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the little man and touched him upon the shoulder。 He sprang
round； and I could see in the gas…light that every vestige of
colour had been driven from his face。
〃Who are you； then？ What do you want？〃 he asked in a
quavering voice。
〃You will excuse me；〃 said Holmes blandly； 〃but I could not
help overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just
now。 I think that I could be of assistance to you。〃
〃You？ Who are you？ How could you know anything of the
matter？〃
〃My name is Sherlock Holmes。 It is my business to know what
other people don't know。〃
〃But you can know nothing of this？〃
〃Excuse me； I know everything of it。 You are endeavouring to
trace some geese which were sold by Mrs。 Oakshott； of Brixton
Road； to a salesman named Breckinridge； by him in turn to Mr。
Windigate； of the Alpha； and by him to his club； of which Mr。
Henry Baker is a member。〃
〃Oh； sir； you are the very man whom I have longed to meet；〃
cried the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering
fingers。 〃I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this
matter。〃
Sherlock Holmes hailed a four…wheeler which was passing。 〃In
that case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in
this wind…swept market…place；〃 said he。 〃But pray tell me； before
we go farther； who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting。〃
The man hesitated for an instant。 〃My name is John Robinson；〃
he answered with a sidelong glance。
〃No； no； the real name；〃 said Holmes sweetly。 〃It is always
awkward doing business with an alias。〃
A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger。 〃Well；
then；〃 said he； 〃my real name is James Ryder。〃
〃Precisely so。 Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan。
Pray step into the cab； and I shall soon be able to tell you
everything which you would wish to know。〃
The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with
half…frightened； half…hopeful eyes； as one who is not sure whether
he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe。 Then he
stepped into the cab； and in half an hour we were back in the
sitting…room at Baker Street。 Nothing had been said during our
drive； but the high； thin breathing of our new companion； and the
claspings and unclaspings of his hands； spoke of the nervous
tension within him。
〃Here we are！〃 said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room。
〃The fire looks very seasonable in this weather。 You look cold；
Mr。 Ryder。 Pray take the basket…chair。 I will just put on my
slippers before we settle this little matter of yours。 Now； then！
You want to know what became of those geese？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Or rather； I fancy； of that goose。 It was one bird； I
imagine； in which you were interestedwhite； with a black bar
across the tail。〃
Ryder quivered with emotion。 〃Oh； sir；〃 he cried； 〃can you
tell me where it went to？〃
〃It came here。〃
〃Here？〃
〃Yes； and a most remarkable bird it proved。 I don't wonder
that you should take an interest in it。 It laid an egg after it
was deadthe bonniest； brightest little blue egg that ever was
seen。 I have it here in my museum。〃
Our visitor staggered to his feet and clutched the mantelpiece
with his right hand。 Holmes unlocked his strong…box and held up
the blue carbuncle； which shone out like a star； with a cold；
brilliant； many…pointed radiance。 Ryder stood glaring with a
drawn face； uncertain whether to claim or to disown it。
〃The game's up； Ryder；〃 said Holmes quietly。 〃Hold up； man；
or you'll be into the fire！ Give him an arm back into his chair；
Watson。 He's not got blood enough to go in for felony with
impunity。 Give him a dash of brandy。 So！ Now he looks a little
more human。 What a shrimp it is； to be sure！〃
For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen； but the
brandy brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks； and he sat
staring with frightened eyes at his accuser。
〃I have almost every link in my hands； and all the proofs
which I could possibly need； so there is little which you need
tell me。 Still； that little may as well be cleared up to make the
case complete。 You had heard； Ryder； of this blue stone of the
Countess of Morcar's？〃
〃It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it；〃 said he in a
crackling voice。
〃I seeher ladyship's waiting…maid。 Well； the temptation of
sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you； as it has
been for better men before you； but you were not very scrupulous
in the means you used。 It seems to me； Ryder； that there is the
making of a very pretty villain in you。 You knew that this man
Horner； the plumber； had been concerned in some such matter
before； and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him。
What did you do； then？ You made some small job in my lady's
roomyou and your confederate Cusackand you managed that he
should be the man sent for。 Then； when he had left； you rifled
the jewel…case； raised the alarm； and had this unfortunate man
arrested。 You then〃
Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at
my companion's knees。 〃For God's sake； have mercy！〃 he shrieked。
〃Think of my father！ of my mother！ It would break their hearts。
I never went wrong before！ I never will again。 I swear it。 I'll
swear it on a Bible。 Oh； don't bring it into court！ For Christ's
sake； don't！〃
〃Get back into your chair！〃 said Holmes sternly。 〃It is very
well to cringe and crawl now； but you thought little enough of
this poor Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew
nothing。〃
〃I will fly； Mr。 Holmes。 I will leave the country； sir。 Then
the charge against him will break down。〃
〃Hum！ We will talk about that。 And now let us hear a true
account of the next act。 How came the stone into the goose； and
how came the goose into the open market？ Tell us the truth； for
there lies your only hope of safety。〃
Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips。 〃I will tell
you it just as it happened； sir；〃 said he。 〃When Horner had been
arrested； it seemed to me that it would be best for me to get away
with the stone at once； for I did not know at what moment the
police might not take it into their heads to search me and my
room。 There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe。
I went out； as if on some commission； and I made for my sister's
house。 She had married a man named Oakshott； and lived in Brixton
Road； where she fattened fowls for the market。 All the way there
every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective；
and； for all that it was a cold night； the sweat was pouring down
my face before I came to the Brixton Road。 My sister asked me
what was the matter； and why I was so pale； but I told her that I
had been upset by the jewel robbery at the hotel。 Then I went
into the back yard and smoked a pipe； and wondered what it would
be best to do。
〃I had a friend once called Maudsley； who went to the bad； and
has just been serving his time in PentonvilIe。 One day he had met
me； and fell into talk about the ways of thieves； and how they
could get rid of what they stole。 I knew that he would be true to
me； for I knew one or two things about him； so I made up my mind
to go right on to Kilburn； where he lived； and take him into my
confidence。 He would show me how to turn the stone into money。
But how to get to him in safety？ I thought of the agonies I had
gone through in coming from the hotel。 I might at any moment be
seized and searched； and there would be the stone in my waistcoat
pocket。 I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at
the geese which were waddling about round my feet； and suddenly an
idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the best
detective that ever lived。
〃My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the
pick of her geese for a Christmas present； and I knew that she was
always as good as her word。 I would take my g