II.
THE ADVENTURE OF THE IRATE HOUSE-HOLDER
We were just finishing breakfast when the door was unceremoniously burst open and an obviously excited little man precipitated himself into the room.
"You are an optimist, I perceive," said Keys quietly.
The little man looked amazed, as well he might, not knowing the powers of the Great Detective as well as I did.
"How on earth did you know that?" he ejaculated.
"Quite simple, my dear sir," answered Keys, "you came in without knocking. What can I do for you?"
"Well, sir," the little man went on excitedly, "my name is Bloggs, sir, Joseph Bloggs, and I am the victim of a conspiracy. The Council have sent me in a bill for $96 for three months water rate, and I never used so much in my life.
"No, I can quite believe it," said Keys drily, surveying the rather drab appearance of the visible portions of our visitor's anatomy. "But whom do you suspect?"
"Well, sir, I voted against the nincompoops that the effete electors have chosen to represent them, and now they're soaking me."