latter got so scared at the sudden gun-play that he fell backward
on the bed, right over one of the Earl's best suits, which made it
easier for me to search him. I went through all his pockets without
finding anything that we were after until I tapped his inside
coat-pocket. Here I got hold of a small crumpled piece of paper, drew
it out and read the following on it:

DEAR LUIGI: Meet me at Wuxley's feed store in the village at
five p. m. to-day, and we'll go in to London and sell the
pair of diamond cuff-buttons. Be on your guard against that
Holmes fellow.
DEMETRIUS.

"Ha, ha! Ha, ha! a couple of times!" chuckled Holmes, grabbing the
note from me and eagerly glancing over it. "I can tell at once that
this note was written by a man who thinks he is going to meet the
Earl's valet, but who is bound to be disappointed."

"Well, will you let me go now? You've got the note," said Vermicelli,
with a scowl at Holmes's gun, with which the detective still covered
him.

"You don't think I'm so soft as all that, do you? Let you go now, and
thereby give you a chance to warn your Greek accomplice in the gardens
that I've got his note? Not so that you could notice it, Luigi,"
scoffed Holmes. "Up into your own room you go, behind lock and key,
until after five o'clock, while I quietly don your light green
clothes, and disguised as yourself, go down to the guilty rendezvous
at Brother Wuxley's feed store, and take the cuff-buttons away from
him. I'll have the cooks send you up something at noontime, so you
won't starve in the meanwhile. Now march."

And Holmes flourished his revolver at the valet again.

Luigi didn't wait to be told a second time, but went up the stairs
with considerable alacrity, while Holmes and I followed close behind.
When we reached the fifth and top floor, we entered Luigi's room
there, and the latter changed clothes with Holmes. As they were both
of the same height and build, and were both of dark complexion, the
second gardener would not recognize my partner that evening until he
got up close to him, so Holmes was playing it rather safe.

"I think I'll just keep these valet's togs on, for the fun of it, and
then I'll be all ready when five o'clock comes," said Holmes after we
had locked Luigi in his room and were descending the stairs. "Gee, but
I wish they'd put in an elevator in this darned old-fashioned castle!
My legs are getting kind of