The evening world. Newspaper, March 25, 1905, Page 12

TIE WORLD: SATURDAY | ipon the envelope. “That belongs to --— well, perhaps it is hardly tah the name until to-morrow morning. But at that time it will be Wands of the lady's husband, And all because she will not find a ly Bum which she could get by turning her diamonds into paste. It A pity! Now, you renomber the sudden end of the engagement be- i the Hon. Mies Miles and Col. Dorking? Only two days before the there was a paragraph in the Morning Post to say that it was all why? It is almost incredible, but the absurd sum of twelve hun- A pounds would have settled the whole question, Is it not pitiful? And y 1 find you, & man of sense, boggling about terms, when your client's ‘Alld houor are at stake, You surprise me, Mr, Holmes,” 1 ony ie true,” Holmes answered, “The money cannot be found. tt te better for you to take the substantial sum which I offer than thin woman's career, which can profit you in no way?” by you make a mistake, Mr. Holmos, An exposure wold profit be indirectly to @ considerable extent. I have eigit or ten similar cases mate If it was circulated among them that I had made a severe ex- mple of the Lady iva, I should find all of them much more open to reason, thy point?” eprang from his chair, 2 hehind him, Watson! Don't past Bim OUt! Now, sir, let us see the ee ‘of that note-book.” ; Ailivérton had glided as quick as Mhe side of the room, and h his back against the wall. Holmes, Mr. Yotmies,” he fing the front of his coat and the butt of a large revol- projected from the inside "T have been expecting you a. original, This has i@ so often, and what good come of it? I assure you ‘#M armed to the teeth, and I fectly prepared to use my : knowing that the law will “Me. Resides, your supposi- ‘I would bring the letters ® note-book is entirely imnis- T would do nothing s0 foolish. W; gentlemen, | have one or Mterviews this evening, and drive to Hampstead.” He ff forward, took up his coat, § hand on his revolver and ) the door, I picked up a Mat Holmes shook his head, jeeG it down again. With a tile and a twinkle Milverton the'room, and a few mo- We heard the slam of the joor and the rattle of the rove away. at motionless by the fire, buried deep in his trousers his chin sunk upon his 8 eyes fixed upon the glow- For half an hour he was band still, Then, with the ges- ‘a man who has taken his de- Sprang, to his feet and his bedroom. A little h young workman with a d and a swagger lit his the lamp before descend- wereet. “I'll be back Watson,” said he, and to the night. I under- i he had opened his cum- Must Charles Augustus (il- it 1 little dreamed the which that campaign d Yo take, , days Holmes came and houra in this attire; but Temark that his time was pstead, and that it was I knew nothing of what At last, however, on Aempestuous evening, when Poreamed and rattled against he returned from his ition, and having removed he sat before the fire and rtily in his silent inward. oe would not call me a marry- ih, Watson?” NO, Indeod:” Hl be interested to hear that . “nad fellow! 1 congrat"—— vetton’s housemaid.” Heavens, Holmes!" hted information, Watson.” ly you have gone too far?” @ most necessary step, I iber with a rising business, ayy T have walke! out Benevolence i ‘each evening, and | have her. Good heavens, those talks! However, I have got all I 2 know Milverton's house as | know the palm of my hand,” Abe girl, Holmes?” ged his shoulders @an't help it, my dear Watson. You must play your cards as best When such a stake ts on the table, However, I rejoice to say that hated rivat, who will certainly cut me out the instant that my Warned, What a splendid night it is!” Ou like this weather?” hed a catching of the breath, and my skin went cold at the words, sh were slowly uttered in a tone of concentrated resolution, As a flash Of lgh\aing in the night shows up in an instant every detail of a wild ADO, go at une glance I seemed to see every possible result of such an detection, the capture, the honored career ending in irreparable p And disgrace, my friend himseif lying at the mercy of the odious ag “or heaven's sake, Holmes, think what you are doing!" I cried ear fellow, | have given it every consideration, 1 am never pre- te ih my actions, nor would 1 adopt so energeti¢ and, indeed, so dan- & course, \f any other were possible, Let us look at the matter early @Bd,fairly. 1 suppose that you will admit that the action is movally Syigmetiflable, though technically criminal, To burgle his house Is nv more to forcibly take his pocketbook—an action in which you were prepared me.” 4 tired it over in my mind. #¥Os,” I sald, “it 1s morally justifiable so long as our object is to take pave tliose which are used for an illegal purpose.” Hy, Bind st is morally justifiable, 1 have only to consider the ‘permonal tiek, Surely a gentleman should not lay much stress ? i book. “f cannot help thinking that ladies are ill-advised in upon this, when a lady is in most desperate need of his help?” ‘an effort. Look at this!” He held up a little note with a cont- “You will be in such a false position.” “Well, that is part of the risk, There is no other possible way of re- gaining these letters, The unfortunate lady has not the money, and there are none of her people {n whom she could confide. To-morrow ts the last day of grace, and unless we can get