His Last Bow Part 12 (1/2)
”Well, I want to see the man who lives here, whatever he may call himself,” said Holmes firmly
She hesitated Then she threw open the door ”Well, come in!” said she ”My husband is not afraid to face any man in the world” She closed the door behind us and showed us into a sitting-rooas as she left us ”Mr Peters will be with you in an instant,” she said
Her words were literally true, for we had hardly time to look around the dusty and moth-eaten apartment in which we found ourselves before the door opened and a big, clean-shaven bald- headed e red face, with pendulous cheeks, and a general air of superficial benevolence which was marred by a cruel, vicious entle-easy voice ”I fancy that you have been misdirected Possibly if you tried farther down the street- -”
”That will do; we have no time to waste,” said my companion firmly ”You are Henry Peters, of Adelaide, late the Rev Dr Shlessinger, of Baden and South America I am as sure of that as that my own name is Sherlock Holmes”
Peters, as I will now call hiuess your nahten me, Mr Holmes,” said he coolly ”When a man's conscience is easy you can't rattle him What is your business in my house?”
”I want to knohat you have done with the Lady Frances Carfax, wholad if you could tell me where that lady ainst her for a nearly a hundred pounds, and nothing to show for it but a couple of trumpery pendants that the dealer would hardly look at She attached herself to Mrs Peters andanother name at the time--and she stuck on to us until we came to London I paid her bill and her ticket Once in London, she gave us the slip, and, as I say, left these out- of-date jewels to pay her bills You find her, Mr Holmes, and I'm your debtor”
In MEAN to find her,” said Sherlock Holh this house till I do find her”
”Where is your warrant?”
Holmes half drew a revolver from his pocket ”This will have to serve till a better one coht describe erous ruffian And together we are going through your house”
Our opponent opened the door
”Fetch a policeman, Annie!” said he There was a whisk of fee, and the hall door was opened and shut
”Our time is limited, Watson,” said Holet hurt Where is that coffin which was brought into your house?”
”What do you ith the coffin? It is in use There is a body in it”
”I must see the body”
”Never with my consent”
”Then without it” With a quick movement Holmes pushed the fellow to one side and passed into the hall A door half opened stood i- room On the table, under a half-lit chandelier, the coffin was lying Holas and raised the lid Deep down in the recesses of the coffin lay an ehts above beat down upon an aged and withered face By no possible process of cruelty, starvation, or disease could this wornout wreck be the still beautiful Lady Frances Holmes's face showed his amazement, and also his relief
”Thank God!” he muttered ”It's someone else”
”Ah, you've blundered badly for once, Mr Sherlock Holmes,” said Peters, who had followed us into the room
”Who is the dead woman?”
”Well, if you really must know, she is an old nurse of my wife's, Rose Spender by naht her round here, called in Dr Horsom, of 13 Firbank Villas--mind you take the address, Mr Holmes--and had her carefully tended, as Christian folk should On the third day she died--certificate says senile decay--but that's only the doctor's opinion, and of course you know better We ordered her funeral to be carried out by Stiht o'clock to- Can you pick any hole in that, Mr Holmes? You've ive so face when you pulled aside that lid expecting to see the Lady Frances Carfax and only found a poor old woman of ninety”
Holmes's expression was as ionist, but his clenched hands betrayed his acute annoyance
”I ah!” cried Peters as a woe ”We'll soon see about that This way, officers, if you please These et rid of theeant and a constable stood in the doorway Holmes drew his card from his case
”This is my name and address This is my friend, Dr Watson”
”Bless you, sir, we know you very well,” said the sergeant, ”but you can't stay here without a warrant”
”Of course not I quite understand that”
”Arrest him!” cried Peters
”We knohere to lay our hands on this gentleeant o, Mr Holo”
A minute later ere in the street once er and hueant had followed us
”Sorry, Mr Holeant, you could not do otherwise”
”I expect there was good reason for your presence there If there is anything I can do--”
”It's a eant, and we think she is in that house I expect a warrant presently”
”Then I'll keep , I will surely let you know”
It was only nine o'clock, and ere off full cry upon the trail at once First we drove to Brixton Workhoused Infirmary, where we found that it was indeed the truth that a charitable couple had called some days before, that they had claimed an imbecile old woman as a former servant, and that they had obtained permission to take her aith them No surprise was expressed at the news that she had since died
The doctor was our next goal He had been called in, had found the wo of pure senility, had actually seen her pass away, and had signed the certificate in due for was perfectly normal and there was no roo in the house had struck him as suspicious save that for people of their class it was remarkable that they should have no servant So far and no further went the doctor
Finally we found our way to Scotland Yard There had been difficulties of procedure in regard to the warrant Soht not be obtained until next o doith Lestrade and see it acted upon So ended the day, save that near eant, called to say that he had seen flickering lights here and there in the s of the great dark house, but that no one had left it and none had entered We could but pray for patience and wait for the morrow
Sherlock Holmes was too irritable for conversation and too restless for sleep I left hiether, and his long, nervous fingers tapping upon the arms of his chair, as he turned over in his mind every possible solution of the ht I heard hi about the house Finally, just after I had been called in the own, but his pale, hollow- eyed face told ht had been a sleepless one
”What tierly ”Well, it is 7:20 now Good heavens, Watson, what has becoiven me? Quick, man, quick! It's life or death--a hundred chances on death to one on life I'll never forgive myself, never, if we are too late!”
Fivein a hansoht as we passed Big Ben, and eight struck as we tore down the Brixton Road But others were late as well as we Tenat the door of the house, and even as our foa horse came to a halt the coffin, supported by three men, appeared on the threshold Holmes darted forward and barred their way