cable to Mrs. Hudson to makeone of her best efforts for two hungry travellers at 7:30 to-morrow."
A telegram was awaiting us when we reached our Baker Street rooms,which Holmes read with an exclamation of interest and threw across tome. "Jagged or torn," was the message, and the place of origin, Baden.
"What is this?" I asked.
"It is everything," Holmes answered. "You may remember my seeminglyirrelevant question as to this clerical gentleman's left ear. You didnot answer it."
"I had left Baden and could not inquire."
"Exactly. For this reason I sent a duplicate to the manager of theEnglischer Hof, whose answer lies here."
"What does it show?"
"It shows, my dear Watson, that we are dealing with an exceptionallyastute and dangerous man. The Rev. Dr. Shlessinger, missionary fromSouth America, is none other than Holy Peters, one of the mostunscrupulous rascals that Australia has ever evolved--and for a youngcountry it has turned out some very finished types. His particularspecialty is the beguiling of lonely ladies by playing upon theirreligious feelings, and his so-called wife, an Englishwoman namedFraser, is a worthy helpmate. The nature of his tactics suggested hisidentity to me, and this physical peculiarity--he was badly bitten in asaloon-fight at Adelaide in '89--confirmed my suspicion. This poorlady is in the hands of a most infernal couple, who will stick atnothing, Watson. That she is already dead is a very likelysupposition. If not, she is undoubtedly in some sort of confinementand unable to write to Miss Dobney or her other friends. It is alwayspossible that she never reached London, or that she has passed throughit, but the former is improbable, as, with their system ofregistration, it is not easy for foreigners to play tricks with theContinental police; and the latter is also unlikely, as these rougescould not hope to find any other place where it would be as easy tokeep a person under restraint. All my instincts tell me that she is inLondon, but as we have at present no possible means of telling where,we can only take the obvious steps, eat our dinner, and possess oursouls in patience. Later in the evening I will stroll down and have aword with friend Lestrade at Scotland Yard."
But neither the official police nor Holmes's own small but veryefficient organization sufficed to clear away the mystery. Amid thecrowded millions of London the three persons we sought were ascompletely obliterated as if they had never lived. Advertisements weretried, and failed. Clues were followed, and led to nothing. Everycriminal resort which Shlessinger might frequent was drawn in vain.His old associates were watched, but they kept clear of him. And thensuddenly, after a week of helpless suspense there came a flash oflight. A silver-and-brilliant pendant of old Spanish design had beenpawned at Bovington's, in Westminster Road. The pawner was a large,clean-shaven man of clerical appearance. His name and address weredemonstrably false. The ear had escaped notice, but the descriptionwas surely that of Shlessinger.
Three times had our bearded friend from the Langham called fornews--the third time within an hour of this fresh development. Hisclothes were getting looser on his great body. He seemed to be wiltingaway in his anxiety. "If you will only give me something to do!" washis constant wail. At last Holmes could oblige him.
"He has begun to pawn the jewels. We should get him now."
"But does this mean that any harm has befallen the Lady Frances?"
Holmes shook his head very gravely.
"Supposing that they have held her prisoner up to now, it is clear thatthey cannot let her loose without their own destruction. We mustprepare for the worst."
"What can I do?"
"These people do not know you by sight?"
"No."
"It is possible that he will go to some other pawnbroker in the future.In that case, we must begin again. On the other hand, he has had afair price and no questions asked, so if he is in need of ready-moneyhe will probably come back to Bovington's. I will give you a note tothem, and they will let you wait in the shop. If the fellow comes youwill follow him home. But no indiscretion, and, above all, noviolence. I put you on your honour that you will take no step withoutmy knowledge and consent."
For two days the Hon. Philip Green (he was, I may mention, the son ofthe famous admiral of that name who commanded the Sea of Azof fleet inthe Crimean War) brought us no news. On the evening of the third herushed into our sitting-room, pale, trembling, with every muscle of hispowerful frame quivering with excitement.
"We have him! We have him!" he cried.
He was incoherent in his agitation. Holmes soothed him with a fewwords and thrust him into an armchair.
"Come, now, give us the order of events," said he.
"She came only an hour ago. It was the wife, this time, but thependant she brought was the fellow of the other. She is a tall, palewoman, with ferret eyes."
"That is the lady," said Holmes.
"She left the office and I followed her. She walked up the KenningtonRoad, and I kept behind her. Presently she went into a shop. Mr.Holmes, it was an undertaker's."
My companion started. "Well?" he asked in that vibrant voice whichtold of the fiery soul behind the cold gray face.
"She was talking to the woman behind the counter. I entered as well.'It is late,' I heard her say, or words to that effect. The woman wasexcusing herself. 'It should be there before now,' she answered. 'Ittook longer, being out of the ordinary.' They both stopped and lookedat me, so I asked some questions and then left the shop."
"You did excellently well. What happened next?"
"The woman came out, but I had hid myself in a doorway. Her suspicionshad been aroused, I think, for she looked round her. Then she called acab and got in. I was lucky enough to get another and so to followher. She got down at last at No. 36, Poultney Square, Brixton. Idrove past, left my cab at the corner of the square, and watched thehouse."
"Did you see anyone?"
"The windows were all in darkness save one on the lower floor. Theblind was down, and I could not see in. I was standing there,wondering what I should do next, when a covered van drove up with twomen in it. They descended, took something out of the van, and carriedit up the steps to the hall door. Mr. Holmes, it was a coffin."
"Ah!"
"For an instant I was on the point of rushing in. The door had beenopened to admit the men and their burden. It was the woman who hadopened it. But as I stood there she caught a glimpse of me, and Ithink that she recognized me. I saw her start, and she hastily closedthe door. I remembered my promise to you, and here I am."
"You have done excellent work," said Holmes, scribbling a few wordsupon a half-sheet of paper. "We can do nothing legal without awarrant, and you can serve the cause best by taking this note down tothe authorities and getting one. There may be some difficulty, but Ishould think that the sale of the jewellery should be sufficient.Lestrade will see to all details."
"But they may murder her in the meanwhile. What could the coffin mean,and for whom could it be but for her?"
"We will do all that can be done, Mr. Green. Not a moment will belost. Leave it in our hands. Now Watson," he added as our clienthurried away, "he will set the regular forces on the move. We are, asusual, the irregulars, and we must take our own line of action. Thesituation strikes me as so desperate that the most extreme measures arejustified. Not a moment is to be lost in getting to Poultney Square.
"Let us try to reconstruct the situation," said he as we drove swiftlypast the Houses of Parliament and over Westminster Bridge. "Thesevillains have coaxed this unhappy lady to London, after firstalienating her from her faithful maid. If she has written any lettersthey have been intercepted. Through some confederate they have engageda furnished house. Once inside it, they have made her a prisoner, andthey have become possessed of the valuable jewellery which has beentheir object from the first. Already they have begun to sell part ofit, which seems safe enough to them, since they have no reason to thinkthat anyone is interested in the lady's fate. When she is released shewill, of course, denounce them. Therefore
, she must not be released.But they cannot keep her under lock and key forever. So murder is theironly solution."
"That seems very clear."
"Now we will take another line of reasoning. When you follow twoseparate chains of thought, Watson, you will find some point ofintersection which should approximate to the truth. We will start now,not from the lady but from the coffin and argue backward. Thatincident proves, I fear, beyond all doubt that the lady is dead. Itpoints also to an orthodox burial with proper accompaniment of medicalcertificate and official sanction. Had the lady been obviouslymurdered, they would have buried her in a hole in the back garden. Buthere all is open and regular. What does this mean? Surely that theyhave