the letters to-night, this villain will be as good-as his word and will bring about her ruin, I must, therefore, abandon my client to her fate, or I must play this last card, Between our- selves, Watson, it’s a sporting duel between this, fellow Milverton and me, He had, as you saw, the best of the first exchanges, but my self-respect and my reputation are concerned to fight it to a finish,” “Weill, I don’t like it; but I suppose it must be,” said I, “When do we start?” “You are not coming.” “Then you are not going,” sald I. “I give you my word of honor— and I never broke it in my Iife—that I will take a cab straight to the police station and give you away, unless you let me share this adven- tame. with you.” “You can’t help me," 1 mn § “How do you know that? You can’t tell what may happen. .Anyyay, my resolution is taken! Other people besides you have self-respect, and. even reputations,” Holmes had looked annoyed, but his brow cleared, and he clapped me on the shoulder. Me, EVENING, MARCH 25, 1905. between the bookcase and the wall, there stood a tall, green safe, the fire- light flashing back from the polished brass knobs upon its face. Holmes stole across and looked at it, Then he crept to the door of the bedroom and stood with slanting head listening intently. No sound came from within, Meanwhile it hai struck mo that it would bo wise to sooure our retreat through the outer door, so I examined it. To my amazement, {t was neither locked nor bolted! [ touched Holmes on the arm, and he turned his masked face in that direction, I saw him start, and he was evidently as surprised as I, \ “I don’t Ifke it,” he whispered, putting his lips to my very ear, “y can't quite make it out. Anyhow, we have no time to lose.” “Can I do anything?” “Yor; stand by the door. If you hear any one come, bolt it on the in- side, and we can get away aa We came. If they come the other way we can get through the door if our job is done, or lilde behind these win- dow curtains if it is not, Do you snderstand ? T nodded and stoot-by the door, My firet feeling of fear had passed away, and I thrilled now with a “well, well, my dear fellow, he it ¥eener zest than I had ever enjoyed” 0, We have shared this same room When we were the defenders of the for some years, and it wottld be amus- !AW Instead of its doflers. The high ing if we ended by sharing the same ect of our mission, the consclous- cell, You know, Watson, I don’t mind ¢88 that it was unselfish and chival- conteesing to you that I always had fs, the villainous character of our an idea that I would have mude @ OPPOnent, all added to the sporting highly efficient criminal, This is the Mterest of the adventure, Fer from chance of my lifetime in that direcs feeling guilty, I rejoiced and exulted tion, See here!” He took a neat !" Ofr dangers, With a glow of ad- little leather case out of a drawor, Mration I watched Holmes unrolling and, Opening It, he exhibited a num. !!8 case of instruments and choosing ber of shining instruments, “This i "8 tool with the calm, sctentific accu- 8 first-class, up-to-date burgting kit, "cy of @.surgeon who performs a del- with nickel-plated jimmy, diamond- ‘Ate operation, I knew that the {ipped glass-cutter, adaptable keys °Pening of safes was a particular ind every modern improvement which MObby with him; and I understood the march of civilization demands, ‘Ne Joy which it gave him to be Here, too, is my dark lantern, Every. CoMfronted with this green and thing is in order, Have you a pair of 80/4 monster, the dragon which .held . Shertock Holmes in Disguise. There Was Something of Mr. Pickwick’s ailgnt shoer?” “Thave rubber-soled tennis shoes,” “Bxeellent! And a mask?” “T can make a couple out of black ilk,” “T can see that you have a strong Very geod; do you make the masks, ‘We shall have some cold supper be- fore'we Start. It is now 9.80, At 11 punctually at 10.30; with any luck be two theatre-goers homeward cab, and with our greatconts butioned up, for it was bitterly cold and the wind seemed to blow through us, wo walked along the edge of the Heath “T's a business that needs delicate” treatment,” sald Holmes, ‘These documents are contained In a safe in . the fellow’s ntudy, and the study [8 the ante-room of his bed-chamber, On the other hand, like all these stout, little men who do themeelves well, he is a plethoric eleeper, Agu tha—tbat’s my flancee—fays it is a joke in the servants’ hall that it's im- porsibleto wake the master, He has a secretary who ja devoted to his in- terests, and never budges from the ftudy all day, That's why we are going at night, Then he has a beast of a dog which roams the garden, 1 met Agatha late the last two eve- nings, and she locks the brute up 80 na to give me a clear rin, This is the house, this big one, In its own grounds, Through the gate—now to the right among the laurels, We might put on our masks here, I think, You see, there is not a glimmer of light in any of the windows, and everything {8 working splendidly,” With our black silk face coverings, which turned us Into two of the most truculent figures in London, we stole Loo! up to the allent, gloomy house, A A His Ks. sort of tiled veranda extended along one side of {t, ned by several windows and two doors, 5 “That's his bedroom,” Holmes whispered, "This door opens straight inte the study, It would suit us best, but tt ts bolted as