Chapter VIII The Baker Street Irregulars
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tousthere,forhisviewofthecaseissuretopushitselfintothedailypress,andtherunawayswillthinkthateveryoneisoffonthewrongscent.”
“Whatarewetodo,then?”Iasked,aswelandednearMillbankPenitentiary.
“Takethishansom,drivehome,havesomebreakfast,andgetanhour’ssleep.Itisquiteonthecardsthatwemaybeafootto-nightagain.Stopatatelegraph-office,cabby!WewillkeepToby,forhemaybeofusetousyet.”
WepulledupattheGreatPeterStreetpost-office,andHolmesdespatchedhiswire.“Whomdoyouthinkthatisto?”heasked,asweresumedourjourney.
“IamsureIdon’tknow.”
“YouremembertheBakerStreetdivisionofthedetectivepoliceforcewhomIemployedintheJeffersonHopecase?”
“Well,”saidI,laughing.
“Thisisjustthecasewheretheymightbeinvaluable.Iftheyfail,IhaveotherresourcesbutIshalltrythemfirst.Thatwirewastomydirtylittlelieutenant,Wiggins,andIexpectthatheandhisgangwillbewithusbeforewehavefinishedourbreakfast.”
Itwasbetweeneightandnineo’clocknow,andIwasconsciousofastrongreactionafterthesuccessiveexcitementsofthenight.Iwaslimpandweary,befoggedinmindandfatiguedinbody.Ihadnottheprofessionalenthusiasmwhichcarriedmycompanionon,norcouldIlookatthematterasamereabstractintellectualproblem.AsfarasthedeathofBartholomewSholtowent,Ihadheardlittlegoodofhim,andcouldfeelnointenseantipathytohismurderers.Thetreasure,however,wasadifferentmatter.That,orpartofit,belongedrightfullytoMissMorstan.WhiletherewasachanceofrecoveringitIwasreadytodevotemylifetotheoneobject.True,ifIfoundititwouldprobablyputherforeverbeyondmyreach.Yetitwouldbeapettyandselfishlovewhichwouldbeinfluencedbysuchathoughtasthat.IfHolmescouldworktofindthecriminals,Ihadatenfoldstrongerreasontourgemeontofindthetreasure.
AbathatBakerStreetandacompletechangefreshenedmeupwonderfully.WhenIcamedowntoourroomIfoundthebreakfastlaidandHomespouringoutthecoffee.
“Hereitis,”saidhe,laughing,andpointingtoanopennewspaper.“TheenergeticJonesandtheubiquitousreporterhavefixeditupbetweenthem.Butyouhavehadenoughofthecase.Betterhaveyourhamandeggsfirst.”
Itookthepaperfromhimandreadtheshortnotice,whichwasheaded“MysteriousBusinessatUpperNorwood.”
“Abouttwelveo’clocklastnight,”saidtheStandard,“Mr.BartholomewSholto,ofPondicherryLodge,UpperNorwood,wasfounddeadinhisroomundercircumstanceswhichpointtofoulplay.Asfaraswecanlearn,noactualtracesofviolencewerefounduponMr.Sholto’sperson,butavaluablecollectionofIndiangemswhichthedeceasedgentlemanhadinheritedfromhisfatherhasbeencarriedoff.ThediscoverywasfirstmadebyMr.SherlockHolmesandDr.Watson,whohadcalledatthehousewithMr.ThaddeusSholto,brotherofthedeceased.Byasingularpieceofgoodfortune,Mr.AthelneyJones,thewell-knownmemberofthedetectivepoliceforce,happenedtobeattheNorwoodPoliceStation,andwasonthegroundwithinhalfanhourofthefirstalarm.Histrainedandexperiencedfacultieswereatoncedirectedtowardsthedetectionofthecriminals,withthegratifyingresultthatthebrother,ThaddeusSholto,hasalreadybeenarrested,togetherwiththehousekeeper,Mrs.Bernstone,anIndianbutlernamedLalRao,andaporter,orgatekeeper,namedMcMurdo.Itisquitecertainthatthethieforthieveswerewellacquaintedwiththehouse,forMr.Jones’swell-knowntechn