TOE SUNDAY OREGOXIAy, PORTLAND. SEPTEMBER 24. 1911. ' 3 j
SA Tu -) u , -THE; ffiVEiTM?E
HORTLT after my marrlags I had
Vwight a connection In the Pad
dlngtoa district. Ond Mr. Fax
quhar. from whom I purchased
It. had at on time an excel
lent general practice: but hie aire,
and an affliction of the nature ot bt
Vltuss danoe from which he uttered,
had very much thinned It- The pub
lic not unnaturally goes on the prin
ciple that he who would heal others
moil himself be whole, and looks
aakaao at the curatiTe powers of the
man whose own case is beyond the
reach of his drugs. Thus as my prede
cessor weakened his practlo declined,
until when I purchased It from him
it had sunk from 12U0 to little mors
than 200 a year. I had confidence,
however. In my own youth and enercy.
and was convinced that in a Tery few
years the concern would be as flour
ish Ins; as ever.
For three months after taking over
the pract.ee I was kept, very closely at
work, and saw little of my friend Sher
lock Holmes, for I was too busy to
Tlslt Baker street, and he seldom went
anywhere hlmaelf save upon profes
sional business. 1 was surprised,
therefore, when, one morning In June,
as I sat read Inn the British Medical
Journal after breakfast. I heard a
rtng at the bell, followed by the high,
somewhat strident tones of my old
companion's voice.
"Ah, my dear Watson." said he.
striding into the room. "1 am very de
lighted to see you! I trust that Mrs.
Watson has entirely recovered from
all the little excitements connected
with our Adventure of the Sign of
Four."
Thank you. we are both very well."
said I. shaking him warmly by the
hand.
"And I hope, also." he continued, sit
ting; down in the rocking-chair, "ithet
the cares of medical practice have
not entirely obliterated the Interest
which you used to take In our little
deductive problems."
"On the contrary," I answered. "It
was only last night that I was looking
over my old notes, and classifying;
sorts of our past results."
"I trust that you don't consider your
collection' closed.
"Not at all. I should wish nothing
better than to have some more of such
experiences."
"Today, for example?"
"Yes. today. If you like."
"And as far off as Birmingham?"
-Certainly. If you wish It."
"And the practice?"
"1 do my neighbor's when he goes.
He la aiwaya ready to work off the
debt."
"Ha! nothing could be better." sail
Kolmes, leaning back In his chair ani
looking keenly at me from under his
balf-cloesd lids. "I perceive that yoa
have been unwell lately. Summer
colds are aiwaya a little trying."
"1 was confined to the house by a
severe chill for three days last week.
1 thought, however, that I had cast
off every trace of It.".
"So yoa have. Too look remarkably
robust-"
"How. then, did you know of It?"
"M j dear fellow, you know . my
methods."
"You deduced It. then!"
-Certainly."
"And from what?"
"From your allppers."
I glanced down at the new patent
leathers which 1 wss wearing. "How
on earth" 1 began, but Holmes an
swered my question before it wss
asked.
"Your slippers are new," he sail.
"You could not have had them more
than a few weeks. The soles which
you are at this moment presenting to
me are alighting scorched. For a mo
ment I thought they might have got
wet and been burned In the drying.
But near the Instep there Is a small
circular wafer of paper with the shop
man's hieroglyphics upon It- Damp
would ot course have removed this.
Yoa had. then, been sitting with your
feet outstretched to the fire, which a
man would hardly do even la so wet
a June as hia if he were In bis full
health. "
Like all Holmes's reasoning; the
thing seemed simplicity Itself when
It was once explained, lie read the
thought upon my features, and hie
mile bad a tlnce of bitterness,
"1 am afraid that I rather give my
self away when I explain." said he.
"Results without causes are much more
Impressive. You are ready to come to :
Birmingham, then?"
-Certainly. . What Is the esse?"
"Tou shall hear It all In the train.
My client ta outside In a four-wheeler.
Can you come at once?"
"In an Instant." 1 scribbled a note
to my neighbor, rushed upstairs to ex
plain the matter to my wife, and Joined
Holmes upon the doorstep.
"Your neighbor Is a doctor." said he.
nodding at the brass plate.
"Yes. he bought a practice as I did."
"An old-established one?"
"Just the same as mine. Both have
been ever since the houses were built."
"Ah! then you got hold ot the best
of the two."
