The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat,which gave him a decidedly nautical appearance, and he carried ablack canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seatedhimself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him.
"What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "Youlook dissatisfied."
"And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriagecase. I can make neither head nor tail of the business."
"Really! You surprise me."
"Who ever heard of such a mixed affair? Every clue seems to slipthrough my fingers. I have been at work upon it all day."
"And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying hishand upon the arm of the pea-jacket.
"Yes, I have been dragging the Serpen
tine."
"In heaven's name, what for?"
"In search of the body of Lady St. Simon."
Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily.
"Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain?" heasked.
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Because you have just as good a chance of finding this lady inthe one as in the other."
Lestrade shot an angry glance at my companion. "I suppose youknow all about it," he snarled.
"Well, I have only just heard the facts, but my mind is made up."
"Oh, indeed! Then you think that the Serpentine plays no part inthe matter?"
"I think it very unlikely."
"Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we foundthis in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto thefloor a wedding-dress of watered silk, a pair of white satinshoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soakedin water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon thetop of the pile. "There is a little nut for you to crack, MasterHolmes."
"Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air."You dragged them from the Serpentine?"
"No. They were found floating near the margin by a park-keeper.They have been identified as her clothes, and it seemed to methat if the clothes were there the body would not be far off."
"By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be foundin the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hopeto arrive at through this?"
"At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance."
"I am afraid that you will find it difficult."
"Are you, indeed, now?" cried Lestrade with some bitterness. "Iam afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with yourdeductions and your inferences. You have made two blunders in asmany minutes. This dress does implicate Miss Flora Millar."
"And how?"
"In the dress is a pocket. In the pocket is a card-case. In thecard-case is a note. And here is the very note." He slapped itdown upon the table in front of him. "Listen to this: 'You willsee me when all is ready. Come at once. F.H.M.' Now my theory allalong has been that Lady St. Simon was decoyed away by FloraMillar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, wasresponsible for her disappearance. Here, signed with herinitials, is the very note which was no doubt quietly slippedinto her hand at the door and which lured her within theirreach."
"Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really arevery fine indeed. Let me see it." He took up the paper in alistless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and hegave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important,"said he.
"Ha! you find it so?"
"Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly."