ndhewastogetsomethinghandsomeifwereachedourvessel,theEsmeralda,atGravesend,outwardboundfortheBrazils.”
“Well,ifhehasdonenowrongweshallseethatnowrongcomestohim.Ifweareprettyquickincatchingourmen,wearenotsoquickincondemningthem.”ItwasamusingtonoticehowtheconsequentialJoneswasalreadybeginningtogivehimselfairsonthestrengthofthecapture.FromtheslightsmilewhichplayedoverSherlockHolmes’sface,Icouldseethatthespeechhadnotbeenlostuponhim.
“WewillbeatVauxhallBridgepresently,”saidJones,“andshalllandyou,Dr.Watson,withthetreasure-box.IneedhardlytellyouthatIamtakingaverygraveresponsibilityuponmyselfindoingthis.Itismostirregularbutofcourseanagreementisanagreement.Imust,however,asamatterofduty,sendaninspectorwithyou,sinceyouhavesovaluableacharge.Youwilldrive,nodoubt?”
“Yes,Ishalldrive.”
“Itisapitythereisnokey,thatwemaymakeaninventoryfirst.Youwillhavetobreakitopen.Whereisthekey,myman?”
“Atthebottomoftheriver,”saidSmall,shortly.
“Hum!Therewasnouseyourgivingthisunnecessarytrouble.Wehavehadworkenoughalreadythroughyou.However,doctor,Ineednotwarnyoutobecareful.BringtheboxbackwithyoutotheBakerStreetrooms.Youwillfindusthere,onourwaytothestation.”
TheylandedmeatVauxhall,withmyheavyironbox,andwithabluff,genialinspectorasmycompanion.Aquarterofanhour’sdrivebroughtustoMrs.CecilForrester’s.Theservantseemedsurprisedatsolateavisitor.Mrs.CecilForresterwasoutfortheevening,sheexplained,andlikelytobeverylate.MissMorstan,however,wasinthedrawing-room:sotothedrawing-roomIwent,boxinhand,leavingtheobliginginspectorinthecab.
Shewasseatedbytheopenwindow,dressedinsomesortofwhitediaphanousmaterial,withalittletouchofscarletattheneckandwaist.Thesoftlightofashadedlampfelluponherassheleanedbackinthebasketchair,playingoverhersweet,graveface,andtintingwithadull,metallicsparkletherichcoilsofherluxurianthair.Onewhitearmandhanddroopedoverthesideofthechair,a