"I think I did. But how do you
know?"
"By the steps, my boy. Tours are
worn three Inches deeper than his. But
this gentleman In the cab la my client.
Mr. Hall Pycroft. Allow me to intro
duce you to him. Whip your horse up.
cahbly. for we have only Just time to
catch our train."
The man whom I found myself facing
was a well-built, fresh-complexloned
youns fellow, mith a frank, honest
face and a sight, crisp, yellow mus
tache. Ho wore a very shiny top hst
and a neat suit of sober black, which
made htm look what he was a smart
young city man. of the class who have
been Ubelod cockneys, but who give
us our crack volunteer regiments, and
who turn out more fine, athletes and
sportsmen than any body of men In
thee Island'. His round, ruddy face
was naturally full ot cheeliness. but
the corners of his mouth seemed to me
to be pulled down In a half-comical dis
tress. It was not. howover. until wo
were all In a first-class carnage and
well started upon our Journey to Bir
mingham that I was able to learn what
the trouble wss which had driven him
to Sherlock Holmes.
-We have a clear run here of 70 min
utes." Holme remarked. "I want you.
Mr. Hall pycroft. to tell my friend your
ry Intorestir.g experience exactly as
yoa have told It to me. or with more
detail If possible. It will be of use to
me to bear the succession of events
again- It Is a case. Watson, which
may prove to have something In It. or
may prove to have nothing, but which.
t least, presents those . unusual and
outre, feature which are as dear to
yoa as they are to me. Now, Mr. Py
croft. I shall not Interrupt you agatn."
ur younx companion looked at rr.e
with a twinkle In his eye.
The worst of the story la. said he,
that 1 show tnyK up as such a con
founded fool Of course) It may work
out all right, and I don't see that I
could have done otherwise, but If I
hav lost snv crib and gat nothing In
exrhanae I shall I-l what a soft John
Die I have been, l a not very good at
tolling a story. Dr. Watson, but It Is
like this with me:
I used to have a billet at Coxon ex
Woodhouse's, of Draper's Gardens, but
they were let In early In the Spring
through the Venezuelan loan, as no
doubt you remember, and came a nasty
cropper. I had been with them five
years, and old Coxon gave me a ripping
good testimonial when the smash
came, but of course wo clerks were all
turned adrift, the IT of us. I tried here
and tried there, but there were lots of
other chaps on the same lay-aa myself,
and It was a perfect frost for a long
time. I had been taking 11 a week at
Coxon's. and I had saved about 7ft ot
thorn, but I soon worked my way
through that and out at the other end.
I was fairly at the end of my tether
at last, and could hardly find the
stamps to answer the advertisements
or the envelopes to stick them to. I
had worn out my boots paddling up of
fice stairs, and I seemed Just as far
from getting a billet as ever.
At last 1 saw a vacancy at Mawson eV
- LXtwrsKj
Wlllama. the great stock-broking firm
In Lombard street. 1 oaro say x v
not much In your line, but I can ton
you that this Is about the richest house
In London. The advertisement was to
be answered by letter only, l soni m
my testimonial and application, out
without the least hopa of getting It.
Back came an answer by return, say
ing 1UI IK A WUUI -
day 1 might take over my new duties
at once, provided that my appearance
. . trnnwa HOW
was sansiacior j-. www -
these things are worked. Some people
say inai mw xnauav j " " . - -
hand Into the heap and takes the first
that comes. Anynow n w ...
imri that time, and I don't ever wish
to feel better pleased. The screw was
a pound a week rlse. and the duties
Just about the same as at Coxon's.
And now 1 come to tne quM-
the business. I was In diggings out
,. . - t'n 1 1 w Trrrapft.
ttimpviw -7 . - - , -
Well. I was sitting doing a smoke that
very evening alter i naa
-w- . n wKn tin came TO T
in - r - - -
landlady with a card which had Ar
thur Tinner. Financial Agent." printed
. -. w. . v. A viAmA
upon It- 1 naa wr r i i . .
brfnre and could not Imagine what he
wanted with me: DUt. ot cuurm
her to show blm up. In he walked, a
mlddle-slsed. dark-haired, dark-eyed.
hlack-bearded man. with a xoucn ot m.
-w..- .i. VI- h.,i a brisk
kind of way with him and spoke sharp
ly, like a man wno anew mw
time. ...
Mr. Hall Pycroft, i oeueve: w
said.
