll. We're old mates, Porky, you nd 1. But, by cripes. there is another ho ought to be down In & lower aell than wo {f there was any justice in the world! That {3 the man you are after, Mr. Holmes.” Holmes smiled. “I gather we have your good wishes, Miss Winter.” “If T can help you put him where he belongs I'm yours to the rattle,” sald our visitor, with flerce energy. There Wwas an intensity of hatred in her white, set face and her blazing eyes such as woman seldom and man never can attain. “You needn’t go into my past, Mr. Holmes. That’s neither here nor there. But what I am Adelbert Gruner made me. If T could pull him down'! " She clutehed frantical- iy with her hands into the air. “Oh, if 1 could only pull him into the pit where he has pushed so many!" “You know how the matter stands?" Porky Shinwell has been telling me. He'g after some other poor fool and wants to marry her this time. You want to stop it. Well, vou surely know enough about this devil to pre- vent any decent girl In her senses wanting to be in the same parish with him.” “She Is not in her senses. madly in love. She has been told all about him. She cares nothing.” “Told about the murder?” ¥ Lord, she must have a nerve!" “She puts them all down as slan- der: “Couldn’t you lay proofs before her siily eyes?” ’ “Well, can vou help us do s0?" “Ain't T a proof myself? If I stood man She is | before her and told her how he used me- ‘Would you do this?" Would T2 Would I not?" Well, it might be worth But he has told her most of his sins and had pardon from her, and 1 understand she will not reopen the questjon. “T'll lay he didn’t tell her all,” said Miss Winter. “T caught a glimpse of one or two murders besides the one that made such a fuss. He would speak of some one in his velvet way I disregard the | a | moths or butterfijes into | ‘What she | trying. | | that's neither here no there, and then look at me with a steady eye and say: ‘He died within & month.' It wasn't hot air either. But I took little notice—you see, | loved him myself at that time. Whatever he did went with me swme s with this poor fool! There was just cne thing that shook me. Yes, by cripes. If it had not been for %is Poisonous, Iying tongue that explains @nd soothes, I'd have left him that very ght It's & book he has—a brown leather book with & lock and his arms in gold on the outside. 1 think he was a bit drunk that night or he would not have shown it to me.” “What was it, then?" “I tell you, Mr. Holmes, this man collects women and takes a pride in his coliéction, as some men collect He had it all in Snapshots, photographs dotails, everything aboy them. It was a beastly book—a book no man, even if he had come from the gutter, could have put together. But it was Adelbert Gruner's book all the same. ‘Souls I have rutned. e could have put that on the outside if he had been so minded. However, for the book would not serve you, and if it would you can't get it “Where is 1t?" “How can T tell you where it is now? It's more than a year since T left him. I know where he kept it then. He's a precise, a tidy cat of a man fn many of hia ways. o maybe It is still in the pigeonhole of the old bureau in the inner study. Do you kuow his house?” “I've been in Holmes. “Have vou, been slow in the job started this morning. Adalbert 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, that book. names, the study,” said You if vou haven't only though? behind his desk, is the door that leads | to the inner study—a small room, where he keeps papers and things.” Is he not afraid of burglars?’ Adelbert s no coward. His worst enemy couldn't say that of him. He can look after himself. There's a burglar alarm at night. Besides, what is there for a burglar, unless they go away with all this fancy crockery?” No 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 50" said Holmes. “‘Well, now, Miss Winter, if yon would call here tomorrow evening at 5 | would consider in the meanwhile whether your suggestion of seeing this lady personally may not be arranged. T am exoeedingiy obliged to you for your co-operation. I need not say that my clients will erally. 2 “None of that, Mr. Holmes!" cried the young wom T am not out for money. Let me see this man in the mud and I've got all 1 worked for— {n the mud with my foot on his cursed face. That's my prics. 