His Last Bow Part 8 (1/2)
”Could it not have been dropped froe?”
”I should say it was impossible If you exahtly rounded, and there is no railing round thean West was placed on it”
”How could he be placed there?”
”That was the question which we had to answer There is only one possible way You are aware that the Underground runs clear of tunnels at soue memory that as I have travelled by it I have occasionally seen s just above my head Now, suppose that a train halted under such a ould there be any difficulty in laying a body upon the roof?”
”It seems most improbable”
”We encies fail, whatever remains, however iencies HAVE failed When I found that the leading international agent, who had just left London, lived in a row of houses which abutted upon the Underground, I was so pleased that you were a little astonished at my sudden frivolity”
”Oh, that was it, was it?”
”Yes, that was it Mr Hugo Oberstein, of 13 Caulfield Gardens, had becoan my operations at Gloucester Road Station, where a very helpful official walked withthe track and allowed me to satisfy myself not only that the back-stair s of Caulfield Gardens open on the line but the evento the intersection of one of the larger railways, the Underground trains are frequently held motionless for some minutes at that very spot”
”Splendid, Holot it!”
”So far--so far, Watson We advance, but the goal is afar Well, having seen the back of Caulfield Gardens, I visited the front and satisfied myself that the bird was indeed flown It is a considerable house, unfurnished, so far as I could judge, in the upper roole valet, as probably a confederate entirely in his confidence We one to the Continent to dispose of his booty, but not with any idea of flight; for he had no reason to fear a warrant, and the idea of an amateur domiciliary visit would certainly never occur to him Yet that is precisely e are about to alize it?”
”Hardly on the evidence”
”What can we hope to do?”
”We cannot tell what correspondence may be there”
”I don't like it, Holmes”
”My dear fellow, you shall keep watch in the street I'll do the criminal part It's not a time to stick at trifles Think of Mycroft's note, of the Admiralty, the Cabinet, the exalted person aits for news We are bound to go”
My ansas to rise froo”
He sprang up and shook me by the hand
”I knew you would not shrink at the last,” said he, and for ain his eyes which was nearer to tenderness than I had ever seen The next instant he was his masterful, practical self once more
”It is nearly half a mile, but there is no hurry Let us walk,” said he ”Don't drop the instru Your arrest as a suspicious character would be a most unfortunate complication”
Caulfield Gardens was one of those lines of flat-faced pillared, and porticoed houses which are so prominent a product of the middle Victorian epoch in the West End of London Next door there appeared to be a children's party, for thevoices and the clatter of a piano resounded through the night The fog still hung about and screened us with its friendly shade Holmes had lit his lantern and flashed it upon the massive door
”This is a serious proposition,” said he ”It is certainly bolted as well as locked We would do better in the area There is an excellent archway down yonder in case a too zealous policeman should intrude Give me a hand, Watson, and I'll do the same for you”
A minute later ere both in the area Hardly had we reached the dark shadows before the step of the police above As its soft rhythm died away, Holmes set to work upon the lower door I saw him stoop and strain until with a sharp crash it flew open We sprang through into the dark passage, closing the area door behind us Hol, uncarpeted stair His little fan of yellow light shone upon a lo
”Here we are, Watson--this must be the one” He threw it open, and as he did so there was a low, harshsteadily into a loud roar as a train dashed past us in the darkness Hol the -sill It was thickly coated with soot froines, but the black surface was blurred and rubbed in places
”You can see where they rested the body Halloa, Watson! what is this? There can be no doubt that it is a bloodthe ork of the”Here it is on the stone of the stair also The demonstration is complete Let us stay here until a train stops”
We had not long to wait The very next train roared from the tunnel as before, but slowed in the open, and then, with a creaking of brakes, pulled up immediately beneath us It was not four feet froes Holmes softly closed the
”So far we are justified,” said he ”What do you think of it, Watson?”
”A ht”
”I cannot agree with you there Fro upon the roof, which surely was not a very abstruse one, all the rest was inevitable If it were not for the grave interests involved the affair up to this point would be insignificant Our difficulties are still before us But perhaps wehere which may help us”
We had ascended the kitchen stair and entered the suite of roo-roo of interest A second was a bedroo roo, and my companion settled down to a systematic examination It was littered with books and papers, and was evidently used as a study Swiftly and methodically Holmes turned over the contents of drawer after drawer and cupboard after cupboard, but no gleahten his austere face At the end of an hour he was no further than when he started
”The cunning dog has covered his tracks,” said he ”He has left nothing to incrierous correspondence has been destroyed or removed This is our last chance”
It was a s-desk Holmes pried it open with his chisel Several rolls of paper ithin, covered with figures and calculations, without any note to shohat they referred The recurring words, ”water pressure” and ”pressure to the square inch” suggested some possible relation to a submarine Holmes tossed them all impatiently aside There only remained an envelope with some small newspaper slips inside it He shook theer face that his hopes had been raised
”What's this, Watson? Eh? What's this? Record of a series of raph agony colue No dates--but e themselves This reed to Write fully to address given on card
”Pierrot
”Next comes: ”Too complex for description Must have full report, Stuff awaits you when goods delivered
”Pierrot
”Then comes: ”Matter presses Must withdraw offer unless contract completed Make appointment by letter Will confirm by advertiseht after nine Two taps Only ourselves Do not be so suspicious Payoods delivered
”Pierrot
”A fairly coet at thehis fingers on the table Finally he sprang to his feet
”Well, perhaps it won't be so difficult, after all There is nothing ht drive round to the offices of the Daily Telegraph, and so bring a good day's work to a conclusion”
Mycroft Holmes and Lestrade had come round by appointment after breakfast next day and Sherlock Hols of the day before The professional shook his head over our confessed burglary
”We can't do these things in the force, Mr Holet results that are beyond us But soo too far, and you'll find yourself and your friend in trouble”
”For England, home and beauty--eh, Watson? Martyrs on the altar of our country But what do you think of it, Mycroft?”
”Excellent, Sherlock! Admirable! But what use will you raph which lay upon the table