-v.a air." I answered, pushing a
chair towards him.
"Lately engaged at coxon sx oou
house'sT' "Yes. sir." .
"And now on the staff of Mawson s."
"tjulte so."
-Well." said he. "the fact is that I
have heard some really extraordinary
stories about your financial ability.
Too remember Parker, who used to be
Coxon's manager! He can never say
enough about U." ... ,
Of course I was pleased to hear this.
I had always been pretty sharp In the
office, but 1 had never dreamed that 1
was talked about In the city In this
fashion.
"You have a good memory! said he.
"Pretty fair." I answered, modestly.
"Have you kept In touch with the
market while you have been out of
work!" be asked.
"Tea. I resd the stock exchange list
every morning."
-Now that shows real sspIlcstlon.
he cried. "That Is the way to pros
per' Tou won t mind my testing you.
will you! Let me see. How are Ayr
shires r
-A hundred and six and a quarter to
a hundred and five and eeven-elghths."
-And New Zealand consolidated?"
"A hundred and fou'r?"
"And British Broken Hills?"
"Seven t seven-and-alx."
"Wonderful!" he cried, with his hands
tip "This quite fits In with all that
I had heard. My boy. my boy. you are
quite very much too good to be a clerk
at Mawson's!"
Thi out hurst rather astonished me.
as you can think. "Well." aald. "oth
er people don t tntng quite so mum i
ma as you seem to do. Mr. Pinner. I
had a hard enough fight to get this
berth, and I am very glad to have It."
'Poh. man: you ehould soar above
It. Tou are not In your true sphere.
Now, I I ttU jou how It stands with mi.
What I have to offer Is little enough
when measured by your .ability, but
when compared with Mawson's. It's
light to dark. Let me see. When do
you go to Mawson's?"
"On Monday."
"Ha. ha! I think I would risk a lit
tle sporting flutter that you don't get
there at all."
"Not go to Mawson's!" '
"No, sir. By that day yo will be
the business manager of te Franco
Midland Hardware Company. Limited,
with 114 branches In the towns and
villages of France, not counting one in
Brussels and one In San Remo."
This took my breath away. "I never
heard of It." said I.
"Very likely not Tt has been kept
very quiet, for the capital was all pri
vately subscribed, and it's too good a
thing to let the pubMc Into. My broth
er. Harry Plnfler, ia promoter, and Joins
the board after allotment aa managing
director. H knew I was in the swim
down here, ind asked me to pick up a
good man cheap. A young-, pushing
man with plenty of snap about him.
Parker spoke of you. and that brought
me here tonight. We can offer you a
beggarly five hundred to start with."
"Five hundred a year!" I shouted.
"Only that at the beginning: but you
are to have an over-rldlng" commission
of 1 per cent on all business done by
your agents, "and you may take my
word for It that this will come to more
than your aalary."
"But I know nothing about hard
ware." "Tut. my boy; yoa know about fig
urea" My head bussed, and I could hardly
sit still In my chair. But suddenly a
little chill ot doubt came upon me. -
"I must be frank with you." said I.
"Mawson only gives me two hundred,
but Mawson Is safe. Now, really. I
know so little about your company
that"
-Ah. smart, smart!" he cried. In a
kind of ecstacy of delight. "You are
the very man for .us. Tou are not to
be talked over, and quite right, too.
Now. here's a note for a hundred
pounds, and If you think that we can
do business you may Just slip It Into
your pocket as an advance upon your
salary."
"That Is very handsome." said I.
"When should I take over my new du
ties r
"Be In Birmingham tomorrow at 1."
said he. "I have a note In my pocket
here which you will take to my broth
er. Tou will find him at 125b Corpora
tion street, where the temporary of-
J
flees of the company are situated. Of
course ho must confirm your engage
ment, but between ourselves It will be
all right."
"Really, I hardly know how to ex
press my gratitude, Mr. Pinner." said L
"Not at all. my boy. You have only
got your deserts. There are one or
two small things mere formalities
which I must arrange with you. You
have a bit of paper beside you there.
Kindly write upon It "I am perfectly
willing to act as business manager to
the Franco-Midland Hardware Com
pany, Limited, at a minimum salary of
fSvO"
I did as he ssked, and he put the
paper in his pocket.
"There is one other detstl." said he.