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. * k¥ % J ¢id not see Holmes again until the following evening, when we dined ¢mee more at our Strand restaurant. He shrugged his shoulders when I ! asked him what luck he had had in his {nterview. Then he told the stor which T would repeat in thls wa: His hard, dry statement needs some little editing to soften it into the terms of real life: “There was no dificulty at all about the appointment,” said Holmes, “for the girl glorles in showing abject fillal obedience in all secondary things in an attempt to atone for her fla- grant breach of it in her engagement. Maybe dear| consider lib- | 'through | ville, ! spared her nothing—tha shame, the { tion | noble nature has ever for an instant The general ready, and t up according to half past 5 a cab side 104 Berkeles phoned that all was flery Miss W. turned schedule, so that at deposited us out- square, where the old soldier resides—one of those awful gray London castles which would make a church seem frivolous. A footman showed us into a great yel- low-curtained drawing room, and thers was the lady awaiting us, de- mure, pale, self-contained, as inflexi- le and remote as a snow image on a mountain “I don’t quite know how er clear to you, Watson. Perhaps ou may meet her before we are and you can use your own gift of words. She is beautiful, but with the ethereal other-world beauty of some fanatic whose thoughts are set on high. T have seen such faces in the pictures of the old masters of the Middle Ages. How a beal man could have laid his vile paw upon such a being of the beyond I cannot imagine. You may have no- ticed how extremes call to each other, the spiritual to the animal, the cave man to the angel. “She knew what we had come for, of course—that villain had lost no time in polsoning her mind against me. Miss Winter's advent rather amazed her, 1 think. but she waved us into our respective chairs like a reverened abbess receiving two rather leprous mendicants. If your head is inclined to swell, my dear Watson take a course of Miss Violet de Mer- to make “‘Well, sir.” said she, in & voice like the wind from an iceberg. ‘Your name is familiur to me. You have called, &s T understand, to malign my fiance, Baron Grunmer. Tt is only by n father's request that I see you at all, and I warn you in advance that any- thing you can say could not possibly have the slightest effect on my mind.’ “I wus sorry for her, Watson. T thought of her for the moment as 1 would have thought of a daughter of my own. Iam not often eloguent. I use my head, not my heart. But 1 really did plead with her with all the warmth of words that I could find in my nature. I pictured to her the awful position of tha woman who only wakes to a man's character after she is his wife—a woman who has to submit to be caressed by bloody hands and lecherous lips. 1 fear, the agony, the hopelessness of it all. Al my hot words could not bring one tinge of colo to those ivory cheeks nor one gleam of emo- to those abstracted eves. T/ thought of what :he rascal had said about a post-hypnotic influence. * % ® % ¢)NE could really believe that she was living above the earth in some ecstatic dream. Vet there was nothing indefinite in her replies. “‘I have listened to you with pa- tience, Mr. Holmer' sald she. ‘The effect upon my mind is exactly As pre- dicted. 1 am aware that Adelbert, that my flance, has had & stormy life in which he has incurred bitter hatreds and most unjust aspersions. You are only the last of a serles who have brought their slanders be- | fors me. Possibly you mean well, | though I learn that vou are a pald agent who would have been equally willing to act for the baron as against him. But in any case I wish you to| understand, once for all, that 1 love bim and that he loves me, and that the opinfon of all the world is noj more to me than the twitter of those birds outside the window. If his fallen, it may be that I have been specially sent to ralse it to its true | stood when m {beauties will be after her now girl broke in like a whirlwind. It [alone. A New Sherlock®' Holmes Story By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I was nearer him than ever you saw flame and ice face to|one else, and yet I was always con face it was those two women. “‘T'll tell you who I am,' she cried, springing out of her chair, her mouth all twisted with passion, ‘I am his last mistress. 