The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 9 (1/2)

I trust that I ahbours, but I was always oppressed with a sense of s with Sherlock Holmes Here I had heard what he had heard, I had seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that he saw clearly not only what had happened but as about to happen, while to rotesque As I drove hoht over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed copier of the ”Encyclopaedia” down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg Square, and the ominous words hich he had parted from me

What was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go ar, and e to do? I had the hint from Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a foraave it up in despair and set thean explanation

It was a quarter-past nine when I started froh Oxford Street to Baker Street Two hansoe I heard the sound of voices fro his room I found Holnised as Peter Jones, the official police agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad-faced man, with a very shi+ny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat

”Ha! Our party is co up his pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack

”Watson, I think you know Mr Jones, of Scotland Yard? Let me introduce you to Mr Merryweather, who is to be our co in couples again, Doctor, you see,” said Jones in his consequential way ”Our friend here is a wonderfulto help hioose may not prove to be the end of our chase,”

observed Mr Merryweather gloomily

”You may place considerable confidence in Mr Holent loftily ”He has his own littleso, just a little too theoretical and fantastic, but he has the s of a detective in him It is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of the Sholto ra treasure, he has been more nearly correct than the official force”

”Oh, if you say so, Mr Jones, it is all right,” said the stranger with deference ”Still, I confess that I ht for seven-and-twenty years that I have not had my rubber”

”I think you will find,” said Sherlock Holht than you have ever done yet, and that the play will beFor you, Mr Merryweather, the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands”

”John Clay, theman, Mr Merryweather, but he is at the head of his profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on any cri John Clay His grandfather was a royal duke, and he hi as his fingers, and though we ns of him at every turn, we never knohere to find the man hi e in Cornwall the next

I've been on his track for years and have never set eyes on him yet”

”I hope that I ht

I've had one or two little turns also with Mr John Clay, and I agree with you that he is at the head of his profession It is past ten, however, and quite time that we started If you till take the first hansom, Watson and I will follow in the second”

Sherlock Hol drive and lay back in the cab hu the tunes which he had heard in the afternoon We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit streets until we eton Street

”We are close there now,” my friend remarked ”This fellow Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the ht it as well to have Jones with us also He is not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession

He has one positive virtue He is as brave as a bulldog and as tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone Here we are, and they are waiting for us”

We had reached the sahfare in which we had found ourselves in the uidance of Mr Merryweather, we passed down a narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us

Within there was a sate This also was opened, and led down a flight of winding stone steps, which terate Mr

Merryweather stopped to light a lantern, and then conducted us down a dark, earth-s a third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all round with crates and massive boxes

”You are not very vulnerable froazed about hi his stick upon the flags which lined the floor ”Why, dearup in surprise

”I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!” said Holmes severely ”You have already i that you would have the goodness to sit down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere?”

The solemn Mr Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his knees upon the floor and, with the lantern and a an to examine minutely the cracks between the stones A few seconds sufficed to satisfy hilass in his pocket

”We have at least an hour before us,” he reood pawnbroker is safely in bed

Then they will not lose a er time they will have for their escape We are at present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of the City branch of one of the principal London banks Mr