"What do you intend to do about Maw
eon's!" I bad forgotten all about Mawson a
In my Joy. "I ll write and, resign."
said L
-Precisely what I don't want you to
do. I had a row over yoa with Maw
son's manager. I had gone up to ask
him about you. and he was very of
fensive; accused me of coaxing you
away from the service of the firm, and
that sort of thing. At last I fairly lost
my temper. "If you want! good men you
should pay them a good price.' said I-
" He would rather have our small
price than your big one," , said he.
' -t'ii isy you a fiver,' said L that
when he has my offer you'll never so
much aa hear from him again.'
-'Done!' said he. 'We picked him
out of the gutter, and he won't leave
us- so easily.' Those were his very
words."
"The Impudent .scoundrel!" I cried.
Tve never so much as seen hint In my
life. Why should I consider him In any
way! I shall certainly not write If
you would rather I didn't."
"Good! That's a promise." said he,
rising from his chair. "Well. I'm .de
lighted to have got ao good a man for
my brother. Here's your advance of a
hundred pounds, and here is the letter.
Make a note of the address. 126b Cor
poration street, and remember that 1
o'clock tomorrow Is your appointment.
Good-night; and may'you have all the
fortune that you deserve!"
That's Just about all that passed be
tween us. as near as I can remember.
Tou can Imagine, Dr. WaUon, how
pleased I was at such an extraordinary
bit of good fortune. I sat up half the
night hugging myself over It. and next
day I was off to Birmingham in a
train that would take me In plenty
time for my appointment. I took my
things to a hotel In New street, and
then I made my way to the address
which had been given me.
It was a quarter of an hour before
my time, but I thought that would
make no difference. 126b waa a paa
sage between two large shops, which
led to a winding stone stair, from
which there were many flats, let as
offices to companies or professional
men. The names of the occupants were
painted at the bottom on the wall, but
there was no such name as the Franco
Midland Hardware Company, Limited.
I stood for a few minutes with my
heart in my boots, wondering whether
the whole thing was an elaborate hoax
or not. when up came a man and ad
dressed me. He was very like the
chap I had Been the night before, the
same figure and voice, but he was
clean-shaven and his hair was lighter.
"Are you Mr. Hall Pycroft V he
asked.
"Yes." said L
"Oh! I was expecting you, but yoa
are a trifle before your time. I had a
note from my brother this morning In
which he sang yonr praises very loud-
""I was Just looking for the offices
when you came."
We have not got our name up yet.
for we only secured these temporary
premises last week. Come up with me,
and we will talk the matter over."
I followed him to the top of a very
lofty stair, an there, right under the
slates, were a couple of empty, dusty
little rooms, uncarpeted and uncur
tained. Into which he led me. I had
thought of a great office with shining
tables and rows of clerks, auch as I
was used to. and I dare say I stared
rather straight at the two deal chairs
and one little table, which, with -a
ledger and a waste paper basket, made
up the whole furniture.
"Don't be disheartened. Mr. Pycroft."
said my new acquaintance, seeing the
length of my face. "Rome wao not
built in a day. and we have lots of
money at our backs, though we don't
cut much dash yet In offices. Pray sit
down, and let me have yonr letter."
I gave It to him, and he read It over
very carefully.
"Tou seem to have made a vast Im
pression upon my brother Arthur,",sald
he: "and I know that he is a pretty
shrewd Judge. He swears by London,
you know: and I by Blrmgkgham; but
this time I shall follow Tils advice. Pray
consider yourself definitely engaged."
"What are my duties!" I asked.
"You will eventually manage the
great depot In Paris, which will pour
a flood of English crockery Into the
shops of a hundred and thirty-four
agents in France. The purchase will
be completed In a week, and mean
while you will remain In Birmingham
and make yourself useful."
"How?" ;
For answer, he took a big red book
out of a drawer.
"This Is a directory of Paris." said'
he. "with the trades after the namea of
the people. I want you to take. It home
with you, and to mark off all the
hardware sellers, with their addresses.
It would be of the greatest use to me
to have them."
"Surely there are classified lists?" I
suggested.
