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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 1905)
tite omaiia illustrated pee. 7 Exploits of Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle Anrvt 13, loa v. 1IIAD called upon my friend, Sherlock Holmes, upon the sec6nd morning after Christinas with the intention of winning him the compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the ofa In a purple dressing gown, a pipe rack within bis reach upon the right and a pile of crumpled uiornaig papers, evidently newly srtdicd. neur at haud. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable hard felt hat, much the worse Tut wear and cracked in several places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair suggested that the hat had been suspended la this manner for the purpose of ex amination. "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can dis cuss my results. The matter Is a perfectly trivial one," (he Jerked his thumb In the direction of the old hat), "but there are points In connection with It which are not entirely devoid of Interest and even of Instruction." I seated myself In his armchair and warmed my hands before his crackling tire, for a sharp frost had set In and the windows were thick with the Ice crystals. "I suppose." I remarked, "that, homely as It looks, this thing bus some deadly story Uuked on to It that It Is the clue which will guide jou In the solution of some mystery and the punishment of some crime." "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of those whimsical little Incidents which will happen when you have 4.000,000 huuutn beings aJl Jostling each other within the space of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so dense a swarm of humanity every possible combination of events may be expected to take place, and many u little problem will be presented which may be striking and bizarre without being criminal. We have already had experience of such." "So much so," I remarked, "that of the last six cases which I have added to my notes three have been entirely free of any legal crime." "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland nnd to the ad venture of the mnn with the twisted Up. Well, I have no doubt that this small matter will fall Into the tauie Innocent category. You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" "Yes." "It Is to him that this trophy belongs." "It Is his hat?" "No, no; he found It. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will look upon it not as a battered billycock, but as an Intellectual problem. And first, as to how It came here. It arrived upon Christmas morning, In company with a good fat goose, which Is, I have no doubt, roasting at this moment In front of Peterson's fire. The facts are these: About 4 o'clock on Christmas morning, Peterson who, as you know, Is a very honest fellow, was returning from some small Jollification and was making his way homewurd down Tottenham Court road. In front of him he saw, In the gaslight, a talllsh man, walking with a slight stag ger and carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the corner of Goodge street a row broke but between this stranger and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the man's hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself, and swinging It over his h.ad smashed the Rhop window behind him. Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his assailants; but the man, shocked at hnvlng broken the window and seeing an offlclal looklng person ln uniform rushing toward him, dropped his goose, took to his heels and vanished amid the labyrinth of small streets which He at the back of Tottenham Court road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of Peterson, so that bo was left In possession of the field of battle and also of the spoils of victory In the shape of this battered hat and most unimpeachable Christmas goose. "Which surely he restored to their owner?" "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that Tor Mrs. Henry Baker was printed npon a small card which was tied to the bird's left leg. and it Is also true that the Initials 'II. 15.' are legible upon the lining of this hat; but as there are some thousands of Bakers and some hundreds of Henry Bakers In this city of ours, It is not easy to restore lost property to any one of them." "What, then, did Peterson do?" "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christinas morn ing, knowing that even the smallest problems are of Interest to me. The goose we retained until this morning, when there wero signs that, in spite of the slight frost, It would be well that It should be eaten without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried It off, therefore, to fniail the ultimate destiny of a goose, while I continue to retain the bat of the unknown gentleman who lost his Christmas dinner." "Did he not udvertise?" "No." "Then, what clue could you hove as to his Identity?" "Only as much as we can deduce." "From bis hat?" "Precisely." "But you ore Joking. What can you gather from this old bat tered felt?" "Here Is my lens. "You know my methods. What can you gather yourself as to the Individuality of the man who has worn this article?" I took the tattered object In my hands and turned It over rather ruefully. It was s very ordinary black hat of the usual round shape, hard, and much the worso for wear. The lining had been of red silk, but was a good denl discolored. There was no maker's name; but as Holmes had remarked, the Initials "II. B." were scrawled upon one side. It was pierced in the brim for a hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For tho rest, it was cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted In several places, although there seemed to have been some Attempt to hide the discolored patches by smearing them with ink. "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. "On the contrary. Watson, you can see