Sherlock Holmes, brilliant detective, and Dr. Watson, his trusted friend, met Alexander Holder one
morning of February. Alexander Holder, the senior partner of the banking firm of Holder & Stevenson, a widower lives with his only son, Arthur, niece Mary and six other households. Arthur, spoiled by the love of his father, acquainted with people who enjoys gambling. Mary is the daughter of Mr. Holder’s deceased brother; he adopted and loved her as his own child. Trusted by the banker in household matters. George Burnwell, a man of the world, gain the friendship of Arthur.
The Beryl Coronet, a precious public possessions of England, was entrusted to Alexander Holder by a man as a security for 50,000 pounds, whose identity he rather conceal for he is a prominent person in London. Knowing the great responsibility at his hand, the banker decided to carry the jewelry at his home in Streatham.
That night at the drawing- room the banker told Arthur and Mary everything about the Beryl Coronet. They asked him if they can see it, but he refused and said it is safely secured in his bureau. Before he went to bed he had an argument with Arthur because he ask him again money to pay his debt at the gambling club, but he refused to give. He looked around the house. Went down and saw Mary closing and locking the side window of the hall. Thinking all is secured, they went to sleep.
Mr. Holder was awaken by a noise like a window close somewhere, then heard footstep the next room. He went out of his bed and cautiously peered round the corner of his dressing-room door. It was Arthur. The banker shouted at his son and took the coronet at his son’s hands and noticed one of the gold corners, with three of the beryls in it was missing. You cracked it, where are the jewels which you have stolen? He asked. Arthur was surprised to see his father and said nothing could be missing. Angered by his father when called thief and said he will keep silent and let the police investigate, when his father threatened to call the police. The house was stir up by the commotion, Mary came first saw the coronet at her uncle’s hand and the face of his cousin, screamed and fainted, then the maids came, the banker asked them to call the police. When the authority arrived searched the place and found nothing. Mr. Holder pleaded his son to return the coronet and save them, his client and the nation from scandal. But Arthur asked to let him go for five minutes, his father refused. Arthur remained uncooperative with the police, banker sent his son to cell. The police got nothing, advised him to ask the help of Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes pondering the banker’s story thought it is not a simple case. He questioned the sound the banker heard, why would Arthur returned to the room and risked himself of being caught, broke a part of it and hide it where no one could find it.
Holmes, with the banker and Watson, went to the banker’s house. He examined the garden, stable, window, bureau, where the coronet is hidden and the coronet itself. Agreed to meet the next morning, he left the place with Watson.
The next morning the banker came distressed than before, Mary left the house. Holmes gave him the gems, after receiving 4,000 pounds check. The banker delighted the gems are recovered, Holmes tells him how he retrieved it and what transpired that night at the banker’s house.
Mary and George are lovers. When they met that night, Mary told him about the coronet and he persuaded her to take it. Mary saw her uncle coming down the stairs rushed back to the house. When Mr. Holder was asleep, Mary went to his room took the coronet, went down and gave it to George waiting outside the window. She was unaware that Arthur saw everything, after she has left he followed George, and caught him, they fought, tugging the coronet on both ends, Arthur hit him above the eye then something cracked. Arthur realized he got the coronet ran backed the house and climbed to his father room when he noticed the coronet is twisted, trying to straighten it up when the banker saw his son.
When Holmes left Baker Street alone clad as a loafer, he went to George’s house. Made friends with his valet, found out his master was cut the previous night. He bought George discarded shoes and it matched on the tracks at the Streatham. Holmes went home changed dress and confronted George, who protested and tried to hit him, but Holmes held a gun to his head. George appeared beaten. Confessed he sold the gems for six hundred. Holmes assured George there will be no prosecution; he got the address of the buyer and bought back the three gems for 1000 pounds each.