"Not reliable ones. Their system is
different from ours. Stick at it. and
let me have the lists by Monday, at
12. Good-day, Mr. Pycroft. If you con
tinue to show seal and Intelligence
you will find the company a good mas
ter." I went back to the hotel with the big
book under my arm. snd with very
conflicting feelings In my breast. On
the one" hand. I was definitely en
gaged and had a hundred pounda In my
pocket; on the other, the look of the
offices, the absence of name on the
wall, and other of the points which
would strike a business man had left
a bad Impression as to the position of
my employers. However, come what
might, I had my money, so I settled
down to my task. All Sunday I was
kept hard at work, and yet by Monday
I had only got as far as H. I went
round to -my employer, found him in
the same dismantled kind of room, and
was told to keep at it until Wednesday,
and then come again. On Wednesday
It wa atill unfinished, so I hammered
away until Friday that Is, yesterday.
Then I brought it round to Mr. Harry
Pinner.
"Thank you very much." said he: "I
fear that I underrated the difficulty
of the task. This list will be of very
material assistance to me."'
"It took some time," said I.
"And now," said he. "I want you to
make a list of the furniture shops, for
they all sell crockery."
'Very good."
"And you can coma up tomorrow
evening, at 7. and let me know how
you are getting on. Don't overwork
yourself. A couple of hours at Day's
Music Hall In the evening would do
you no harm after your labors." He
laughed as he spoke, and I saw with a
thrill that his second tooth upon the
left-hand side had been very badly
stuffed with gold.
Sherlock Holmes rubbed his hands
with delight, and I stared with aston
ishment at our client.
"You may well look surprised, ' Dr.
Watson; but It is this way," said he:
"When I was speaking to the other
chap in London, at the time 'that he
laughed at my not going to Mawson's.
I happened to notice that his tooth
was stuffed In this very identical fash
ion. The glint of the gold in each case
caught my eye, you see. When I put
that with the voice and figure being
the same, and only those things altered
which might be changed by a raxor or
a wig, I could not doubt that it was
the. same man. Of course you expect
two brothers to be alike, but not that '
t77?r a jTvzwccer svr$ joss
they should have the same tooth stuffed
in the same way. He bowed me out.
and I found myself in the street, hard
ly knowing whether I was on my head
or my heels. Back I went to my hotel,
put my head In a basin of cold water,
and tried to think It out. Why had he
sent me from London to Birmingham!
Why had he got there before me? And
why had he written a letter from him
self to himself! It was altogether too
much for me, and I could make no
sense of it. And then suddenly it struck
me that what was dark to me might
be very light to Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
I had Just time to get up to town by
the night train to see him this morn
ing, and to bring you both back with
me to Birmingham."
There was a pause after the stock
broker's clerk bad concluded his sur
prising experience. Then Sherlock
Holmes cocked his eye at me. leaning
back on the cushions with a pleased
and yet critical face, like a connoisseur
who has Just taken his first sip ol a
comet vintage.
"Rather fine, Watson, Is It not!" said
he. "There are points -in it which pleasa
me. I think that -ou will agree with
me that an Interview with Mr. Arthur
Harry Pinner in the temporary offices
of the Franco-Midland Hardware Com
pany, Limited, would be a rather in
teresting experience for both of us."
"But how can we do It!" I asked.
"Oh, easily enough." said Hall Py
croft, cheerily. "You are two friends
who are In want of a billet, and what
could be more natural than that I
should bring you both round to the
managing director.!"
"Quite so, of course," said Holmes.
"I should like to have a look at the
gentleman, and see If I can make any
thing of his little game. What quali
ties, have you, my friend, which would
make your services so- valuable! or Is
it possible tha " He began biting
bis nails and staring blankly outv ot
the window, and we hardly drew an-
i
other word from
In New street.
At 7 o'clock that evening we were
walking, the three of us, down Cor
poration street to the company's of
fices, "It Is no use our being at all before
our time," said our client. "He only
comes there to see me, apparently, for
the place fl deserted up to the very
hour he names."
"That is suggestive," remarked
Holmes.
"By Jove, I told you so!" cried the
clerk. "That's he walking ahead of
us there."
' He pointed to a smallish, dark, well
dressed man. who was bustling along
the other side of the road. As we
watched him he looked across at a boy
who was bawling out the latest edi
tion of the evening paper, and running
over among the cabs and busses, he
bought one from him. Then, clutching
it in his hand, ha vanished through a
doorway.
"There he goes!" cried Hall Pycroft.
"These are the company's offices Into
which he has gone. Come with me.
and I'll fix it up as easily as possible."