everything. Y'ou fall, however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in drawing your Inferences." "Then, pray tell me what it Is that you con Infer from this hat?" He picked It up and gazed at It in the pecullur Introspective fashion which was characteristic of him. "It U perhaps less suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there are a few Inferences which are very distinct and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That the man was highly intellectual is, of course, obvious upon the face of It, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He bad foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing a moral retrogression which, when taken with tho decline of his fortunes, seems to Indicate some evil Influence, probably drink, at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that his wife has ceased to love him." "My dear Holmes!" "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," be con tinued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a edentory life, goes out Httie, is out of training entirely, Is middle aged, has grlzsled hair which he had cut within the last few days, and which he anuolnts with lime cream. These are the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat Alsi, by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid on in his bouse." "You are certainly Joking, Holmes." "Not in the least. Is It possible that even now, when I give you these rvsults, you are unable to see how they are attained?" "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I am unable to follow you. For example, bow did you deduce that this muu was Intellectual?'' For answer Holmes clapped the hajj upon bis bead. It came right over the forehead and settled uinrn the bridge of his nose. "It Is a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a muu with so large a brain must have something in it." "The decline of his fortunes, then?" "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge came In then, it Is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the band of riblxHl stlk and the excellent lining. If this man could afford to buy oo expensive a hut three years a to, and has had no but since, then he has assuredly gone down In the world." "Well, that is clear euougb, certainly. But bow about the fore sight ond the moral rvtniKrvsciun?" Sherlock Holmes laughed. "Here Is the foresight." said he, putting his finger uion the little dink and loop of the hat-securer. "They ore bever sold uikjii hats. If this uiau ordered one. It Is a sign of a cer tain amount of foresight, since be v. cut out of his way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see that he has broken Deing a Recital of the Strange Recovery of a Valuable Gem thai Had Mysteriously Disappeared and the Uncovering of the Clever Thief Thrilling Chapters from the Life Story of the World's Greatest Detective Character HI! fflf i i 1 Jll -o-n t Vi 'THE BIRD GAVE A GULP." tee elastic, and has not troubled to replace it, it Is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, which Is a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On the other hand, he has en deavored to conceal some of these stains upon the felt by daubing them with ink, which Is a sign that be has not entirely lost his self-respect." "Your reasoning Is certainly plausible." "The further points, that he Is middle-aged, that his hair is grizzled, that it has been re cently cut, nnd that he uses lime ;ream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of halr-enrts, clean cut by the scis sors of the barber. They all ap pear to be adhesive, and there Is a distinct odor of lime cream. This dust, you will observe, Is not the gritty, gray dust of the street, but the fluffy brown dust of the house, showing that It has been hung up Indoors most of the time; while the marks of moisture upon the Inside are proof positive that the wearer perspired very freely, and could, therefore, hardly be in the best of training." "But his wife you said that she had ceased to love him." "This hat has not been brushed, for weeks. When I see you, my dear Watson, with a week'a ac cumulation of dust upon your hat, and when your wife allows you to go out In such a state, I shall fear that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's affection." "But be might be a bachelor." "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to bis wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce that the gas is not laid on In his house?" "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance, but when I see no lees than rive, I think that there can be little doubt that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with burning tallow walks upstairs at night probably with bis hat in one band and a gut tering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never got tallow-stains from a goa Jet. Are you satisfied?" "Well, it Is very ingenious," said I, laughing, "but since, as yon Bald Just now, there has been no crime committed, and no barm done, save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a waste of energy." Sherlock Holmes had opened bis mouth to reply when the door flew open, and Peterson, the commissionaire, rushed into the apart ment with flushed cheeks and the face of a man who is dazed with astonishment. "Tho gooze, Mr. nolmes! The goose, sir!" he gasped. "Eh? What of it, then? Has it returned to life and flapped off through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon the sofa to get a fairer view of the man's excited face. "See here, sir! See what my wife found In its crop!" He held out his hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliuntly scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean In size, but of such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric point in the dark hollow of his hand. Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said he, "this Is treasure trove Indeed. I suppose you know what you have got" "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though it were putty." "It's more than a precious stone. It Is the precious stone." "Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaeulated. "Precisely so. I ought to know Its size and shape, seeing that I have read the advertisement about it in the Times every day lately. It is absolutely unique, and Its value can only be conjectured, but the reward offered of 1,000 is certainly not within a twentieth part of the market price." "A thousand pounds! Great Lord of mercy!" The commissionaire plumped down Into a chair, and stared from one to the other of us. "That is the reward, land I have reason to know that there are sentimental considerations in the background which would induce the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but recover the gem." ' "It was lost. If I remember aright, at the 'Hotel Cosmopolitan,' " I remarked. "Precisely so, on Dec. 22, Just five days ago. John Horner, a plumber, was accused of having abstracted It from the lady's jewel case. The evidence against him was so strong that the case bus been referred to the Assizes. I have some account of the matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, glancing over the dates, uutll at lust he smoothed one out, doubled it over, and read the fol lowing paragraph: " 'Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, twenty-six, plumber, was brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22d lnst. abstracted from the jewel case of the Countess of Morcar the valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, upper attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect that be had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess of Morcar upon the day of the robbery, in order that he might solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had remained with Horner some little time, but had finally been called oway. On returning, be found that Horner bad disappeared, that the bureau had been forced open, nnd that the small morocco casket In which, as It afterward transpired, the Count ers was accustomed to keep her Jewel, was lying empty upon the dressing table. Ryder Instantly gave the alarm, ond Horner was arrested the same evening; but the stone could not be found either upon his person or In bis rooms. Catherine Cusack, maid to the Countess, deposed to having heard Ryder's cry of dismay on discover ing the robbery, and to bavlug rushed into the room, where she found matters as described by the last witness. luspeetor Bradstreet, B Division, gave evidence as to the arrest of Horner, who struggled frantically and protested his Innocence In Uie strongest terms. Evi dence of a previous conviction for robbery having been given against the prisoner, the Magistrate refused to deal summarily with the offense, but referred it to the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion during the proceedings, fainted away at the con clusion, and was carried out of court.' "Hum! So much for the police court," said Holmes, thoughtfully, tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve Is the sequence of events leading from a rifled Jewel ease at one end to the crop of a goose In Tottenham Court Road at the other. Y'ou see, Wat son, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much more Im portant and less Innocent aspect Here is the stone; the stone came from the goose, and the goose came from Mr. Henry Baker, the gentle man with the bad hat and oil the other characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set ourselves very seriously to find ing this gentleman, and ascertaining what part he has played In this little mystery. To do this, we must try the simplest means first, and these lie undoubtedly lu an advertisement in all the evening papers. If this fall, I sWll have recourse to other methods." "What will you say?" "Give me a pencil aud that slip of paper. Now, then: 'Found at the corner of Goodge street, a goose and a black felt bat Mr. Henry and held it against the light see how it glints and sparkles. crime. Every good stone Is. They are the. devil's pet baits, large and older Jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed, Baker can have the same by ap plying at 6:30 this evening at 221B Baker street' That is clear and concise." "Very. But will he see It?" "Well, he Is sure to keep an eve on the papers, sluce, to a poor man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by this mischance lu breaking the window und by the approach of Peterson, that he thought of nothing but flight; but since then he must hove bitterly re gretted the Impulse wbl"h caused him to drop his bird. Then, agnln, the Introduction of his name will cause him to see it, for every one who knows him will direct his attention to It. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency aud have this put lu the evening papers." "In which, sir?" "Oh, in the Globe, Star. Tall Mall. St. James', Evening News, Staudard, Echo, aud any others that occur to you." "Very well, sir. And this stone?" "Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, Peterson, Just buy a gooe on your way back, and leave it here with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman In place of the one which your family is now devouring." When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone "It's a bonny thing," said be. "Just Of course it Is a nucleus and focus of In the This tone is not yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of the Amoy River, in Southern China, and Is remarkable in having every characteristic of the carbuncle save that it is blue In shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth It has already a sinister history. There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and sev eral robberies brought about for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallized charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? I'll