The evening world. Newspaper, May 6, 1905, Page 12

; Se eee hel Sod aT ae so aan ‘diame te Nt et seid hibit ‘ARRON é a ara " iyo altis i ah amie t vi Hy, i My pial hs ig od Gone, THE WORLD: SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 6, 1905. te ui Puy Ss 4 ’ iJ ri T house. secret agents, wlose names are tolerably familiar to me, There are three which would, in any case, have turned my suspici agaiust Lucas, Go- f fe knew?” who may be said to be the heads of their profession, 1 will begin my re pt sneer Nerecereiee Is au a ten minutes” walk La Whitehall ' . aren’ by i eben allt eae errace, The other secret agents whom T have named live in the extreme gir, I had said nothing to my wife until I missed the paper this search by Boing round and Analg if cach of them ts al hile post, Ione lt (ce tona, it was onalor, thoratore, for Lucas than tor the others to ebtabe , i missing—especially if he hes disappeared since lust night-we will have fish a connection or receive a messare from the Burope (Premier nodded approvingly, some indication as 10 where the doenment has gone.” hold small thing, gad yet where events are compressed into a few hours Ave long known, sir, how high is your sense of public duty," said “Why should he be missing?” asked the Euvopean retary ete Ilmay prove essential, Hidloa! what have we here? im convinced that im the case of a secret of this Importance it would would take the letter to an embassy in London, as Likely as not’ Batre pce! ma HTN BRU EAR Pinopiien ealvet: Hgiiies yerior to the most intimate domestic ties.” “1 faney not. ‘These agents work independently, ond their relations “Ask Lady Hilla Trelawney Hope if she will be kind enovigh to step ap.” &r HHuropean Secretary bowed do me no more than justice, sir, Until this morning I have never fone word to my wife upon this matter." fild she have guessed ) Mr, Holmes, she could not have guessed—nor could anyone have with the embassies are often ined” The Prime Minister nodded h “KN believe you are right, My. tobnes. prize to headquarters with bis own hands. 1 think that your course of ac tion is an excell Meanwhile, Hope, we can not negivet all our other duties on account of this one misfortune. Should there Le any fresh devel- opments during the day we shall communicate with you, and you will no doubt let us know the results of your own inquiries,” 4 The two statesnien bowed and walked gravely from the room, aeaulesconce, Ile would take so valuable «y nt one ave you lost amy documents before?” Dis there in England who did know or che existence of this letter?” | Member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday, but the ecy which attends every Cabinct meeting was increased by the ping which was given by the Prime Minister. Good heavens, to Wet within a few hours | should myself have lost it!” His handsome distorted with a spaam of despair, and his hands tore at his hair, ment we caught a glimpse of the natural man, impulsive, ardent, sitive. ‘The next the aristocratic mask was replaced, and the ice had returned; “Besides the members of the Cabinet there are possibly three, departmental officials who know of the letter, No in England, Mr, Holmes, I agsure you,” abroad?" Delieve that no one abroad has seen it save the man who wrote it, I F convinced that hie Ministers— that the usual official channels been employed." Imes considered for sonre little time. 4 , sir, | must ask you more particularly what this document is, and iit# disappearance should have such momentous consequences?” two stateamen exchanged a quick glance and the Premier's shagg: gathered in a frown, » Holmes, the envelope is a long, thin one of pale blue color, There of red wax stamped with a crouching lion. It is addressed in large, ‘dwriting to ——" 1 fear, sir,’ said Holmes, “that, interesting and indeed essential as Hilotails are, my inquiries must go more to the root of things, What e letter?” i it is A State secret of the utmost importance, and I fear that I can- lag tell you, nor do I see that it is necessary, If by the aid of the powers wb ch you are said to possess you cam find such an envelope as I describe Pith its inclosure, you will have deserved’ well of your country, find earned MARY reward which it lies in our power to bestow.” F) Bherlock Holnces rose with a smile. fj “You are awo of the most busy men in the country,” said he, “and in my m ema! way | have also a good many calls npow me, TF regret exceedingly it T cannot help you im this matter, and any comtimuatiom of this inter- Ww would be a waste of time.” The Premier sprang to his feet with that quiek, flerce gleam of his i it eyes before which a Cabinet has cowered, “I am not accustomed, Gir," he began, but mastered his anger and resumed his seat, For a minute we all sat in silence, The: the old statesman shrugged his She seemed herself with her back to the window. When our illustrious visitors had departed Holmes jit his pipe in silence and sat for some time lost in the