1 am ons of a hundred that he has tempted and used and ruined and thrown into the refuse heap as he will yeu also. Your ref- use heap fis more likely to he a grave, and maybe that's the best. I tell you, you foolish woman, If you marry this man he'll be the death of you. It may be a broken heart or it may be a broken neck, but he'll have you, one way or the other. It's not out of love for you I'm speaking. I don't care a tinker's curse whethe you live or dfe. It's out of hate for him and to spite him and to ge back on him for what he did to me. But it's gll the same, and You needn't look at me like that, my fine lady. for you may be lower than I am b fore you are through with it “'T” ghould prefer not to discuss such matters,’ said Miss de Merville coldly. “‘Let me say once for all that ! am aware of three passages in m fiance's life in which he became er tangled with designing women. and that I am assured of his hearty re- pentance for any evil that he may have done.’ ““Thres companion, able fool “‘Mr. Holmes, 1 beg that you will bring this interview to an end, said icy voice. ‘I have obeyed my father's wish in seeing you, am not compellad to llsten ravings of this person.’ “With an oath Miss Winter darted screamed You unutter- passages’ “You fool! t 1 the ! to forward, and if I had not caught her | wrist she would have clutched thi maddening woman by the hair. 1 dragged her toward the door and was lucky to get her back into the without a public scene, for she beside herself with rage. I a ccl way I felt pretty furious m Watson, for there was something describably annoying in the aloofness and supreme self-complai ance of the woman whom wa we trying to save. So now, once aga you know exactly how we stand, and it 18 clear that I must plan some tresh opening move, for this gamb won't work. I'll keep in touch with you, Watson, for it {s more than iikely that you will have your part to play, though it is just possible that the next move may lie with them rather than with us.” W ND it did. Their blow fell—or his blow rather, for never could I believe that the lady was pri it 1 think I could ow You very paving stone upon which eves fell upon t! placard, and & pang of harror passed through my very soul. It was between the Grand Hotel and Charing Cross Sta- tion, where a one-legged news veud displayed his evening papers. Th date was just two days after the | conversation. There, black upon low, was the terrible news sheet: MURDEROUS ATTACK UPON SHER- LOCK HOLMES. 1 think I stood stunned for some moments. Then I have of the remonstrance of the man who T had not pa!d, and, finall ing In the doorway of & shop while T turned up the fatefu paragraph. This s how it ran: “We learn with regret that Sherlock Holmes, the well knaw vate detective, was the victim this morning of a murderous assault which has left him in a precarious position. There are no exact details to hand. but the event seems to ha oceurred about 12 o'clock in Regent street, outside the Cafe Royal. The attack was made by two men, a ed with sticks, and Mr. Holmes w beaten about the head and body, r iving injuries which the doctors de- He Mr, pri scribe as most serious. ried to Charing Cross Hospltal afterward insisted upon being taken to his rooms in Baker strest. The mis: to have been respectfully who escaped from the b out into Glasshouse street Lehind No doubt they belonged to that « inal fraternity which has so often h. occasion to bewail the activity and ingenuity of the injured man.” 1 need not say that my eyes had hardly glanced over the paragrap! before I had sprung into a ha and was on my way to Baker stre T found Sir Leslie Oakshott, t famous surgeon, in the hail and brougham waliting at the curb. “No immedlate danger.” was his re- port. “Two lacerated scalp wounds and some considerable bruises. Sev- eral stitche have been necessary it. 1m is essential, but an interview of a few minutes would not be absolutely forbidden. With this permission T stole the darkened room. wide awake, and T heard my name in a hoarse whisper. The blind was thres-quarters down, but one ray of sunlight slanted through and struck the bandaged head of the Injured man A crimson patch had soaked throuch the white linen compress. I sat be- slde him and bent my head “All right, Watson. Don't look scared,” he muttered in a very voice. seems.’ “Thank God for that!” “I'm a bit of,a single stick sxpert as you know. 1 took most of them my guard. It was the second mo that was too much for me *x * % GYW/HAT can T do. Holmes course, it was that damned f low who set them on. TI'll o thrash the hide off him if you tha word.” “Good 0ld Waston. No, we can do nothing there unless the police lay their hands on the men. But their get-away had been well prepared We may be sure of that. Wait & lit- tle. T have my plans. The first thing is to exaggerate my injuries. They'll come to you for news. Put it on thick, Watson. Lucky If T live the week out—concussion — delirium — what you like! You can't overdo it “But Sir Leslie Oakshott “On, he's all right. He the worst side of me. I'll that.” Anything els “Yes. Tell Shinwell Johnson to zet that girl out of the way. - Those They that she was with me in the case. If they dared to do me in. it is not likely that they will neglect her. That is urgent. Do it tonight.” “T'll go now. Anything more “Put my pipe on the table—and the tobacco slipper. Right! Come in each morning and we will plan our campaign.” 