well as locked, and we should make too much noise getting In, Come round here, 'Thoi greenhouse which opens into the drawing-room.” The place vas locked, but Holmes removed a circle of glass and turned the’ key from the inside, An instant afterward he had closed the door be- hind us, and we had become felone in the eyes of the law, ‘The thick, warm air of the conservatory and the rich, choking fragrance of exotic plants took us by the throat. He seized my, hand in the darkness and led me swiftly past banks of shrubs which brushed against our faces, Holmes had remarkable powers, carefully cultivated, of seeing in the dark, Still hold- ing my hand in one of his, he opened a door, and I was vaguely conscious that we had entered a large ropm in which a cigar had been smoked not long before. He felt his way among the furniture, opened another door and closed it behind us, Putting our my hand, f felt eral coats hanging from the wall, and I understood that 1 was in a passage. We passed along it, and Holmes very gently opened a door upon the right-hand side, Some- thing rushed out at us and my heart sprang into my mouth; but T could have laughed when I realized that it was the cat. A fire was burning in this new room, and again the air was heavy with tobacco smoke, Holmes entered on tiptoe, waited for me to follow and then very gently closed the door, We were in Milverton’s study and a portiere at the further sida showed the entrance to his bedroom, It was a good fire, and the room was lilum!nated by It, Near the door I saw the gleam of an electric switch; but it was unnecessary, even If it had At one side of the fire-place was 4 heavy curtain, On the other been safe, to turn {t on, which covered the bay window we had seen from outside side was the door which communicated with the veranda, A desk stood in the centre, with a turning-chair of shining red leather, Opposite was a large bookcase, with a marble buat of Athene on the top, In the corner, we should be back here by 2, with his quicker senses, the Lady Eva's letters In my pocket.” slammed in the distance. ‘Then a confused, dull murmur broke itself into Holmes and { put on our dress the measured thid of heavy footsteps rapidly approaching, They wore in clothes, #0 that we might appear to the passage outalde the room. They paused at the door, The door opened in its maw the reputations of many fa{r ladies. Turning up the culfs of his dress coat—he had placed his overcoat on a chair—Holmes laid out two drills, a jimmy and several skeloton keys, I stood at the centre door with my eves glancing @t each of the others, ready for any emergency; though, indeed, my plans were aumewhat vague as to what I should do if we Were interrupted. For half an hour Holmes worked with concentrated energy, Jaying down one tool, picking up another, handling each with the natural turn for this sort of thing, etrength and delicacy of the trained mechanic Finally | heard a click, the broad green door swung open, and inside I got a glimpse of a number of paper packets, each tied, sealed and inscribed. Holmes picked one out, but it was hard to read by the flickering fire, and he drew out his little dark we shall drive as far as Church Row. lantern, for it was too dangerous, with Milverton in the next room, to Tt fe a quarter of an hour's walk from switch on the electric light thore to Appledore Towers, We shall thon in an instant he had swing the door of the safe to, picked up his coat, be at work before midnight. Milver- stuffed his tools into the pockets, and darted behind the window curtain, ton Is & heavy sleeper, and retires motioning me to do the same. Suddenly I saw him halt, listen intently, and It was only when I had joined him there that I heard what had alarmed ‘There was a noise somewhere within the house. A door There was a sharp snick as the electric light was turned on. The door bound, In Oxford street we picked closed once more, and the pungent reck of a strong cigar was borne to our up'a han#om and drove to an address pogtrils, {n'Hompstead, Here we paid off our ani forward, within a few yards of us, Finally there was a creak from a Then the footsteps continued backward and forward, backward \ 7 collar, In nis hand ho held,a long, legal dooumont which he was reading tn ‘fan indolent fashion, blowing rings of tobacco smoke from his lips as he ‘did 80, There was no promiso of a speedy departure in his composed beantng and his comfortable attitude. I felt Holmes’s hand steal into mine and give mea reassuring shake, as if to say that the situation was within his powers and that he was easy in his mind, I was not sure whether he had seen what was only too obvious from my position, that the door of the safe was imperfectly closed, and that Milverton might at any moment observe It. In my own mind I had deter. mined that if I were sure, from the rigidity of his gaze, that It had caught his eye, I would at once spring out, throw my great-coat over his head, pinion him, and leave the rest to Holmes, Ritt Milverton never looked up, He was languldly interested by the papers in hia hand, and page after page was turned as he followed the argument of the lawyer. At least, I thought, when he had finished the document and the cigar he will go to his room; but betdre he had reached the end of efther, there camo a remarkable devel- opment, which turned our thoughts into