Following his- lead, we ascended five
etorles. until we found ourselves out
side a half-opened door, at which our
client tapped. A voice within bade us
enter, and we entered a bare, unfur
nished room such as Hall Pycroft had
described. At the single table sat the
man whom we had seen in the street;
with his evening paper spread out in
front of bim, and as he looked up at us
it seemed to me that I had never looked
upon a face which bore such marks of
grief, and of something beyond grief
of a horror such as comes to few men
In a lifetime. His. brow glistened with
perspiration, his cheeks were of the
dull, dead white of a fish's belly, and
his eyes were wild and staring.' He
looked at his clerk as though he failed to
recognize him, and I could seeby the
astonishment depicted upon our con
ductor's face that this was by no means
the usual appearance of his employer.
"Ton look ill, Mr. Pinner!" he ex
claimed. "Yes, I am not very well," answered
the other, making obvious efforts to
pull himself together, and licking his
dry lips before he spoke. "Who are
these gentlemen whom you have
brought with you!"
"One Is Mr. Harris, of Bermondsey,
and the other Is Mr. Price, of this
town," said our clerk glibly. "They
are friends of mine and gentlemen of
experience, but they have been out of
a place for some little time, and they
hoped that-perhaps you might find an
opening for them In the company's
employment."
"Very possibly! Very possibly!" cried
Mr. Pinner with a ghastly smile. "Yes,
I have no doubt that we shall be able
to do something for you. What Is your
particular line, Mr. Harris?"
"I am an accountant," said Holmes.
"Ah. yes, we shall want something
of the sort. And you, Mr. Price I"
"A clerk," said I.
"I have every hope that the company
may accommodate you. I will let you
know about it as soon as we come to
any conclusion. And now I beg that you
will go. For God's sake leave me to
myself."
These last words were shot out of
him, as though the constraint which
he was evidently setting upon himself
had suddenly and utterly burst asunder.
Holmes and I glanced at each other,
and Hall Pycroft took a step toward
the table. i
"You forgot, Mr. Pinner, that I am
here by' appointment to receive some
Instructions from yoc," said he.
"Certainly. Mr. Pycroft, certainly,"
the other resumed in a calmer tone.
"You may wait here a moment; 'and
there Is no reason why your friends
sbould not wait with you. I will be
entirely at your service in three min
utes, if I might trespass upon your pa
tience so far." He rose with a very
courteous air, and, bowing to us, he
passed out through a door .at the
farther end of the room, which he
closed behind him.
"What now!" whispered Holmes. "Is
he giving us the slip?"
"Impossible," answered Pycroft.
"Why so?"
"That door leads into an inner
room."
"There is no exit?"
"None."
"Is It furnished?", '
."It was empty yesterday."
"Then what on earth can he be do
ing? There is something which I don't
understand in this matter. If ever a
man was three parts mad with terror,
that man's name is Pinner. What can
have put the shivers on him?"
"He suspects that 'we are' detec
tives." I suggested.
"That's it." cried Pycroft.
Holmes shook his head. "He did not
turn pais. Ho was pais when wo en'
tared the room,"
said he. "It is Juib.
possible that "
His words were Interrupted by '
sharp rat-tat from the direction of the
inner door.
"What the deuce Is he knocking at
his own door for?" cried the clerk.
Again and muoh louder came the rat-tat-tat
We ail gaxed expectantly at
the closed, door. Glancing at Holmes,
I saw his face turn rigid, and he leaned
forward in intense excitement. Then
suddenly came a low guggling, gar
gling sound, and a brisk drumming
upon woodwork. Holmes sprang fran
tically across the room and pushed al
the door. It was fastened on the inner
side. Following his example, we threw
ourselves upon it with all our weight.
One hinge snapped, then the other, and
down came the door with a crash.
Rushing over It, we fsund ourselves
In the inner room. It wss empty.
But it was only for a moment that
we were at fault. At one corner, the
corner nearest the room which we had
left, there was a second door. Holmes
sprang to it and pulled It open. A coat
and waistcoat were lying on the floor,
and from a hook behind the door, with
his own braces around ;hls neck, was
hanging the managing director of the
Franco-Midland Hardware Company.
His knees were drawn up. his head
hung at a dreadful angle to his body,
and the clatter of his heels against
the door made the noise which had
broken in upon our conversation. In
an instant I had caught him round the
waist, and held him up while Holmes
and Pycroft untied the elastic bands
which bad disappeared between the
livid creases of skin. Then we carried
him into the other room, where he
lay with a clay-colored face, puffing
his purple lips in and out with every
ksth a dreadful wreck of all that
"he had been but five minutes before.