decyest thought. I had opened the morn- ing paper and was immersed in a sensational crime which had occurred in Loniion the night before, when my triend gave an exclamation, sprang to unreasonable for us to expect you to act unless we give you our entire his ‘set and laid his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. “I agree with you,” said the younger scatesmas “Then I will tell you, relying entirely upon youy honor and that of ur colleague, Dr. Watson. | may appeal to your patriotism also, for 1 uld not imagine a greater misfortune for the country than that this affair Gd come out.” “You may “Yes,” sald he, “there is no better way of approaching it. The situation ig desperate hut not hopeless. Even now, if we could be sure which of them taken it, it is just possible that it hag not yet passed out of his hands, After ali, it is 4 question of money with these fellows, and I have the British Treasury behind me, If it's on the maricet Pll buy it—if tt means another penny on the income tax. It is enneeivable that the fellow might held it back to cee what bids come from this side before he tries his luck on the other, There are only those three capable of playing so bold a game—there are Oberstein, La Rothiere and Eduardo Lucas, I will see each of them.” jafely trust us." “The letter, then, is from a certain foreign potentate who has been d by some recent Colonial developments of this country, It has been fitten hurriedly and upon his own responsibility entirely. Inquiries have pwn that his Ministers know nothing of the matter, At the same time 4s couched in so unfortunate a manuer, and certain phrases in it are of PPovocative a character, that its publication would undoubtedly lead to , mont dangerous state of feeling in this country, There would be such a s t, air, that I do not hesitate to say that within a week of the publi- of that letiey this country would be involved ip a great war.” Holmes wrote a name upon a slip of paper and Randed it to the Premier “Bxactly. It was he. And it is this letter—this letter which may well the expenditure of a thousand millions and the lives of a hundred ousand men—which has become lost in this unaccountable fashion.” “Have you informed the sender?’ “Yes, sir, a cipher telegram has been despatched.” “Perhaps he desires the publication of the letter.” “No, sir, we have strong reason to believe that he already understands that he has acted in an Indiscreet and hot-headed manner, It would be a greater blow to him and to his country than to us if this letter were to out.” if this is so, whose interest is it that the letter should come out? should anyone desire to steal it or to publish it?” “There, Mr. Holmes, you take me into regions of high international Re itiee, But if you consider the Huropean situation you will have no diffi- Peulty in perceiving the motive, The whole of Europe is an armed camp. fg a double league which makes a fair balance of military power. Britain holds the scales. If Britain were driven into war with one federacy, it would assure the supremacy of the other confederacy, whether y joined in the war or not, Do you follow “Very clearly. It 1s then the interest of the enemies of this potentate to Becure and publish this ietter, so us to make a breach between his country I glanced at my morning paper. “Is that Eduardo Lucas, of Godolphin street?" “Yes! “You will not see him.” “Why now?" “He was murdered in his house last night.” My friend has so often aston- ished me in the course of our ad- ventures that it was with a gense of exultation that I realized how com- pletely 1 had astonished him. He stared in amazement, and then snatched the paper from my hands, This was the paragraph which I had been engaged in reading when he rose from his chair; MURDER LN WUSTMINST EE var uy the well tation "¥ea, sir.” e country, Mr. Lucas is an unmar- And to whom would this document be sent if it fell into the hands of ed mane AD) it ye Aes aN (pn onemy? in Gldowly hotisekeeper, wknd of Mite (7), "To any of the great Chancelleries of Nurope, It is probably speeding Het. ‘The former retires early ite way thither at the present Sustant as fast as steam can take it,” the top of the house PM. Troiawney Hope dropped his head on his chest and groaned aloud, (eee ey a ie ON Premier placed his hand kindly upon his shoulder, 0 o'clock onward Mr. Lucas had My “It te your misfortune, my dear fellow, No one can blame you, There eure to his elf, What occurred du ig D6 precaution which you have neglected, Now, Mr, Holmes, you are in qimmon to Awalve |B Conglin i Jongof the facts. What course do you recommend? Maurett, passing along Godolphin ) Holmes shook his head mournfully. bsorved that the door of Nov 16 was D H¥ou think, sir, that unless this document is recovered there will be 2" ui aaa RAD think it is very probable.” iygain Knocks vt without reply, HL Phen, sir, prepare for war,” then pushed open the door and entered “That is a hard saying, Mr. Holmes." The room