lock It up In. my strong box now, and drop a line to the Countess to sny that we have it" "Do you think that this man Horner is Innocent?" "I cannot tell." "Well, then, do you imagine that this other ona. Henry Baker, had anything to do with the matter?" "It Is, I think, much more likely that nenry Baker is an abso lutely Innocent man, bad no Idea that the bird which he was carrying was of considerably more value than if it were mode of solid gold. That, however, I shall determine by a very simple test, If we have an answer to our advertisement." "And you can do nothing until then?" "Nothing." , "In that case I shall continue my professional round. But I Ehall come back in the evening at tho hour you have mentioned, for I should like to see the solution of so tangled a business." "Very glad to Bee you. I dine at 7. There is a woodcock, I be lieve. By the way, in view of recent occurrences, perhaps I ought to ask Mrs. Hudson totexamlua Its crop." I had been delayed at a caso, ond it was a little after half past 6 when I found myself in Baker street once more. As I approached the house I saw a tall man In a Scotch bonnet, with a coat which was buttoned up to his chin, waiting outside in the bright semi-circle which was thrown from the fanlight. Just as I arrived the door was opened, and we were shown up together to Holmes' room. "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair, and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he could so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. Buker. It is a cold night and I observe that your circulation is more adapted for summer than for winter. Ah, Watson, you have just come at the right fime. Is that your hat. Mr. Baker?" "Yes, sir; that Is undoubtedly my hat" He was a lurge man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a broad, intelligent face, sloping down to a pointed beard of grizzled brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his habits. Ills rusty black filKk coat was buttoned right up in front, with the collar turned up, ami his lank wrist protruded from his sleeves without a sign of cuff or shirt. He spoke In a slow staccato fashion, choosing his words with care, and gave the Impression generally of a man of learning and letters who bad bad 111 usage at the hands of fortune. "We have retained these things .for some days," said Holmes, lKcause we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I bad no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off both my hat and the bird. I did not care to spend more money la a hopeless attempt ot recovering them." "Very naturally. By the way, about the bird we were compelled to eat It" "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair la his excitement "YeB; it would have beeu of no u.-e to any one had we not done so. But 1 presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is about the same weight and perfectly fresh, will answer your purpose equally well?" "Oh, certainly, certainly'" answered Mr. Buker, with a sigh of relief. "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on, of your own bird, so If you wish" The man burst Into a hearty laugh, "They might be useful to me as relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I caa hardly see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are going to be to me. No, sir; I think that, with your permission, I will confine my attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive upon the side board." Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the way, would It bore you to tell me where you got the other one from? I am somewuat of a fowl fancier, uud I have seldom seen a better grown goose." "Certainly, islr," said Buker, who had risen aud tucked hi newly gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who frequent the 'Alpha Inn,' near the museum we are to be found lu the museum it6elf during the day, you understand. This yeur our good bobt, Wlnl gate by name. Instituted a goose dub, by which, on consideration of some few pence every week, we were each to receive a bird at C'hrist mus. My pence wus duly paid, and the rest is fumliur to you. I am much Indebted to you, sir, for a Scotch bonnet Is fitted neither to my yeurs nor my gravity." With a comical pomposity of manner be bowed solemnly to both of us and strode off uKn his way. "So riuch for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes, when he had closed the door behind him. "It is quite certain that be knows nothing what ever about the matter. Are you hungry, Watson?" "Not particularly. "Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow up this clue while It is still hot." "By all meuns." It was a bitter night, s we drew on our ulsters and wrapped cra vats about our throats. Outride the star were shining coldly In a cloudless sky, and the breath of the passerby blew out Into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, Wimpole strcel, Harley street and so through Wlgmore street Into Oxford street In a quarter of an hour we were lu Blooinsbury, at the "Alpha Inn," which is a small public house ot tho corner of one of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from the ruddy-faced, whtto-aproned landlord. "Your beer should be excellent If it is a good as your geese," said he. "My geese" The man seemed surprised. "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, who was a member of your goose club." "Ah, yes; I see. But, you see, plr, them's not our geese." "Indeed! Whoso, then?" "Well, I got the two dezen from a salesman In Covent Garden." "Indeed? I know some of them. Which was It?" "Breckinridge Is his name." "Ah, I don't know him. Well, here's your good health, landlord, and prosperity to your house. Good night." "Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat as we came Into the frosty nlr. "Remember, Watson, that though ws have so homely n thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we have at