sergeant and constable stood doorway Holmes drew his card case

" my name and address my friend, Dr Watson "

"Bless you, sir, you ," said the sergeant, "but 't stay here without warrant "

" not I quite understand that "

"Arrest him ! " cried Peters

" where to lay our hands gentleman if wanted," said the sergeant majestically, "but you'll have , Mr Holmes "

"Yes, Watson, "

minute later we were street once more Holmes as cool as ever, but hot with anger and humiliation The sergeant had followed us

"Sorry, Mr Holmes, but that's the law "

"Exactly, Sergeant, do otherwise "

"I expect good reason for your presence there anything do-"

"It's missing lady, Sergeant, and house I expect warrant presently "

"Then I'll keep my eye parties, Mr Holmes If anything comes along, surely let "

only nine o'clock, and we were off full cry trail at once First we drove to Brixton Workhouse Infirmary, where indeed the truth that charitable couple had called some days before, had claimed an imbecile old woman as former servant, and had obtained permission her away No surprise was expressed news that she had since died

The doctor was our next goal He called in, had found the woman dying of pure senility, had actually seen her pass away, and had signed the certificate in due form "I assure you that everything was perfectly normal and no room for foul play matter," said he Nothing house had struck him as suspicious save that for people class remarkable no servant and no farther went the doctor

Finally our way to Scotland Yard There difficulties of procedure in regard warrant Some delay was inevitable The magistrate's signature obtained until next morning If Holmes would call about nine go down with Lestrade it acted upon So ended the day, save that near midnight our friend, the sergeant, called that he had seen flickering lights here and there windows great dark house, but that no one had left it and none had entered but pray for patience and wait morrow

Sherlock Holmes was too irritable for conversation and too restless for sleep I left him smoking hard, heavy, dark brows knotted together, long, nervous fingers tapping arms chair, as he turned over mind every possible solution mystery course night I heard him prowling house Finally, just after I called morning, he rushed into my room dressing-gown, but his pale, hollow-eyed face told me that his night sleepless one

"What time funeral ? Eight, not ? " he asked eagerly "Well, 7:30 now Good heavens, Watson, what has become of any brains that God me ? Quick, man, quick ! It's life or death- hundred chances on death to one on life I'll never forgive myself, never, too late ! "

Five minutes passed before we were flying in hansom down Baker Street But even so twenty-five to eight passed Big Ben, and eight struck tore down the Brixton Road But others were late Ten minutes hour the hearse was still standing door house, and even as our foaming horse came to halt the coffin, supported by three men, appeared threshold Holmes darted forward and barred their way

"Take it back ! " he cried, laying his hand breast foremost "Take it back this instant ! "

"What the devil ? Once again I , where is your warrant ? " shouted the furious Peters, his big red face glaring over the farther end coffin

"The warrant is on its way This coffin shall remain house until it comes "

The authority in Holmes's voice had its effect bearers Peters had suddenly vanished house, obeyed these new orders "Quick, Watson, quick ! screw-driver ! " he shouted coffin was replaced table "Here's one , my man ! sovereign lid comes off in minute ! Ask no questions- work away ! That's good ! Another ! And another ! Now pull all together ! It's giving ! It's giving ! Ah, that does it at last "

With united effort we tore off the coffin-lid As so there came inside stupefying and overpowering smell of chloroform body lay within, its head ill wreathed in cotton-wool, which soaked narcotic Holmes plucked it off and disclosed the statuesque face of handsome and spiritual woman of middle age In an instant he had passed his arm round the figure and raised her to sitting position

"Is she gone, Watson ? spark left ? Surely too late ! "

For half an hour it seemed that we were What with actual suffocation, and what poisonous fumes chloroform, the Lady Frances seemed passed the last point of recall And then, at last, with artificial respiration, with injected ether, with every device that science could suggest, some flutter of life, some quiver eyelids, some dimming of mirror, spoke slowly returning life cab had driven up, and Holmes, parting the blind, looked out at it " Lestrade warrant," said he " that his birds have flown And here," he added as heavy step hurried along the passage, "is someone who has better right to nurse this lady than Good morning, Mr Green; sooner move the Lady Frances the better Meanwhile, the funeral may proceed, poor old woman who still lies coffin may go to her last resting-place alone "

"Should you care to add the case to your annals, my dear Watson," said Holmes that evening, "it can only be as an example temporary eclipse even the best-balanced mind exposed Such slips are common to all mortals, greatest is he recognize and repair them modified credit , perhaps, make some claim My night was haunted thought that somewhere clue, strange sentence, curious observation, had come under my notice and too easily dismissed Then, suddenly, gray morning, the words came back It remark undertaker's wife, as reported by Philip Green She had said, 'It there before now It took longer, being ordinary ' It coffin she spoke It ordinary That could only mean made to some special measurement But why ? Why ? Then in an instant I remembered the deep sides, little wasted figure bottom Why so large coffin for so small body ? To leave room for another body Both buried under the one certificate It had all been so clear, if only my own sight dimmed At eight the Lady Frances buried Our one chance was to stop the coffin before it left the house