nion to take his choice of weapons. Sir George
selected the pick, and Doyle vigorously plied the spade. In almost
less time than it takes to tell it, a very respectable hole had been
dug, and in it was placed the body of the popular private detective.
Just as the last spadeful was shovelled in place the stern voice of a
policeman awoke the silence, and caused Sir George to drop his pick
from nerveless hands.

'What are you two doing down there?'

'That's all right, officer,' said Doyle glibly, as one who had
foreseen every emergency. 'My friend here is controller of the Strand.
When the Strand is up he is responsible, and it has the largest
circulation in the--I mean it's up oftener than any other street in
the world. We cannot inspect the work satisfactorily while traffic is
on, and so we have been examining it in the night-time. I am his
secretary; I do the writing, you know.'

'Oh, I see,' replied the constable. 'Well, gentlemen, good morning to
you, and merry Christmas.'

'The same to you, constable. Just lend a hand, will you?'

The officer of the law helped each of the men up to the level of the
road.

As Doyle drove away from the ill-omened spot he said:--

'Thus have we disposed of poor Holmes in the busiest spot on earth,
where no one will ever think of looking for him, and we've put him
away without even a Christmas box around him. We have buried him for
ever in the _Strand_.'

* * * * *

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