The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax* by Arthur Conan Doyle
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just come .I turned to thank my preserver, who stood beside me in_the roadway .

" well, Watson," said he, "a very pretty hash you have_made of it ! I rather think you had better come back with me to London by_the night express ."

an hour afterwards, Sherlock Holmes, in_his usual garb and style, was seated in my private room at_the hotel . his explanation of_his sudden and opportune appearance was simplicity itself, for, finding that he_could get away from London, he determined to head me off at_the next obvious point of_my travels . in_the disguise of a workingman he had sat in_the cabaret waiting for_my appearance .

" and a singularly consistent investigation you have_made, my dear Watson," said he ." I_cannot at_the moment recall any possible blunder which you_have omitted . the total effect of your proceeding has_been to_give the alarm everywhere and yet to discover nothing ."

" perhaps you_would_have done no better," I answered bitterly .

" there_is no ' perhaps' about_it . I_have_done better . here_is_the Hon .Philip green, who_is a fellow- lodger with_you in_this hotel, and we_may find him the starting- point for a more successful investigation ."

a card had come up on a salver, and it_was followed by_the same bearded ruffian who had attacked me in_the street . he started when he_saw me .

" what_is this, Mr Holmes ? " he asked ."I had your note and I_have come . but what has_this man to_do with_the matter ? "

this_is my old friend and associate, Dr .Watson, who_is helping us in_this affair ."

the stranger held out a huge, sunburned hand, with a few words of apology .

" I_hope I didn't harm you . when_you accused me of hurting her I lost my grip of myself . indeed, I'm not responsible in_these days . my nerves are like live wires . but this situation is beyond me . what i_want to_know, in_the first place, Mr Holmes, is, how in_the_world you came to hear of_my existence at all ."

" I_am in touch with miss Dobney, lady Frances's governess ."

" old Susan Dobney with_the mob cap ! I remember her well ."

" and she remembers you . it_was in_the days before- before_you found it better to_go to south Africa ."

"Ah, I_see you_know my whole story . I_need hide nothing from_you .I swear to_you, Mr Holmes, that there never was in_this world a man who loved a woman with a more wholehearted love than I had for Frances . i_was a wild youngster, I_know- not worse than others of_my class . but her mind was pure as snow . she_could_not bear a shadow of coarseness . so, when she came to hear of things that I had done, she would_have no more to_say to_me . and yet she loved me- that_is_the wonder of it ! - loved me well enough to remain single all her sainted days just for_my sake alone . when_the years had passed and I had made my money at Barberton i_thought perhaps I_could seek her out and soften her .I had heard that she was still unmarried . I_found her at Lausanne and tried all I_knew . she weakened, i_think, but her will was strong, and when next I called she had left the town .I traced her to Baden, and then after a time heard that her maid was here .I'm a rough fellow, fresh from a rough life, and when Dr .Watson spoke to_me as he_did I lost hold of myself for a moment . but for god's sake tell me what has become of_the lady Frances ."

" that_is for_us to_find out," said Sherlock Holmes with peculiar gravity ." what_is your London address, Mr green ? "

" the Langham hotel will_find me ."

" then may I recommend that you return there and be on hand in_case i_should want you ? I_have no desire to encourage false hopes, but you_may rest assured that all that_can_be done will_be_done for_the safety of lady Frances . I_can_say no more for_the instant . i_will leave you this card so_that you_may_be_able to_keep in touch with_us . now, Watson, if_you_will pack your bag i_will cable to Mrs Hudson to_make one 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 to_me ." 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 seemingly irrelevant question as_to_this clerical gentleman's left ear . you_did_not answer it ."

"I had left Baden and could_not inquire ."

" exactly . for_this reason I_sent a duplicate to_the manager of_the Englischer Hof, whose answer lies here ."

" what does it show ? "

" it shows, my dear Watson, that we_are dealing with an exceptionally astute and dangerous man . the Rev .Dr .Shlessinger, missionary from South_America, is none other_than holy Peters, one_of_the_most unscrupulous rascals that Australia has ever evolved- and for a young country it has turned out some very finished types . his particular specialty is_the beguiling of lonely ladies by playing upon their religious feelings, and_his so- called wife, an Englishwoman named Fraser, is a worthy helpmate . the nature of_his tactics suggested his identity to_me, and this physical peculiarity- he_was badly bitten in a saloon- fight at Adelaide in '89- confirmed my suspicion . this poor lady is in_the hands of a most infernal couple, who_will stick at nothing, Watson . that she_is already dead is a very likely supposition . if_not, she_is undoubtedly in some sort of confinement and unable to write to miss Dobney or her other friends . it_is always possible that she never reached London, or that she has passed through it, but the former is improbable, as, with their system of registration, it_is_not easy for foreigners to play tricks with_the continental police; and_the latter is also unlikely, as_these rogues could_not hope to_find any_other place where it would_be as easy to_keep a person under restraint . all my instincts tell me that she_is in London, but as we_have at present no possible means of telling where, we_can only take_the obvious steps, eat our dinner, and possess our souls in patience . later in_the evening i_will stroll down and_have a word with friend Lestrade at Scotland yard ."