was ny ate of wild disorder, the furniture being wept to one side Ls Naser 7 and one chair Jying on its back in the centre Be eorhis chair, and still grasping "Gonalder the facts, sir. It is inconceivable that it was taken after yy¢ of joy legs, Jay the unfortunate tenant of house, He had been stabbed to v @ night, since undérstand that Mr. Hope and his wife were (he hesrt and must dave dled Instintly. ‘The Ienife with with the erimy had the room from that hour until the loss was found out. It was t ween ¢ anal a iv fa st Isic CAG in Brat terday evening between 7.30 and 11,30, probably near th STEG. ciasune bite Gas OAC ORT TRGELUHEIHLGHTERBIS UAL GSR: ROVIELCARTTILS ONARIABNON HOLT Ince whoever took it evidently knew that it was there, and would able contents of the roum, Mr Banarde Laeas wa well known and popular secure it as early as possible, Now, sir, if a document of this {Hat his violent and mysterious faite will arouse palnfal interest and intense sym- pathy in a widespread Mt friends. e were taken at that hour, where can it be now? retain it, It has been passed rapidly on to those who need it nee have we now to overtake or even to trace it? It is beyond , “tt is au an No one has any “Well, Watson, what do you make of this? ked Holmes, after a long pause, ing coincidenc “A coincidcne ilere Is one of the three men whom we had named as Ne actors in this drame, and he meets a violent death during the very The odds a No, It is me Minister rose from the settee, you say is perfectly logical, Mr. Holmes. out of our hands.” ‘us presume. for argumeni’s sake, that the document was taken by or hy the vatet"— — y are both old and tried servants.” nd you to say that your room is on the second floor, that nee from without, and that from within no one could go up I feel that the matter poss hours when we know that that drama was being enucted ous against it being coincidence, No figures could express them. r Watson, t nis are connected—must be connected, for us to flad the connection. enor’ my de two ¢ “But now the official police must know all,” “Notuat all, They know all they see at Godolphin etreet, They know— ist, an. somebody in the house who has taken it. To and shall know—nothing of Whitehall Terrace. Only we know of both plef take. id ty, one of several international spies an@ events and can trace the relation between then:. ‘There is one obytous point " ee " ‘ i r heh) il st ; rans ts sald he, A moment Iiter our modes: apartment, already so distinguished that morning, was further honored by the entrance of the most lovely woman in Lonaon, LT hed often heard of the heauty of the youngest daughter of the Duke of Belminester, but no description of it, and no contemplation of eolor- less shotographe, had prepared we for the subtle, delicate charm and the Leautiful coloring of that exquisite head, And yet us we saw it that autumn morning it was sot its beauty which would de the first thing to Impress the observer ‘Ihe cheek wie lovely, Int it was paled with emotion; the eyes: were bright, bul it was the brightness of fever; the sensitive mouth was tight and drawn in an effort afier self-command, rov—not beauty—was what sprang first to the cye as our flr visitor stood framed for an instant in the open door, “Has my husband been here, Mr smadam, be has been here ir. Holmes, | implore you not to tell him that I came here.” coldly and motioned the Indy to a chair, “Your Ladyship places me in a very delicate position, [ beg that you will sit Jown and tell me what you desire, but I fear that T cannot make any tmeonditional pro:nise.” he swept across the room and seated herself with her back to the wins It was a queenly presence—tall, graceful and intensely womanly, Mr. Holmes,” she said—and her white-gloved hands clasped and une clasped as she spoke-~"I will speak frankly to you in the hopes that it may induce you to speak frankly in yeturn, There is complete confidence Le- tween my husband and me on all matters save one. That one is politics, On this 1 tps ure sealed, He tells me nothing, Now, T am aware that there was a most deplorable occurrence in our house last night. T know that a paper has disappeared. But because the matter is politieal my hus. band refuses to take nie into his complete confidence. Now it is essential essential, | say—that I should thoroughly mnderstand it, You are the only other person, save only these politicians, who kyows the true facts, T bex you then, Mr. Holines, to tell me exactly what has happened and what it will Jead to. Tell me all, Mr. Holmes, Let no regard for your elfent’s in- terest keep you silent, Tassnve you that his interests, if he would only fee }t, would be best od by taling mo into his complete confidence. Wha: was this paper which was stolen?” “Ma lain, what you ask me is rently impossible.’ She groaned and sank her fice in her hands “You must see that this is so, madam. Tf your husband thinks fit to keep you in the dark over this matter, is it for me, who have only learned the trne facts under the pledge of professional secrecy, to tell what he has withheld? It is not fair to ask it, 1) is him whom you must ask.” “TL have asked him, [come to you as a last resource, But without your telling me anything definite, Mr. Holmes, you may do a great servicesif you would enlighten me on one point at is it, madam?” miy husband's political carver likely to suffer through thts inetd “Well, madam, nale it is set vight it may certainly have a very fortunate eifect “AH!” She drew in her breath sharply as one whose doubts are resolyed “One more question, Mr. Holmes, From an expre band dropped in the first shock of this disaster T understood that t public sequences night arise from the loss of this tocument,” ‘Tf he said so, i certain'y cannot deny it.” ‘Of what nature are they “Nay, madam, there again you ask me more than [ can possibly answer.” “Thon T will take up no more of your time. | cannot blame you, Mr Holmes, fo: having refused to speak more freely, and vou on your side will not, | am sure, think the worse of me because I desire, even against his will, to share my husband's anxieties. Once more I beg that you will say nothing of my visit.” voked back at us from the door, and T had a las beautiful, haunted face, We startled eyes and the drawn mouth. was gone Now, smile, when the dwin@ing fr front door, “What was the fair lad. ‘Surely her own statement is ¢ Hum! Think of her appearance, excitement, her restlessness, her ienacity in asking questions. that she comes of a caste who do not lightly show emotion.” “She was certainly much moved,” Remember also the curious earnestness with which she assured us that it was best for her husband that she should know all, What did she mean by that? And you must have olwerved, Watson, how she manoeuvred to have the light at her hack. She did not wish us to read her expression.” “Yes, she chose the one chair in the room." “And yet the motives of wonn are so inscrutable, You remember the woman at Margate whom T suspected for the same reason. No powder on her nose—that proved to be the correct solution. How can you build on Holmes Holmes do ont?” uun- sion of that Then she , the foir sox is your department,” said Holmes, with a -trou of skirts had ended in tie sani of the ‘s game? What did she really want?’¥ ar and her anxiety very natural.” Watson, her manner, her suppressed Remember Wits “There ig a second stain.” such a quicksand? Their most trivial action may mean volumes, or their most extraordinary conduct may depend upon a hairpin or a curling tongs, Good morning, Watson,” “You are off?" “os, | will while away the morning at Godolphin street with our friends of the regular establishment, With Eduardo Lucas lies the solution of our problem, though I must adimit that TI haye not an inkling as to what form it may take, 1! is a eapital mi e to theorize In advance of the facts. Do you stay on rd, my good Watson, and recelve any fresh visi- tors, TH join you at ifmeh if 1 an abl AN that and the next ard the next Holmes was In a mood which his firends would call taciturn an] others morose, He ran out and ran tn, smoked incessantly, played snatches on his violin, sank into reverles, de- youred sandwiches at irregular hours, and hardly answered the casual ques- tions which I put to him, It was evident to me that things were not going well with him or his qnest, He wouid say nothing of the case, and it waa from the papers that 1 learned the particulars of the inquest and the arrest with the subsequent of Jolin Mitton, the valet of the deceased, The Coroner's jury brought in the oovious “wilfil nurder,’ but the parties remained as uninown as ever. No motive was suggested. ‘The room was full ef articles of value, but none hod been taken, The dead man's papers had not been tampered with, They were carefully examined and showed that he was a keen student of inte tional politics, an indefatigable gossip, a remarkable Huguist and an untiring letter-writer, He had been on in- (imate terms with the leading politicians of several countries. But nothing wensational was discovered among the documents which filled his drawers, vs “Aa to his relations with women, they appeared ae boon prominer hid 4 ty nt aie AN te a eit but superficial, He had many acquaintances among them, but few friends, and vo one whem he loved. His habits were regular, his conduct inoften- sive, His death was iin absolute mystery, and likely to remain go. As to the arrest of John Mitton, the valet, it was a council of despair as au ailernative to absolute inaction, But no ease could he sustained xiuinst him, He had visited friends in Hammersmith that night. ‘The alibt complete, It is true that he started for home at an hour which should have brought him to Westminster before the time whon the crime was dis- covered, Dut his own explanation that he had walked part of the Avay seemed probable enough in view of the flaeness of the night, He hl actually arrived at 12 o'clock and