"What do you thlnK ol mm, waw
son?" asked Holmes.
stooped over and examined him.
His pulse was feeble and intermittent,
but his breathing grew longer, and
there was a little shivering of his eye
lids, which showed a thin white slit
of ball beneath.
"It has been touch and go with him,
said I, "but he'll live now. Just open
that window, and hand me the water
carafe." I undid his collar, poured the
cold water .over his face, and raised
and sank his arms until he drew a long,
natural breath. "It's only a question
of time now," said I, as I turned away
from him.
Holmes stood by the table, with his
hands deep in his trousers pockets and
his chin upon his breast.
"I suppose we ought to call the po
lice in now," sald jie. "And yet I con
fess that I'd like to give them a .
complete case when they come."
."It's a blessed mystery to me," cried
Pycroft, scratching his head. "What
ever they wanted to bring me all the
way up here for, and then"
"Pooh! All that is clear enough,"
said Holmes, impatiently. "It is this .
last sudden move."
"You understand the rest, then!"
1 think that It is fairly obvious.
What do you say, Watson!"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I must
confess that I am out of my depths,"
said X. '
"Oh, surely if you consider the events
at first they can only point to one con
clusion." "What do you make of them?"
"Well, the whole thing hinges upon
two points. The first Is the making of
Pycroft write a declaration by which
he entered the service of this prepos
terous company. Do you not see how
very suggestive that is?"
"I am afraid I miss. the point."
"Well, why did they want him to do
It? Not as a business matter, . for
these arrangements are usually verbal,
and there was no earthly business rea
son why this should be an exception.
Don't you see, my young friend, that .
they were very anxious to obtain a
specimen of your handwriting, and had
no other way of doing it?"
"And why?"
"Quite so. Why? When we answer
that we have made some progress with
our little problem. Why? There can be
only one adequate reason. Some one
wanted to learn to Imitate your writ
ing, and had to procure a specimen of
it first. And now If we pass on to
the second point we find that each
throws light upon the other. That
point Is the request made by Pinner
that you should not resign your place,
but should leave the manager of this
important business in the full expecta
tion that a Mr. Hall Pycroft, whom he
had never seen, was about to enter the
office upon the Monday morning."
"My God!" cried our client, "what
a blind beetle I have been."
"Now you see the point about th
handwriting. Suppose that some one
turned up in your place who wrote a
completely different hand from that '
in which you had applied for the .
vacancy, of course the game would
have been up- But in the ,
Interval the rogue had learned to imi
tate you, and his position was, mere
fore secure, as I presume that nobody
in the office had ever set eyes uponV
you."
"Not a soul," groaned Hall Pycroft.
"Very good. Of course, it was of the
utmost importance to prevent you from
thinking better of it, and also to keep
you from coming into contact with any
one who might tell you that your double
was at work In Mawson's office. There
fore they gave you a handsome advance
on your salary, and ran you off to the
Midlands, where they gave you enough
work to do to prevent your going to
London, where you might have burst
their little game up.. That Is all plain
enough."
"But why should this man pretend to
be his own brother?"-
"Well, that is pretty clear also. There
are evidently only two of them In it.
The othen is personating you at the of
fice. This one acted as your engager,
and then found that he could not find
you an employer without admitting a .
third person into his plot. That he was
most unwilling to do. He changed his
appearance as far as he could, and
trusted that the likeness, which you
could not fail to-observe would be put
down to a family resemblance. But for
the happy chance of the gold stuffing,
your suspicions would probably never
have been aroused."
Hall Pycrot shook his clenched hands
In the air. "Good Lord!" he cried,
"while I have been fooled in this way,
what has this other Hall Pycroft been
daing at Mawson's? What should we
do, Mr. Holmes? Tell me what to do."
"We must wire to Mawson's."
"They shut at 12 on Saturdays."
"Never mind. There may be some
doorkeeper or attendant "
"Ab, yes. they keep a permanent
guard there on account of the value of
the securities that they hold. I remem
ber hearing it talked of in the city."
"Very good; we shall wire to him,
and see if all Is well, and if a clerk of
your name Is working there. That Is
clear enough; but what is not so clear
is why at sight of us one of the rogues: .
tConcludad oa Fafs 1-1
e