The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 30 (2/2)

What did you do, then? You made some small job in ed that he should be the man sent for Then, when he had left, you rifled the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man arrested You then--”

Ryder threw hi and clutched at my companion's knees ”For God's sake, have mercy!” he shrieked

”Think of my father! Ofbefore! I never will again I swear it I'll swear it on a Bible Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's sake, don't!”

”Get back into your chair!” said Hole and cra, but you thought little enough of this poor Horner in the dock for a cri”

”I will fly, Mr Holainst him will break down”

”Hum! We will talk about that And now let us hear a true account of the next act How caoose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies your only hope of safety”

Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips ”I will tell you it just as it happened, sir,” said he ”When Horner had been arrested, it seeet aith the stone at once, for I did not knohat ht not take it into their heads to search me and my room There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe

I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's house She had married a man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton Road, where she fattened fowls for the market All the way there every man I met seemed to me to be a policeht, the sas pouring down my face before I came to the Brixton Road My sister asked me as the matter, and why I was so pale; but I told her that I had been upset by the jewel robbery at the hotel Then I went into the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would be best to do

”I had a friend once called Maudsley, ent to the bad, and has just been serving his time in Pentonville One day he had met me, and fell into talk about the ways of thieves, and how they could get rid of what they stole I knew that he would be true to s about hiht on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my confidence He would show et to hih in coht at any moment be seized and searched, and there would be the stone in ainst the wall at the ti about round my feet, and suddenly an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the best detective that ever lived

”My sister had told eese for a Christood as her word I would take oose now, and in it I would carry my stone to Kilburn There was a little shed in the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds--a fine big one, white, with a barred tail I caught it, and prying its bill open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as ulp, and I felt the stone pass along its gullet and down into its crop But the creature flapped and struggled, and out came my sister to knoas the matter As I turned to speak to her the brute broke loose and fluttered off a with that bird, Jeivewhich was the fattest'

”'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you--Je white one over yonder There's twenty-six of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen for the ie,' says I; 'but if it is all the sa just now'

”'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we fattened it expressly for you'

”'Never mind I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I

”'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed 'Which is it you want, then?'

”'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the flock'

”'Oh, very well Kill it and take it with you'

”Well, I did what she said, Mr Holmes, and I carried the bird all the way to Kilburn I told my pal what I had done, for he was a hed until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose My heart turned to water, for there was no sign of the stone, and I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred I left the bird, rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard There was not a bird to be seen there

”'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried

”'Gone to the dealer's, Jee, of Covent Garden'

”'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same as the one I chose?'

”'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never tell them apart'

”Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as e; but he had sold the lot at once, and not one ould he tell ht Well, he has always answeredmad

Sometimes I think that I am myself And now--and now I a touched the wealth for which I sold my character God help , with his face buried in his hands