appeared to be overwhelmed by the pected tragedy. He had always dicen on good terms with his maste eral of the dead man's possessions—notably a small case af raz been found in the valet's boxes, Dut he explained that they had been pr ents from the deceased, and the housekeeper was able to corroborate the efory, Mitton had deen in Lucas's employment for, three yea It was noticcable that Lucis did net take Mitton on the Continent with him. Sometimes he visited Paris for three months on end, but Mitton was left in charge of the Godulphin street house. As to the housekeeper, she hac hear’ nothing on the night of the crime, If her master had a visitor he had himse:f admitted him So for three moriings the mystery remained, so far as T could follow it in the papers. Uf Holmes knew more he kept nis own counsel, but, as he 1 Inspector Lestrade had taken hint into his confidence in the y that he was in close touch with every development, Upon the there appeared a long Atclegrain from Paris whieh seemed to solve the whole question. “A discovery hag just been made by the Parisian police,” said the Daily Telegraph, “whith raises the vell which hung round the tragic fate of Mr, Bduardo Lueas, who met his death by violence last Monday night al Godol- phin street, Westmineter, Our readers will remember that the deceased gentleman was found etabbed in his room and that some suspicion attached to his valet, but that the case broke down on an alibi. Yesterday a lady, who has been known as Mme. Honri Fournaye, occupying a small villa in the Rue Austerlitz, was reported to the authorities by her servants ss being insane, An evamination showed she had indeed developed mania of a dan- gerous and permanent form. Ov inquiry the police have discovered that Mme, Henri Pournnye only returned from a journey to London on ‘Tuesday last, and thevo is evidence to connect her with the crime at Westminster, A comparison of photographs hag proved conelusively that M. Henri Fours naye and Eduardo Lucas were really one and the same person, and that the leceased had for some reason lived a double life in London and Varis. Mme. Fournaye, who is of Creole origin, is of an extremely exeltalte nature and has suffered in the past from atiacks of jealousy which have anountea to frenay, Tt is conjectured that it was In one of these that she committed the terrible erlme which has cousgd such a sensation in Londen. Her movemenis upon the Monday n have not yet heen traced, but {t te undoubted that a woman answering to her description attracted much ats tention at Charing Cross Station of: ‘Tuesday morning by the wildness of her appearance and the violence of her gestures. It is probable, therefore, that the crime was either con:mitted when insane or that its immediate effect was to drive the ushapr man out of ber mind, At present she is unable ts give any coherent acount of the past, and the doctors hold out no hopes of the reestabtishment of hey reason, ‘There is evidenre that a woman, who might have beer Mare. Fournaye, was seen for some hours upon Monday night watching the house in Godolphin street.” “What do you think of that, Holmes?” T had read the account to him while he finished his breakfast “My dear Watson,” said he, as he rose from the table and paced up and jlown the room, “you are most long-snffering, but if T have told you noth- ing in the last three days it 18 because there is nothing to tell, Even now this report from Paris does not help ns much.” . Surely it is final as regards the man’s death.” “The man's death is a mere incident—a trivial episode—in compa with oar veal task, whieh Is to trace this dooument and save a Kurc catastrophe, Only one important thing has happened in the last three nd that is that nothing has happened, I get reports almost hourly the Government, and it is certain that nowhere in Europe ts there ans of trouble, Now if this letter were ioose—ne, it can't be loose—but if it jan't lose, where can it be? Who has it? Why is it held back? ‘That's the question that beats in my brain like a hammer, Was It, Indeed, TD>inci- dence that Lucas should meet his death on the night when the letter dis- appeared? Did the letter ever reach him? If so, why is it not among his papers? Did this mad wife of his carry it off with her? If so, is it in her house in Paris? How could | search for it without the Freneh police hav- ing their suspicions aroused? It is a case, my dear Watson, where the law is as dangerous to us as the criminals are, Every man’s hand fs a 1 yet the interests at stake are colossal. Should T bring ft to a conclusion it Will certainly repyeseat the crowning glory of my career, Ab, here is my latest from the front.” He glanced hurriedly at the note whict had been handed in, "Halloa!Lestrade seems to have observed something of interost. Put on your hat, Watson, and we will stroll down together to Westininster,” It was my first visit to the seene of the crime—a high, dingy, narrows chested house, prim, formal and