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, grey 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
