"'Arthur ! ' I screamed, 'you villain ! you thief ! How dare you touch that coronet ? '

"The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, dressed only shirt and trousers, was standing beside the light, holding the coronet hands He appeared wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength At my cry he dropped it grasp and turned as pale as death I snatched it up and examined it gold corners, with three beryls , was missing

"'You blackguard ! ' I shouted, beside myself with rage ' destroyed it ! dishonoured me forever ! Where are the jewels which stolen ? '

"'Stolen ! ' he cried

"'Yes, thief ! ' I roared, shaking him shoulder

"' none missing There any missing,' said he

"' three missing And where Must I call you liar as thief ? Did I not see you trying to tear off another piece ? '

"' called me names enough,' said he, ' stand it any longer say another word business, since chosen to insult me leave your house morning and make my own way '

"'You shall leave it hands police ! ' I cried half-mad with grief and rage ' probed bottom '

"'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with passion such as I have thought was nature ' choose the police, let the police find what '

" the whole house was astir, for I had raised my voice in my anger Mary first to rush into my room, and, sight coronet and of Arthur's face, she read the whole story and, with scream, fell down senseless ground the house-maid police and put the investigation into their hands at once inspector and constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly arms folded, asked me whether my intention him with theft I answered had ceased private matter, but had become public one, ruined coronet was national property determined law its way in everything

"' ,' said he, ' me arrested at once It to your advantage as mine if leave the house for five minutes '

"'That get away, or perhaps that conceal what stolen,' said I And then, realising the dreadful position placed, I implored him to remember that my honour but that of one who was far greater than at stake; he threatened to raise scandal which would convulse the nation He might avert it all if but tell me what he had done three missing stones

"' face the matter,' said I; ' caught act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous but make such reparation as is in your power, by telling us where the beryls are, all shall be forgiven and forgotten '

"'Keep your forgiveness who ask ,' he answered, turning away from me with sneer that too hardened for any words to influence him but I called inspector and gave him into custody search at once person but room and of every portion house where possibly have concealed the gems; but no trace found, nor would the wretched boy open his mouth for all our persuasions threats removed to cell, and I, after going through all the police formalities, have hurried round to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter The police have openly confessed can at present make nothing of it go to any expense which necessary already offered reward of 1000 pounds My God, what shall ! lost my honour, my gems, and my son in one night Oh, what shall ! "

He put hand on either side head and rocked himself to and fro, droning to himself like child whose grief has got beyond words

Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some , brows knitted eyes fixed fire

" receive much company ? " he asked

"None save my partner family and an occasional friend of Arthur's Sir George Burnwell lately No one else, "

" go out much in society ? "

"Arthur does Mary and I stay at home We neither of us care "

" unusual in young girl "

" of quiet nature Besides, so very young four-and-twenty "

" , from what you say, seems shock to her also "

"Terrible ! even more affected than I "

" neither of you any doubt your son's guilt ? "

"How can when him with my own eyes coronet hands "

"I hardly consider that conclusive proof remainder coronet at all injured ? "

"Yes, twisted "

" not think, then, that trying to straighten it ? "

"God bless you ! doing what for him and But too heavy task he doing there at all ? If his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so ? "

"Precisely And were guilty, why did he not invent lie ? His silence appears to cut both ways several singular points case What did the police think noise which awoke you from your sleep ? "

"They considered caused by Arthur's closing his bedroom door "

"A likely story ! man bent on felony would slam his door so wake household What did they say, then, disappearance gems ? "

" still sounding the planking and probing the furniture hope of finding them "

"Have they thought of looking outside the house ? "

"Yes, shown extraordinary energy The whole garden has already been minutely examined "

"Now, my ," said Holmes " not obvious now that really strikes deeper than either you or the police were at first inclined ? It appeared simple case; it seems exceedingly complex Consider involved by your theory You suppose that your son came down bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main force small portion of it, went off to some other place, concealed three gems thirty-nine skill that nobody can find them, and then returned other thirty-six room he exposed himself greatest danger of being discovered I now, is such theory tenable ? "

"But what other ? " cried the banker with gesture of despair "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain them ? "

" our task that out," replied Holmes; "so now, please, Mr Holder, set off for Streatham together, and devote an hour to glancing little more closely into details "

My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition, which eager enough , curiosity and sympathy were deeply stirred story we had listened I confess guilt banker's son appeared as obvious as it did unhappy father, but still I had such faith in Holmes's judgement that that some grounds for hope as long as dissatisfied accepted explanation He hardly spoke word the whole way out southern suburb, but sat chin upon his breast hat drawn over his eyes, sunk deepest thought Our client appeared taken fresh heart little glimpse of hope which presented to him, and he even broke into desultory chat with me over his business affairs short railway journey and shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest residence great financier