em.”
“Itwaslost,ifIrememberaright,attheHotelCosmopolitan,”Iremarked.
“Preciselyso,onDecember22nd,justfivedaysago.JohnHorner,aplumber,wasaccusedofhavingabstracteditfromthelady’sjewel-case.TheevidenceagainsthimwassostrongthatthecasehasbeenreferredtotheAssizes.Ihavesomeaccountofthematterhere,Ibelieve.”Herummagedamidhisnewspapers,glancingoverthedates,untilatlasthesmoothedoneout,doubleditover,andreadthefollowingparagraph:
“HotelCosmopolitanJewelRobbery.JohnHorner,26,plumber,wasbroughtupuponthechargeofhavinguponthe22ndinst.,abstractedfromthejewel-caseoftheCountessofMorcarthevaluablegemknownasthebluecarbuncle.JamesRyder,upper-attendantatthehotel,gavehisevidencetotheeffectthathehadshownHorneruptothedressing-roomoftheCountessofMorcaruponthedayoftherobberyinorderthathemightsolderthesecondbarofthegrate,whichwasloose.HehadremainedwithHornersomelittletime,buthadfinallybeencalledaway.Onreturning,hefoundthatHornerhaddisappeared,thatthebureauhadbeenforcedopen,andthatthesmallmoroccocasketinwhich,asitafterwardstranspired,theCountesswasaccustomedtokeepherjewel,waslyingemptyuponthedressing-table.Ryderinstantlygavethealarm,andHornerwasarrestedthesameeveningbutthestonecouldnotbefoundeitheruponhispersonorinhisrooms.CatherineCusack,maidtotheCountess,deposedtohavingheardRyder’scryofdismayondiscoveringtherobbery,andtohavingrushedintotheroom,whereshefoundmattersasdescribedbythelastwitness.InspectorBradstreet,Bdivision,gaveevidenceastothearrestofHorner,whostruggledfrantically,andprotestedhisinnocenceinthestrongestterms.Evidenceofapreviousconvictionforrobberyhavingbeengivenagainsttheprisoner,themagistraterefusedtodealsummarilywiththeoffence,butreferredittotheAssizes.Horner,whohadshownsignsofintenseemotionduringtheproceedings,faintedawayattheconclusionandwascarriedoutofcourt.”
“Hum!Somuchforthepolice-court,”saidHolmesthoughtfully,tossingasidethepaper.“Thequestionforusnowtosolveisthesequenceofeventsleadingfromarifledjewel-caseatoneendtothecropofagooseinTottenhamCourtRoadattheother.Yousee,Watson,ourlittledeductionshavesuddenlyassumedamuchmoreimportantandlessinnocentaspect.Hereisthestonethestonecamefromthegoose,andthegoosecamefromMr.HenryBaker,thegentlemanwiththebadhatandalltheothercharacteristicswithwhichIhaveboredyou.Sonowwemustsetourselvesveryseriouslytofindingthisgentlemanandascertainingwhatparthehasplayedinthislittlemystery.Todothis,wemusttrythesimplestmeansfirst,andtheselieundoubtedlyinanadvertisementinalltheeveningpapers.Ifthisfail,Ishallhaverecoursetoothermethods.”
“Whatwillyousay?”
“Givemeapencilandthatslipofpaper.Now,then:‘FoundatthecornerofGoodgeStreet,agooseandablackfelthat.Mr.HenryBakercanhavethesamebyapplyingat6:30thiseveningat221B,BakerStreet.’Thatisclearandconcise.”
“Very.Butwillheseeit?”
“Well,heissuretokeepaneyeonthepapers,since,toapoorman,thelosswasaheavyone.HewasclearlysoscaredbyhismischanceinbreakingthewindowandbytheapproachofPetersonthathethoughtofnothingbutflight,butsincethenhemusthavebitterlyregrettedtheimpulsewhichcausedhimtodrophisbird.Then,again,theintroductionofhisnamewillcausehimtoseeit,foreveryonewhoknowshimwilldirecthisattentiontoit.Hereyouare,Peterson,rundowntotheadvertisingagencyandhavethisputintheeveningpapers.”
“Inwhich,sir?”
“Oh,intheGlobe,Star,PallMall,St.James’sGazette,EveningNews,Standard,Echo,andanyothersthatoccurtoyou.”
“Verywell,sir.Andthisstone?”
“Ah,yes,Ishallkeepthestone.Thankyou.And,Isay,Peterson,justbuyagooseonyourwaybackandleaveithere