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By Root 413 0

we were horrified to hear the loud report of a revolver being fired, followed by a dreadful cry of agony. The sound came from the upstairs corridor and Eversden and I rushed out of the study and up the stairs as fast as we could. Lying on the floor, just outside his bedroom, was Simeonov with a bullet hole through his chest. He was not dead and was gasping for breath, while Yusufoglu knelt beside him. Standing a few feet away was Leonticles, the Greek, with an ashen face, looking down at the dying man. Lord Eversden and I both knelt down on the floor, since it was clear that Simeonov was trying to say something. I said: “Who shot you?” He gasped for a few moments then, pointing at Yusufoglu, said, quite clearly: “The salon … the salon”, then fell back and breathed his last. When I stood up I was aware that Count Balinsky and Baron Nopchka had arrived and were staring aghast at the corpse on the floor. A number of servants had also collected, and stood frozen into inaction, awaiting their master’s orders. Lord Eversden instructed one of them to telephone the Bulgarian Legation and dismissed the others.

“Yusufoglu and Baron Nopchka removed the body to the deceased’s bedroom, while the rest of us stood outside. Count Balinsky was as white as a sheet and was clearly trying hard to control his emotions. As soon as Yusufoglu emerged from the bedroom, Balinsky strode up to him and said, “This is your doing, you murderer!” Then turning to me, he said, “You and your country will pay for this! You have massacred enough people of my race and you will pay! You will pay!” He was quite out of control and, as if this was not enough, Yusufoglu, who is a man of a rather brooding temperament, shouted back: “I am not a murderer, you know the truth, ask yourself who is the murderer!” He took a step forward, but I placed a restraining hand on his arm and Balinsky, who was shaking with rage, also made a move towards Yusufoglu, but Lord Eversden stepped forward and planted himself between them. “I beg you to calm down, Count,” he said in a firm voice, then, turning to Yusufoglu, he said, “Colonel, please!” Balinsky pushed his way rudely past Eversden and went swiftly down the staircase.

“The most puzzling thing about this mystery, Mr Holmes, is that a revolver was found lying beside the body.”

“Surely, that is not difficult to explain, since the murderer must have dropped it as he fled from the scene,” interrupted Holmes.

“The revolver had not been fired, Mr Holmes,” said Orman Pasha, “and no other revolver was discovered.”

Holmes rubbed his hands. “Pray continue your most interesting narrative.”

“Two hours later the officials from the Legation arrived and the body was removed. Baron Nopchka pointed out that, since the matter was of great diplomatic sensitivity, the investigation would have to be handled very discreetly. It was then that I told the assembled company of my instructions from the Sultan and there was general agreement that you should be invited to look into the case. An Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard was summoned and was asked to work discreetly and to offer you every assistance if you agreed to accept the case. I regret to say that his initial investigations revealed nothing.

“There is little that remains to be told. This evening I attended a meeting with the Foreign Secretary in Whitehall, a meeting at which Count Balinsky and Baron Nopchka were also present. The Count’s contribution was a series of threats of war; he had contacted his Government by telegraph and reported to the meeting that the mood in St Petersburg is that war is imminent. I contacted the Porte by telegraph and I am informed that the Turkish Armies in Rumelia and the Caucasus have been put on a state of readiness. I have given you the full details of the matter, Mr Holmes, and it now only remains for me to ask whether you would agree to investigate the problem and discover the true perpetrator of this crime.”

Sherlock Holmes sat silently in his chair for a while, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair and his finger tips together, just touching