the other a man who will certainly got seven years penal servitude unless we can establish bis Innocence. It is possible that our Inquiry may but confirm bis guilt; but, in any case, we have a line of Investiga tion which has been missed by the police and which a singular chance has placed In our hands. Let us follow it out to the bitter end. Facet to the south, then, ond quick march!" We passed across Holborn, down Endell street, nnd so through a r.lg-zag of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of tho largest stalls iMire the name of Breckinridge upon It, and the proprietor, a horsey looking man, with a sharp face and trim side whiskers, was helping a boy to put up the shutters. "Good evening. It's a cold night," snld Holmes. The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my com panion. "Sold out of geese, I see," continued nolmes, pointing at the bare slabs of marble. "Let you have 500 of them tomorrow morning." "That's no good." "Well, there are some on the stall with the gasflare." "Ah, but I was recommended to you." "Who by?" "The landlord of the 'Alpha. ' "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." "Fine birds they were, too. Now, where did you get them from?" To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the salesman. "Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and hla arnia akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." "It is straight enough. I should like to know who sold you the geese which you supplied to the 'Alpha.' " "Well, then, I sha'n't tell you. So now!" "Oh, It is a matter of no Importance; but I don't know why yoa should be so warm over such a trifle." "Worm! You'd be aa warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. When I pay good money for a good article there should be an end of the business; but it's, 'Where are the geese?' and 'Who did you sell the geese to? and 'What will you take for the geese? One wou'd think they were the only geese In the world, to hear the fuss that la made over them." "Well, I have no connection with any other people who have been making Inquiries," said Holmes, carelessly. "If you don't tell us the bet is off, that is all. But I'm always ready to back my opinion on a matter of fowls, and I bare a fiver on it that the bird I ate la country bred." "Well, then, you've lost your flyer, for it's town bred," snapped the salesman. . "It's nothing of the kind." "I say it is." ! ! : "I don't believe it." "D'you think you know more about fowls than I, who have handled them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all thoea birds that went to the 'Alpha were town bred." "You'll never persuade me to believe that." "Will you bet. then?" "It's merely taking your money, for I know that I am right. But I'll have a sovereign on with you, Just to teach you not to b ob stinate." The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said he. The small boy brought round a small, thin volume and a great, greasy-backed one, laying them out together beneath the banging lamp. "Now, then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is still one left in my shop. You see this little book?" "Well?" "That's the list of the folk from whom I buy. D'ye see? Well, then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers after their names are where their accounts ore in the big ledger. Now, then. You see this other page in red ink? Well, that la a list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just read It out to me." Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton road 240," read Holmes. "Quite so. Now, turn that up In the ledger." Holmes turned to the page Indicated. "Here you are, 'Mm. Oak shott, 117 Brixton road, egg and poultry supplier.' " "Now, then, what's the last entry?" "'December 22. Twenty-four geese at 7s 6d. " "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" " 'Sold to Mr. Wlndlgate of the Alpha, at 12a. " "What have you to say now?" Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from his pocket and threw it down upon the slab, turning away with an air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards oft he stopped under a lump-post and laughed in the hearty, noiseless fash ion which was peculiar to him. "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'pink 'mV protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet," said he. "I dare say that if I bad put down 100 down in front of him that man would not have given me such complete information as was drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a wager. Well, Watson, we are, I fancy, Hearing the end of our quest and tho only point which remains to be determined Is whether ws should go on to this Mrs. Oukshott tonight or whether we should reserve It for tomorrow. It Is clear from what that surly fellow said that there are others besides ourselves who arc anxious about the matter, and I should" His remarks were suddenly cut shorF by a loud hubbub which broke out from the stall which we had Just left Turning round, we saw a little rat-faced fellow standing In the center of the circle of yel low light which was throwu by the swinging lamp, while Breckinridge, the salesman, framed In the door of bis stall, was shaking hla fists fiercely ut the cringing figure. "I've had enough of you ond your geese," he shouted. I wish you were all at the devil together. If you come pestering me any mors with your silly talk I'll set the dog at you. You bring Mrs. Oakshott tere and I'll answer her; but what have you to do with it? Dl1 X buy the geese off you?" "No, but 6ne of them was mine, all the some," whined ths UtCa man. "Well, then, aik Mrs. Oakshott for it" "She told me to ask you." "Well, you ran ask the king of Proosla, for all I care. Tt ha enough of It. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and ths inquirer flitted away in the darkness. "no, this may save us a vUlt to Brixton road," whispered IToTaasa, (Continued on Psgs ElghtJ x