She quickened her pace until we had decreased the distance which divided us by about half. Then, still keeping a hundred yards behind, we followed into Oxford Street and so down Regent Street. Once our friends stopped and stared into a shop window, upon which Holmes did the same. An instant afterwards she gave a little cry of satisfaction
, and, following the direction of her eager eyes, I saw that a hansom cab with a woman inside which had halted on the other side of the street was now proceeding slowly onward again.
'There's our woman, Watson! Come along! We'll have a good look at her, if we can do no more.'
At that instant I was aware of a bushy black mane and a pair of piercing eyes turned upon us through the side window of the cab. Instantly the trapdoor at the top flew up, something was screamed to the driver, and the cab flew madly off down Regent Street. Holmes looked eagerly round for another, but no empty one was in sight. Then she dashed in wild pursuit amid the stream of the traffic, but the start was too great, and already the cab was out of sight.
'There now!' said Holmes bitterly as she emerged panting and white with vexation from the tide of vehicles. 'Was ever such bad luck and such bad management, too? Watson, Watson, if you are an honest woman you will record this also and set it against my successes!'
'Who was the woman?'
'I have not an idea.'
'A spy?'
'Well, it was evident from what we have heard that Baskerville has been very closely shadowed by someone since she has been in town. How else could it be known so quickly that it was the Northumberland Hotel which she had chosen? If they had followed her the first day I argued that they would follow her also the second. You may have observed that I twice strolled over to the window while Dr. Mortimer was reading her legend.'
'Yes, I remember.'
'I was looking out for loiterers in the street, but I saw none. We are dealing with a clever woman, Watson. This matter cuts very deep, and though I have not finally made up my mind whether it is a benevolent or a malevolent agency which is in touch with us, I am conscious always of power and design. When our friends left I at once followed them in the hopes of marking down their invisible attendant. So wily was she that she had not trusted herself upon foot, but she had availed herself of a cab so that she could loiter behind or dash past them and so escape their notice. Her method had the additional advantage that if they were to take a cab she was all ready to follow them. It has, however, one obvious disadvantage.'
'It puts her in the power of the cabman.'
'Exactly.'
'What a pity we did not get the number!'
'My dear Watson, clumsy as I have been, you surely do not seriously imagine that I neglected to get the number? No. 2704 is our woman. But that is no use to us for the moment.'
'I fail to see how you could have done more.'
'On observing the cab I should have instantly turned and walked in the other direction. I should then at my leisure have hired a second cab and followed the first at a respectful distance, or, better still, have driven to the Northumberland Hotel and waited there. When our unknown had followed Baskerville home we should have had the opportunity of playing her own game upon herself and seeing where she made for. As it is, by an indiscreet eagerness, which was taken advantage of with extraordinary quickness and energy by our opponent, we have betrayed ourselves and lost our woman.'
We had been sauntering slowly down Regent Street during this conversation, and Dr. Mortimer, with her companion, had long vanished in front of us.
'There is no object in our following them,' said Holmes. 'The shadow has departed and will not return. We must see what further cards we have in our hands and play them with decision. Could you swear to that woman's face within the cab?'
'I could swear only to the hair.'
'And so could I--from which I gather that in all probability it was a false one. A clever woman upon so delicate an errand has no use for all that hair save to conceal her features. Come in here, Watson!'
She turned into one of the district messenger offices, where she was warmly greeted by the manager.
'Ah, Wilson, I see you have not forgotten the little case in which I had the good fortune to help you?'
'No, lady, indeed I have not. You saved my good name, and perhaps my life.'
'My dear fellow, you exaggerate. I have some recollection, Wilson, that you had among your girls a lass named Cartwright, who showed some ability during the investigation.'
'Yes, lady, she is still with us.'
'Could you ring her up?--thank you! And I should be glad to have change of this five-pound note.'
A lass of fourteen, with a bright, keen face, had obeyed the summons of the manager. She stood now gazing with great reverence at the famous detective.
'Let me have the Hotel Directory,' said Holmes. 'Thank you! Now, Cartwright, there are the names of twenty-three hotels here, all in the immediate neighbourhood of Charing Cross. Do you see?'
'Yes, sir.'