but neither the official police nor Holmes's own small but very efficient organization sufficed to clear away the mystery .Amid the crowded millions of London the three persons we sought were as completely obliterated as if_they had never lived .Advertisements were tried, and failed .Clues were followed, and led to nothing . every criminal resort which Shlessinger might frequent was drawn in vain . his old associates were watched, but they kept clear of him . and then suddenly, after a week of helplessness suspense there came a flash of light .a silver- and- brilliant pendant of old Spanish design had_been pawned at Bovington's, in Westminster road . the pawner was a large, clean-shaven man of clerical appearance . his name and address were demonstrably false . the ear had escaped notice, but the description was surely that of Shlessinger .

three times had our bearded friend from_the Langham called for news- the third time within an hour of_this fresh development . his clothes were getting looser on_his great body . he_seemed to_be wilting away in_his anxiety ." if_you_will only give_me something to_do ! " was his 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 that they_cannot let her loose without their own destruction . we_must prepare 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 a fair price and no questions asked, so if he_is in need of ready- money he_will probably come back to Bovington's . i_will give_you a note to_them, and they_will let you wait in_the shop . if_the fellow comes you_will follow him home . but no indiscretion, and, above all, no violence .I put you on_your honour that you_will take no step without my knowledge and consent ."

for two days the Hon .Philip green ( he_was, I_may mention, the son of_the famous admiral of_that name who commanded the sea of Azof fleet in_the Crimean war) brought us no news . on_the evening of_the third he rushed into our sitting- room, pale, trembling, with every muscle of_his powerful frame quivering with excitement .

" we_have him ! we_have him ! " he cried .

he_was incoherent in_his agitation .Holmes soothed him with a few words 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 the pendant she brought was_the fellow of_the other, she_is a tall, pale woman, with ferret eyes ."

" that_is_the lady," said Holmes .

" she left the office and I followed her . she walked up the Kennington road, 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 which told 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 was excusing herself .' it should_be there before now,' she answered .' it took longer, being out_of_the ordinary .' they both stopped and looked at me, so I asked some question 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 suspicions had_been aroused, i_think, for she looked round her . then she called a cab and got in . i_was lucky enough to_get another and so to_follow her . she got down at last at no .36, Poultney square, Brixton .I drove past, left my cab at_the corner of_the square, and watched the house ."

" did you_see anyone ? "

" the windows were all in darkness save one on_the lower floor . the blind 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 two men in_it . they descended, took something out_of_the van, and carried it 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_been opened to admit the men and their burden . it was_the woman who had opened it . but as I stood there she caught a glimpse of me, and i_think that she recognized me . I_saw her start, and she hastily closed the door .I remembered my promise to_you, and here I_am ."

" you have_done excellent work," said Holmes scribbling a few words upon a half- sheet of paper ." we_can do nothing legal without a warrant, and you_can serve the cause best by taking this note down to_the authorities and getting one . there_may_be some difficulty, but i_should 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_be lost . leave it in_our hands . now, Watson," he added as our client hurried away, " he_will set the regular forces on_the move . we_are, as usual, the irregulars, and we_must take our own line of action . the situation strikes me as so desperate that_the most extreme measures are justified . not a moment is_to_be lost in getting to Poultney square .

" let_us try to reconstruct the situation," said he as_we drove swiftly past the Houses of parliament and over Westminster bridge ." these villains have coaxed this unhappy lady to London, after first alienating her from her faithful maid . if she has_written any letters they_have been intercepted . through some confederate they_have engaged a furnished house . once inside it, they_have made her a prisoner, and they_have become possessed of_the valuable jewellery which_has been their object from_the first . already they_have begun to_sell part of it, which seems safe enough to_them, since they_have no reason to_think that anyone is interested in_the lady's fate . when she_is released she will, of_course, denounce them . therefore, she_must not be released . but they_cannot keep her under lock and key forever . so murder is their only solution ."

" that seems very clear ."

" now we_will take another line of reasoning . when_you follow two separate chains of thought, Watson, you_will_find some point of intersection which should approximate to_the truth . we_will start now, not from_the lady but from_the coffin and argue backward . that incident proves, I_fear, beyond all doubt that_the lady is dead . it points also to an orthodox burial with proper accompaniment of medical certificate and official sanction . had the lady been obviously murdered, they_would_have buried her in a hole in_the back garden . but here all is open and regular . what does that mean ? surely that they_have done her to death in some way which_has deceived the doctor and simulated a natural end- poisoning, perhaps . and yet how strange that_they should ever let a doctor approach her unless he were a confederate, which_is hardly a credible proposition ."

" could they_have forged a medical certificate ? "

" dangerous, Watson, very dangerous . no, I hardly see them doing that . pull up, cabby ! this_is evidently the undertaker's, for we_have just passed the pawnbroker's . would you go in, Watson ? your appearance inspires confidence . ask what hour the Poultney square funeral takes place to- morrow ."

the woman in_the shop answered me without hesitation that_it_was to_be at eight o'clock in_the morning ." you_see, Watson, no mystery; everything aboveboard ! in some way the legal forms have undoubtedly been complied with, and they_think that they_have little to fear . well, there's nothing for_it now but a direct frontal attack . are_you armed ? "

" my stick ! "

" well, well, we_shall_be strong enough .' thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just .' we simply can't afford to wait for_the police or

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