quite another channel, Several tlmes I had abserved that Milverton looked at his watch, and once he had risen and sat down again with a gesture of impatience, The idea, however, that he might have an appointment at so strange an hour never occurred to me until a faint soun outside, Milver‘on dropped his papers an sound was repeated, and then there came a @! ton rose and opened It. “Well,” sald he, curtly, d reached my ears from the veranda d sat rigid in his chair. The ntle tap at the door, Milver- “you are nearly half an hour Jate,” So this was the explanation of the unlocked door and of the nocturnal vigil of Milverton, There was the gentle rustle of a womans dress, I had closed the slit between the curtains as Milverton's face had turned in our direction, but now I ventured very carefully to open it once more. He had resumed his seat, the cigar still projecting at an insolent angle from the corner of his mouth, In front of him, in the full glare of the brag eed ark woman, a veil over her face, a mantle drawn are Had 8 Ss came quick and fast, and every inch of the ivering with strong emotion, ae a Tia aultedton: “you've made me lose a good night’s rest, my dear, I hope you'll prove worth it. ‘The woman shook her head. “Well, if you couldn't, you. couldn't. you have your chance to get level with her now, Bless the girl, what are you shivering about? That's right! Pull yourself together! Now, let us get down to business.” He took a note-book from the drawer of his desk. “You say that you have five letters which compromise the Countess @’Albert. You want to sell them. I want to buy them. So far so good, It only remains to fix a price, I should want to inspect the letters, of course, If they are really good specimens— Great heavens, is It you?” The woman without a word had raised her vell and dropped the mantle from her chin, It was a dark, handsome, clear-cut face which confronted Milverton—a face with a curved nose, strong, dark eyebrows shading hard, glittering eyes, and a straight, thin-lipped mouth set ina dangerous smile. “Tt is I,” ahe said, ‘the woman whose life you have ruined.” Milverton laughed, but fear vibrated In his voice, “You were 80 very obstinate,” said he. “Why did you drive me to such extremities? I assure you I wouldn't hurt a fly of my owa accord; but every man has his business and what was I to do? I put the price well within your means. You would not pay.” “So you sent the letters to my husband, and he—the noblest gentleman that ever lived, a man whose boots I was never worthy to lace—he broke his gallant heart and died, You remember that last night, when I came through that door, I begged and prayed you for mercy and you laughed in my face, as you are trying to laugh now, only your coward heart cannot keep your lips from twitching? Yes, you never thought to see-me here again; but it was that night which taught me how I could meet you face to face, and alone. Well, Charles Milverton, what have you to say?” “Don't imagine that you can bully me," sald he, rising to his feet, ‘tl have only to raise my voice and I could call my servants and have you ar- Nested. But I will make allowance for your natural anger, leave the room at once as you came, and I will say no more.” The woman stood with her hand buried in her bosom, and the agme deadly smile on her thin lips. ‘ou couldn't come any other time—eh?” If the Countess is a hard mistress, “You couldn’t come any other time—eh?” chair, and the footsteps ceased. Then a key clicked in a lock and I heard the rustle of papers. So far I had not dared to look out, but now I gently parted the division of the curtains in front of me and peered through, From the pre of Holmes's shoulder against mine, I knew that he was sharing wy obs tions, Right in front of us, and almost within our reach, was the broad, rounded back of Milverton, It wis evident that we had entirely miscal- culated his movements, that he had never Leen to his bedroom, but that he had been sitting up In some smoking or billiard room In the further wing of the house the windows of which we had not seen, His broad, grizzled head, with its shining patch of baldness, was in the immediate foreground of our vision, He was leaning far ack in the red leather chatr, lils logs out- stretched, a long, black cigar projecting at an angle from his mouth, He wore a somi-military smoking jaoket, claret-colored, with a black velvet Set, ARRAN ey a inate. ‘ “You will ruin no more Hves as you have ruined mine, You will wring no more hearts as you wrung mine, I will free the world of a poisonous thing, Take that, you hound—und vhat!—and that!—and that!—and that!” She had drawn a Httle gleaming revolver, and emptied barrel after barrel into Milverton’s body, the muzzle within two feet of his shirt front. He shrank away and then fell forward upon the table, coughing furiously and clawing among the papers. Then he staggered to his feet, received another shot, and rolled upon the floor, “You'ye done me,” he eried, and lay still, The woinan looked at him intently, and ground her ‘heel into his upturned face, She looked again, but there was no sound or movement, I heard a sharp rustle; the night air blew into the heated room, and tho avenger was gono, No interference upon our part could have saved the man from his fate; put ag the woman poured bullet after builet into Milyerton’s shrinking body