g her waylaid and searched. Two
attempts of the sort have already been made. We may take it, then, that
she does not carry it about with her."

"Where, then?"

"Her banker or her lawyer. There is that double possibility. But I am
inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, and they like
to do their own secreting. Why should she hand it over to anyone else?
She could trust her own guardianship, but she could not tell what
indirect or political influence might be brought to bear upon a business
man. Besides, remember that she had resolved to use it within a few
days. It must be where she can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her
own house."

"But it has twice been burglarized."

"Pshaw! They did not know how to look."

"But how will you look?"

"I will not look."

"What then?"

"I will get her to show me."

"But she will refuse."

"She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It is her
carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter."

As he spoke, the gleam of the sidelights of a carriage came round the
curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which rattled up to
the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up one of the loafing men at the
corner dashed forward to open the door in the hope of earning a copper,
but was elbowed away by another loafer who had rushed up with the same
intention. A fierce quarrel broke out which was increased by the two
guardsmen, who took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors
grinder, who was equally hot upon the other side. A blow was struck, and
in an instant the lady, who had stepped from her carriage, was the
centre of a little knot of struggling men who struck savagely at each
other with their fists and sticks. Holmes dashed into the crowd to
protect the lady; but, just as he reached her, he gave a cry and dropped
to the ground, with the blood running freely down his face. At his fall
the guardsmen took to their heels in one direction and the loungers in
the other, while a number of better-dressed people who had watched the
scuffle without taking part in it crowded in to help the lady and to
attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, had
hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top, with her superb figure
outlined against the lights of the hall, looking back into the street.

"Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked.

"He is dead," cried several voices.

"No, no, there's life in him," shouted a