beautiful creature against whom I was conspiring, or the grace and kindliness

with which she waited upon the injured man. And yet it would be the blackest

treachery to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted to

me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from under my ulster. After

all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are but preventing her from

injuring another.


Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion like a man who is in

need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the window. At the same

instant I saw him raise his hand and at the signal I tossed my rocket into the

room with a cry of “Fire!” The word was no sooner out of my mouth

than the whole crowd of spectators, well dressed and ill—gentlemen,

ostlers, and servant maids—joined in a general shriek of

“Fire!” Thick clouds of smoke curled through the room and out at

the open window. I caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a moment later the

voice of Holmes from within assuring them that it was a false alarm. Slipping

through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner of the street, and in

ten minutes was rejoiced to find my friend’s arm in mine, and to get away

from the scene of uproar. He walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutes

until we had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the

Edgeware Road.


“You did it very nicely, Doctor,” he remarked. “Nothing could

have been better. It is all right.”


“You have the photograph?”


“I know where it is.”


“And how did you find out?”


“She showed me, as I told you she would.”


“I am still in the dark.”


“I do not wish to make a mystery,” said he, laughing. “The

matter was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyone in the street

was an accomplice. They were all engaged for the evening.”


“I guessed as much.”


“Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in the palm