When I met my friend room early next morning, conscious bearing that all was well, but none the less most unpleasant surprise was awaiting us It took the shape following telegram

Please come out at once Client's house burgled night Police in possession SUTRO

Holmes whistled "The drama to crisis, and quicker than I had expected great driving-power back business, Watson, not surprise me after what heard This Sutro, , is her lawyer mistake, , in not asking you the night on guard This fellow has clearly proved broken reed Well, nothing but another journey to Harrow Weald "

The Three Gables very different establishment orderly household previous day small group of idlers had assembled garden gate, while couple of constables were examining the windows geranium beds Within we met gray old gentleman, who introduced himself lawyer together with bustling, rubicund inspector, who greeted Hoimes as an old friend

"Well, Mr Holmes, no chance in , I'm afraid Just common, ordinary burglary, and well capacity poor old police No experts need apply "

" the case is in hands," said Holmes "Merely common burglary, you say ? "

"Quite so pretty well who the men are and where them It gang of Barney Stockdale, big nigger -- they've been seen about here "

"Excellent ! What did they get ? "

"Well, they don't seem got much Mrs Maberley was chloroformed house was -- Ah ! lady herself "

Our friend of yesterday, looking very pale and ill, had entered the room, leaning upon little maidservant

" me good advice, Mr Holmes," said she, smiling ruefully "Alas, take it ! wish to trouble Mr Sutro, and so unprotected "

"I only heard of it ," the lawyer explained

" Mr Holmes advised me some friend house I neglected his advice, and paid "

"You look wretchedly ill," said Holmes "Perhaps hardly equal to telling me what occurred "

" all here," said the inspector, tapping bulky notebook

"Still, lady too exhausted --"

" really so little that wicked Susan had planned an entrance known the house to an inch conscious for moment chloroform rag thrust over my mouth, but no notion how long been senseless When I woke, one man was bedside and another was rising with bundle hand from among my son's baggage, partially opened and littered over the floor Before get away I sprang up and seized him "

"You took big risk," said the inspector

"I clung to him, but he shook me off, other struck me, for remember no more Mary the maid heard the noise and began screaming window That brought the police, but the rascals had got away "

"What did they take ? "

"Well, I don't think anything of value missing nothing in my son's trunks "

"Did the men leave no clue ? "

" one sheet of paper which torn man that I grasped lying all crumpled floor in my son's handwriting "

" not of much use," said the inspector "Now burglar's --"

"Exactly," said Holmes "What rugged common sense ! None the less, curious it "

The inspector drew folded sheet of foolscap pocketbook

"I never pass anything, however trifling," said he with some pomposity " my advice , Mr Holmes In twentyfive years' experience learned my lesson always the chance of finger-marks or something "

Holmes inspected the sheet of paper

"What make of it, Inspector ? "

" the end of some queer novel, as "

"It may certainly prove the end of queer tale," said Holmes " noticed the number top page two hundred and forty-five Where are the odd two hundred and forty-four pages ? "

"Well, I suppose the burglars got those Much good may it do them ! "

"It seems queer thing to break into house to steal such papers Does it suggest anything , Inspector ? "

"Yes, sir, it suggests that in their hurry the rascals just grabbed at what came first to hand them joy of what they got "

"Why should they go to my son's things ? " asked Mrs Maberley

"Well, they found nothing valuable downstairs, so they tried their luck upstairs how it What make of it, Mr Holmes ? "

" think it over, Inspector Come window, Watson " Then, stood together, he read over the fragment of paper It began middle of sentence and ran like this:

" . face bled considerably cuts and blows, but nothing bleeding heart as that lovely face, the face he prepared to sacrifice his very life, looking out at his agony and humilia- tion She smiled -- yes, by Heaven ! she smiled, like the heartless fiend she was, as he looked up at her moment that love died and hate was born Man must live for something If for your embrace, my lady, then it shall surely be for your undoing and my complete revenge "

"Queer grammar ! " said Holmes with smile as he handed the paper back inspector "Did you notice how the 'he' suddenly changed to 'my' ? The writer was so carried away by his own story that he imagined himself supreme moment the hero "

"It seemed mighty poor stuff," said the inspector as he replaced it book "What ! off, Mr Holmes ? "

"I don't think anything more now case is capable hands , Mrs Maberley, did you say you wished to travel ? "

"It has always been my dream, Mr Holmes "

"Where would you like -- Cairo, Madeira, the Riviera ? "

"Oh if I had the money go round the world "

"Quite so Round the world Well, good-morning drop you line evening " passed the window I caught glimpse inspector's smile and shake head "These clever fellows have always touch of madness " That was what inspector's smile

"Now, Watson, last lap little journey," said Holmes when we were back roar of central London once more " we had best clear the matter up at once, and it well that come with me, is safer witness dealing lady as Isadora Klein "

We had taken cab and were speeding to some address in Grosvenor Square Holmes sunk in thought, but he roused himself suddenly

" , Watson, I suppose it all clearly ? "

"No, 't say that I only gather that going the lady behind all this mischief "