Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear Page #3

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which one of you suggested

changing your

insurance policies

making the other

members of your club

the beneficiaries?

Awe let me see now.

Oh yes of course,

it was dear old Allen.

Allen?

Allen Cosgrave.

Good night.

Good night.

Cosgrave!

I suspected him

from the start.

Yes you did didn't you?

How about a pint

before we go to sleep?

Sleep?

I won't be able

to close my eyes

in this sinister house.

Your rooms are

ready gentlemen.

Where's our good

friend Doctor Watson?

Oh he was rather

tired last night,

he's still sleeping.

Yes, our beds are

very comfortable here.

Why don't you stop

that ruddy pacing?

Your bodyguard's here now.

Simpson, you mustn't

tease Cosgrave.

Remember how

sensitive he is.

You should

ignore things,

like Alastair.

Thank you.

Oh, Singapore?

Huh?

Oh the Cobra.

No,

you'll never

know that one

but this one.

Oh yes, yes very good

and definitely Singapore.

Right you are Mr. Holmes.

You know you're

tattoos all right.

I'm interested

in many things.

Good morning gentlemen.

I'm sorry I'm late

I didn't sleep very well.

You didn't

sleep very well?

You snored like a pig.

Rubbish!

Got a match Doctor Watson?

Yes.

It's a very good idea.

I think I'll join you.

Nothing like the first

pipe of the morning.

Can, can I try

of some of yours?

Sorry about that,

I think I'll stay clear.

What is that seaweed?

Havana isn't it?

Flavored with Jamaica Rum.

I don't imagine your

very much troubled

with tobacco borrowers

hey Simpson?

Nobody else in the place

touches the filthy stuff.

I don't blame them.

Good heavens!

One moment please.

What is it?

Just a needle.

Who put that in my chair?

Hum.

This is no

ordinary needle.

The stain on my

handkerchief

suggest a certain

sinister possibility.

Give me that

beaker will you?

Yes of course.

We shall see.

Thank you.

As I thought,

insoluble in alcohol.

Whatever is it?

Well judging by the

stain on my handkerchief

and the milky

precipitation in alcohol

I should say it

was a derivative

of the tropizine family.

Paratropizine possibly?

That's right

Doctor Merrivale,

a deadly poison.

Close shaved

Captain Simpson.

One drop in the

bloodstream

brings agonizing

almost instant death.

It's our custom

at this hour

to honor our

departed friends.

I hope you gentlemen

will pardon us?

We quite understand

Doctor Merrivale,

please proceed.

Thank you.

Good Comrades,

our dear friend Guy Davis

has gone to his reward.

Let those of us who remain

drink to our dead

and to that

bright tomorrow

when we shall join them

in a better,

happier world.

Wait a minute,

there's something

wrong here.

If you please

Captain Simpson.

The odor of

bitter almonds.

Bitter almonds, acid huh?

Acid?

there must be

some mistake.

Mistake hey?

Lucky I didn't make it

by drinking that stuff.

Well what have

you got to say?

Whichever one of you

it was tried to kill me

had better look out.

I'm a dangerous

man to fool with.

Hadn't we better

adjourned?

I mean to say that...

We've not yet finished

the toast to our dead.

But you think

it's quite safe?

Don't be absurd Alastair.

Take my glass.

I assure you it

hasn't been poisoned.

Thank you.

Thank you

Doctor Merrivale.

To our departed Comrades.

For me?

Aye Mr. Cosgrave,

it says so on

the envelope.

It's come.

Did you find this envelope

as you did the others?

Aye.

When?

It was pushed

under the door

when everyone was

in here at dinner.

Thank you.

Well there's one thing

we can be sure of,

none of us could

have brought it.

How do we know that she's

not responsible for them?

Mrs. Monteith?

It's absurd Cosgrave,

utterly absurd.

She has been with my

family all of her life.

A dubious a

recommendation

if you ask me.

Mr. Holmes when

do you expect

the man from

Scotland Yard?

Inspector Lestrade?

He should be here

early in the morning.

Unless he got on

the wrong train.

I trust your

right Mr. Holmes.

I trust your right.

Oh dear, he's

terribly upset.

Doctor Merrivale can't

you do something for him?

I can stay with him

in his room tonight.

Why that's an

excellent idea

and I shall just be

across the hall from him.

I think that's the

wisest possible cause

with you gentlemen

protecting each other

what harm can fall you?

Well then we must

hope for the best.

Come Merrivale.

Good night gentlemen.

Good night.

Good night.

I say Holmes, have you

gone out of your mind?

Cosgrave just got

the orange pips

and your letting Merrivale

sleep in the same

room with him.

He'll be all right.

All right?

But what's

preventing Merrivale

from killing him

in his sleep?

I hardly think he'll

stick his own neck

squarely in the noose.

Well, I see what you mean.

Well the field's

narrowing down, Holmes.

Captain Simpson

certainly cleared.

How?

Yes he's definitely

been eliminated.

The killer had two

tries at him today.

Nonsense my dear Watson.

No one's tried to murder

captain Simpson's.

Well how about the poison

needle we both saw?

Captain Simpson spotted

it, if you'll recall,

from about where you are.

Oh what's so

extraordinary about that?

Can you see the

needle there now?

No.

Well there is one.

Gracious.

How'd it get there?

I placed it there myself

just before we

went into supper.

You couldn't see it yet

you have

exceptional eyesight.

Well you'd have to

have telescopic eyes

to see it from over there.

Exactly.

You mean that Simpson...

well how about the

acid in his drink?

There wasn't any

acid in his drink.

Well it

definitely smelled

like bitter almonds.

It should.

That's exactly what it

was, bitter almonds.

How do you know?

Cause I put it in

his drink myself.

You did?

Great Scott why?

To observe his reaction.

It was quite different

from that of the morning.

The first was acting,

the second genuine terror.

Hence, I knew that

he undoubtedly

planted the

needle himself.

Well why should he?

Well there are several

possible explanations,

the most obvious,

of course,

to advert suspicion.

And you think Simpson's

behind all this?

I don't know Watson.

This is a most

unique case.

Instead of too few

we have too many clues

and too many suspects.

The main pattern

on the puzzle

seems to be forming

but the pieces

don't fit in.

Well it seems

perfectly clear to me.

One of these men

is picking off the

others one by one

to get all their insurance

money for himself.

Why it's obvious.

How do you account

the orange pips?

Well this man

has an accomplice

who brings them.

What for?

To warn his victim he's

going to be murdered?

No Watson, it won't

do, it won't do at all.

I don't like the

look of it Holmes,

muddy waters huh?

Too muddy

as if someone

were constantly

stirring them up.

Why should they

stir them up?

Confuse me.

There's intelligence

behind this

business Watson.

Cold, calculating,

ruthless intelligence.

Must you smoke

that filthy stuff?

Smells like an old sock.

Strong tobacco

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