The Adventure of the Abbas Ruby

"The Adventure of the Abbas Ruby" is a Sherlock Holmes mystery by Adrian Conan Doyle, the youngest son of Arthur Conan Doyle, the Sherlock Holmes creator. The story was published in the 1954 collection, The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes.

Plot

Holmes is startled by the sudden appearance during a blizzard of Andrew Joliffe, the butler of horticulturalist Sir John Doverton. During a dinner party, the Abbas Ruby disappeared from the Doverton house, as did all the blooms on Sir John's camillia bush. The police arrive at Holmes residence to arrest Joliffe, but not before Joliffe admits that he was the same Joliffe involved in the Catterdon Diamond robbery. Before departing with his prisoner, Inspector Gregson of Scotland Yard shows Holmes and Watson the empty jewel case found concealed in Joliffe's room.^[1]

Lady Doverton smiled coldly. "In the meantime, the police will have arrested the thief."

[Holmes]"I think not."

"Absurd! The man who fled was a convicted jewel–robber. It is obvious."

"Perhaps too obvious, madam! Does it not strike you as somewhat singular that an ex–convict, though aware that his record was known already to your brother, should steal a famous stone from his own employer and then conveniently condemn himself by secreting the jewel–box under his mattress, where even Scotland Yard could be relied upon to search?

Lady Doverton put a hand to her bosom. "I had not considered the matter in that light," she said.

"Naturally...."

References