Inspector Martin rose
and touched his prisoner on the shoulder.
"It is time for us to go."
"Can I see her first?"
"No, she is not conscious. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I only hope
that if ever again I have an important case I shall have the
good fortune to have you by my side."
We stood at the window and watched the cab drive away. As I
turned back my eye caught the pellet of paper which the prisoner
had tossed upon the table. It was the note with which Holmes
had decoyed him.
"See if you can read it, Watson," said he, with a smile.
It contained no word, but this little line of dancing men:--
GRAPHIC
"If you use the code which I have explained," said Holmes,
"you will find that it simply means `Come here at once.' I was
convinced that it was an invitation which he would not refuse,
since he could never imagine that it could come from anyone but
the lady. And so, my dear Watson, we have ended by turning the
dancing men to good when they have so often been the agents of
evil, and I think that I have fulfilled my promise of giving you
something unusual for your note-book. Three-forty is our train,
and I fancy we should be back in Baker Street for dinner.
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