1 aranged with Johnson that even- ing to take Miss Winter to a quiet suburb and see that she lay low until the danger was past. For six days the public was under the impresion that Holmes was at the door of death. The bulletins were very grave, and there were sinister paragraphs in the papers. My tinual visits assured me that it not so bad as that. His wiry con- stitution and his determined will were working wonders. He was r fast, and 1 had suspicic that he was really finding into weal give shall Took know, of course, s at times There was & curlous secretive streak in the man which led to many dra- matic effects, but left even his and lofty level. I am not clear—here she turned her eyes upon my com- panion—who this young lady may be.’ “I was sbout to answer when the ciosest friend guessing as to what his exact plans might be. He pushed to an extrems the axiom that th only safe plotter was he who plotted s som | Morphine has been injected and quiet | The sufferer was | t's not nearly as bad as it| after | { scious of the gap between. * % k% (Y the seventh day the stitcle were taken out, in spite of ¥ there wa a report of erysipelas 1 the evening papers. The sams even! papers had : announcemen whiad I w; bound, sick -r well, to carry to my friend. It ply that among the passengers on the Cunam boat Ruritania star from Lilver pool on F ay was t Baron Adet bert Gruner, who had some {mporta nancial business to settle in t tates before his Impendir edding to Miss Violet 1 daughter of, etc., etc to the news with @ cold, concentrate. look upon his pale face which told me that it hit him hard. “Friday he cried. clear days. T beliove t to put himself out of dangers wa: But he won't, Watson. By Lord Harry, he won't! Now, Watso want ¥ou to do something for m “I am here to be sed, Hol en, spend the next 24 h study of Ck Mervil Holmes listened tery ’ Tia expl arn By nE gave asked for 1 had les ence. But I walked down long cxperie of obed I drove to th James friend , and depa quare ted to m marks of of the myster fes th primitive pe next evenin though you pression And to conve learr ha ur a confused | sapee recollection of snatching at a paper, | blue “It 1 o the king's ransom—in fa fu . complete set the i of Pe sight of thi noisseur o Hol whi eants who attacked him appear|un passing through the Cafe Roval and|out his | from He its most this subje cnowledged rity needed. You you are con It <hor the ng and admir = pockat ture The indic: Ja siderable drive. with efther side zraveled squa The place had African gold kir great boom, ar with the t heau i iner was an of co Sir nes banks of i pened out into adorned with stat been built aaan g in the days of the the long low hou at the corr though an architectural nightmiare | was imposing in its nd solidit A butler who would have ado | bench of bishops showed mo i ! handed me over to a p man, who ushered me | presence He windows @ of his rots sh-clad 1 was standing a purt entered he in his han “Pray down, “I was l00king ov and wonderins whe afford to add to Tang specimen, w soventh century terest you. | am finer workma Have you the Ming you spoke with you.” T carefully unpacked it and handed to him. He scated himsclf at his des Dulled over the lamp. for it wus growivg dark, and set himsell 1o examine it. As he did 5o the yellow light beat upon s own feutures, and 1 was sble 16 study d turned, e probably in you never s would sure i or saucer of whic con- | 6ot was | beauty sovering | His fuce himeelf | might faster than he pretended, even to me. | tion for womer o | there—a_cruel, hard them at my casc He was certuinly a remarkably hand- e mun. His iuropean reputation for was fully descrved. In figure iy more than of middie size, but ful and active aimost Orient £horous eyes which resistible fascina and mustacis were raven latter s pointed and carefully wixed. His tures were regular and pleasing. save only his straight, thin-lipped mouth. If ever T saw a murderer's mouth it was h in the face, (Continued on Fourth Fage.) was ne was built upe in with lar