breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson that he thought of
nothing but flight, but since then he must have bitterly regretted the
impulse which caused him to drop his bird. Then, again, the
introduction of his name will cause him to see it, for everyone who
knows him will direct his attention to it. Here you are, Peterson, run
down to the advertising agency and have this put in the evening
papers.
In which, sir?
Oh, in the _Globe_, _Star_, _Pall Mall_, _St. James s Gazette_,
_Evening News_, _Standard_, _Echo_, and any others that occur to you.
Very well, sir. And this stone?
Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, Peterson, just
buy a goose on your way back and leave it here with me, for we must
have one to give to this gentleman in place of the one which your
family is now devouring.
When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone and held it
against the light. It s a bonny thing, said he. Just see how it
glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime.
Every good stone is. They are the devil s pet baits. In the larger and
older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed. This stone is not
yet twenty years old. It was found in the banks of the Amoy River in
southern China and is remarkable in having every characteristic of the
carbuncle, save that it is blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite
of its youth, it has already a sinister history. There have been two
murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought
about for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal.
Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows
and the prison? I ll lock it up in my strong box now and drop a line to
the Countess to say that we have it.
Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?
I cannot tell.
Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had
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