Sherlock Holmes and the Queen of Diamonds Read Online Free PDF Page A

see ’em.’
    Alfie, O’Leary and Wadlock grudgingly obeyed.
    The rest of the patrons immediately cleared a space for the combatants and Liggett danced forward, determined not to disappoint them. He waited until Blackrat got back to his hands and knees and then kicked him in the ribs. The impact lifted Blackrat off the floor. He rolled over, grunting. But he recovered faster than Liggett expected, grabbed the American’s boot by heel and toe and twisted. Forced off balance, Liggett stumbled back against the table, sending table and chairs flying across the sawdusted floorboards.
    Blackrat jumped up, fists swinging wildly. Liggett blocked his blows and then jabbed Blackrat several times in the face. Blackrat staggered back, blood streaming from his nose. Liggett charged in, hammering him with punches, forcing Blackrat to retreat still further.
    He stumbled against a table. He grabbed a bottle from it, smashed the bottom off then brandished the jagged neck in Liggett’s face.
    Liggett fell back, watching him warily. The onlookers abruptly fell silent. Liggett tore his mackinaw off and wrapped it around his right hand and forearm.
    Blackrat lunged at him before he was finished. At once the crowd roared. Liggett quickly snaked the jacket out so that it wrapped itself around Blackrat’s knife-arm. He yanked back on the coat, pulling Blackrat forward, into a bone-shattering left hook. Blackrat’s legs went wobbly and he collapsed on the floor. Liggett kicked the broken bottle away, then dropped to his knees beside Blackrat and started punching him repeatedly in the face. He kept up the onslaught, blow after vicious blow, until Blackrat’s face was so much raw meat.
    Helpless, Blackrat was soon beaten unconscious. The onlookers, accustomed to seeing Blackrat the victor, again fell silent. No one had ever seen any man destroy his opponent so thoroughly, and a grim hush settled inside the pub.
    At last Liggett stopped punching and just stood over Blackrat, his powerful shoulders heaving as he sucked in air. Then, retrieving his jacket, he turned to Alfie, O’Leary and Wadlock and said: ‘Gentlemen … I give you your … fearless leader.’
    Alfie looked down at Blackrat, his weasly face a portrait of disappointment. First the man with the guns, and now this . ‘Forget it,’ he said, sniffling and wiping his nose. ‘’E ain’t our leader no more.’
    â€˜That go for all of you?’ Liggett asked the others.
    The trio exchanged looks. Then, as one, they nodded.
    â€˜Then take the trash out before it stinks up the place, boys. And get back in here soon as you can.’ He turned to his brother. ‘Jack – set ’em up again. We got some talkin’ to do, and we’re gonna start with a description of the man with the guns.’
    â€˜You got it, guv’nor,’ Alfie said.
    â€˜An’ I’ll hear the straight of it,’ Liggett warned. He spotted the fallen knife and picked it up, admiring its unusualscrew-horn handle before closing it up and slipping it into his pocket. ‘No lies, no exaggerations. You guys play fair with me and I’ll play fair with you. Got that?’
    Three heads nodded eagerly.

CHAPTER 4

The Crippled Acrobat
    H olmes, who normally slept till noon or beyond, was woken early the following morning by a persistent rapping at his bedroom door. When he answered it, he found Watson standing there holding a yellow telegram envelope.
    ‘This has just arrived. I didn’t know if it might be important .’
    Holmes took the envelope, tore it open and quickly scanned the contents. A moment later he vanished back into his room, calling through the now-closed door: ‘Get your coat, Watson, and ask Mrs Hudson to summon a cab at once! We’re off to Surbiton.’
    ‘Surbiton?’
    Holmes’s door opened again and he looked out. ‘Yes. That telegram was from our old friend Rosier of the Yard. Our jewel thief has