solid, like the century whieh gave it birth, Lestrade’s bulldog features gazed out at us from the front window, and he greeted us warmly when .a big constable had opened the door and let ‘The room Into which wo were shown was that in which the crime wound 13, from sign us in had been committed, but no trace of it now remained, save an ugly, Irreg- lar stain upon the carpet. This carpet was a small square drigget in the cents of the room, surrounded by a broad expanse of beautiful, old-fash- joned wood-flooring in square blocks highly polished. Over the fireplace was a magnificent trophy of weapons, one of which had been used on that tragic night. In the window was a sumptuous writing-desk, and every de- tail of the apartment, the pictures, the rugs and the hangings, all pointed to a taste which was luxurious to the verge of effeminacy. “Seen the Paris news?” asked Lestrade. Holmes nodded. “Our French friends seem to have touched the spot this time, No dowbt it's Just as they say. She knocked at the door—asurprise visit, | guess, for h» kept his life in water-tight compartments—he let her in, couldn't keep her in tho street. She told him how she had traced him, reproached him, one thing led to another and then with that dagger so handy the end soon came, It wasn’t all done in an Instant, though, for these chairs were all swept over yonder and he had one in his hand as tf he had tried to hold her off with it, We've got it all clear as if we had seen it.” Holmes raised his eyebrows, “And yet you have sent for me?’ “Ah, yes, that's another matter—a mere trifle, bu the sort of thing you take an Interest In—queer, you know, and what you might call freakish, It has nothing to do with the main fact—can’t have, on the face of it.” “What is it, then?” “Well, you know, after a crime of this sort, we are ver things in thelr position. Nothing has heen moved. Office careful to keep in charge here day and night, ‘This morning, as the man was buried and the investigation over—so far as this room {8 concerned—we thought we could aidy up a bit. This carpet: You see, it is not fastened down, only just laid there. Wo had occasion to raise it. We found"~ by You found" — Holmes's face grew tense with anxiety “Well, I'm sure you would never gness in a hundred vears what we did find. You see that stain on the carpet? Well, a great deal must have soaked through, must It not?” “Tndoubtedly it must.” “Well, you will be surprised to hear that there is no stain on the white woodwork to correspond.” ’ “No stain! But there must's—- “Yes, so you would say, But the fact remains that there isn't.” He took the corner of the carpet in his hand and, turning it over, he showed that it was indeed ag he said, “But the underside is 18 stained os the upper. mark,” It must have left a chuckled with delight at having puzzled the famous expert, I'll show you the explanation, ‘There is a second stain, but it ‘oes not corrspond with the other, See for yourself.” As he spoke he tiarned over another portion of the carpet, and there, sure enough, was a great crimson spill upon the square white factng of the old-fashioned floor, “What do make of that, Mr, Holmes?” ‘Why, it is simple enough. The two stains did correspond, but the care pet has been turned round, As it was square and unfastened it was easily done,” ‘The official police don't need you, Mr. Holmes, to tell them that the carpet must have been turned round, ‘That's clear enough, for the stains le above each other-—if you lay it over this way, But what I want to know is, who shifted the carpet, and why?" T could see from Holmes's rigid face that he was vibrating with Ine ward excitement. “Look here, Lestrade,” said he, “has that constable been in charge of the place all the time?” "Yes, he has,” “Well, take my advice, Examine him carefully, Don't do it before us, We'll wait here, You take him Into the back room, You'll be more Iikely to get a confession out of him alone. Ask him how he dared to admit peo= ple and leave them alone in this room, Don't ask him if he has done it, Take {t for granted, Tell him you know some one has been here, Press him, Tell him that a full confession is his only chance of forgiveness, Do exe actly what I tell you!" “By George, If he knows, I'll have tt aut of him!" erled Lestrade, He darted into the hall and a faw moments later his bullying volee sounded from the back room, “Now, Watson, now!" cried Holmes with frenzied eagernecs, All the demoniacal foree of the man masked behind that Hstless manner burst out In a paroxysn: of energy. He tore tho drugget from the floor and in an instant was down on his hands and knees clawing at each of the squares of wood beneath It. One turned sideways as he dug his nails into the edge of it, It hinged back like the lid of a box, A small black cavity openet! be- nenth it, Holmes plunged his enger hand into it and drew It out withye bi to 1 it iii a ud "Mulch, Watson, atlckt"@et i back aga! Th, wenden, wah 8 in the passage 1 uf auth,