seph Patrick Harrigan, and I can lick the first son-of-a-gun that
says I stole those darned cuff-buttons!"

"Nobody said you stole 'em. Where were you born, and how did such an
able man as yourself come to be working in this menagerie of
lowbrows?"

"I was born in little old New York, in the Ninth Ward. I used to be a
waiter in a Bowery hash-foundry, and afterwards graduated into one of
the Broadway lobster-palaces. I have the reputation of being one of
the best living judges of rare wines; and the Earl has said many a
time that he could not possibly do without my talents."

"Is that the reason the Earl hired you,--because you are so good at
looking upon the grape-juice when it is red?" asked Holmes with a
smile, as he winked at His Lordship.

"Your perspicacity is marvelous, Mr. Holmes," replied Harrigan. "My
reputation having crossed the ocean, through the men who knew me on
Broadway coming over to visit friends in London, the Earl heard of me,
and cabled me my expenses and an offer of double the salary I was
getting there; so I snapped it up immediately, and here I am, in full
charge of the ancient Puddingham wine-cellars."

And Harrigan cleared his throat, threw out his chest, and winked at
me.

"Well, Joe," continued Holmes, "what do you know about the lost and
lamented cuff-buttons,--if anything?"

"Not a darned thing, and that's the Gospel truth. And as to whom I may
possibly suspect of having cabbaged them, I'll come right out
flat-footed and say that I wouldn't put it past a single person in the
place, with the sole exceptions of Louis La Violette, the French cook,
Heinie Blumenroth, the German gardener, and myself! Nothing backward
about _me_, you know. I lay the whole crowd under a blanket suspicion,
on general principles; and I'll say, furthermore, that I have
particular reason to suspect Bunbury, the first footman, of having
stolen the cuff-buttons, because he tried to steal a necktie from my
room last week, and I only caught him in the nick of time, helping him
out of the room with a couple of well-placed kicks!"

"It's sad, indeed, Harrigan," said Holmes, "to contemplate what one's
fellow-man will stoop to. Well, I guess I'll excuse you from any
further questions. Thorneycroft, call in His Excellency, Monsieur La
Violette, the Chief Cook of this noble castle."

"Harrigan, you may pour me out another glass of wine," interposed the
Earl before the butler had a chance to leave the room.

After H