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Page 42
I had been on the point of inquiring if she had sustained any injury,
but I checked the words and stood looking after her in blank
wonderment. Then my ideas were diverted into a new channel. I
perceived, as she passed under an adjacent lamp, that her basket
contained provisions such as a woman of her appearance would scarcely
be expected to purchase. I noted a bottle of wine, a chicken, and a
large melon.
The nationality of the assailant from the first had marked the affair
for no ordinary one, and now a hazy notion of what lay behind all
this began to come to me.
Keeping well in the shadows on the opposite side of the way, I
followed the woman with the basket. The lane was quite deserted;
for, the disturbance over, those few residents who had raised their
windows had promptly lowered them again. She came out into
Waterloo Road, crossed over, and stood waiting by a stopping-place
for electric cars. I saw her arranging a cloth over her basket in
such a way as effectually to conceal the contents. A strong mental
excitement possessed me. The detective fever claims us all at one
time or another, I think, and I had good reason for pursuing any
inquiry that promised to lead to the elucidation of the slipper
mystery. A theory, covering all the facts of the assault incident,
now presented itself, and I stood back in the shadow, watchful; in
a degree, exultant.
A Greenwich-bound car was hailed by the woman with the basket. I
could not be mistaken, I felt sure, in my belief that she cast
furtive glances about her as she mounted the steps. But, having
seen her actually aboard, my attention became elsewhere engaged.
All now depended upon securing a cab before the tram car had
passed from view!
I counted it an act of Providence that a disengaged taxi appeared
at that moment, evidently bound for Waterloo Station. I ran out
into the road with cane upraised.
As the man drew up--
"Quick!" I cried. "You see that Greenwich car-nearly at the
Ophthalmic Hospital? Follow it. Don't get too near. I will give
you further instructions through the tube." I leapt in. We were
off!
The rocking car ahead was rounding the bend now toward St. George's
Circus. As it passed the clock and entered South London Road it
stopped. I raised the tube.
"Pass it slowly!"
We skirted the clock tower, and bore around to the right. Then I
drew well back in the corner of the cab.
The woman with the basket was descending! "Pull up a few yards
beyond!" I directed. As the car re-started, and passed us, the
taxi became stationary. I peered out of the little window at the
back.
The woman was returning in the direction of Waterloo Road!
"Drive slowly back along Waterloo Road," was my next order.
"Pretend you are looking for a fare; I will keep out of sight."
The man nodded. It was unlikely that any one would notice the
fact that the cab was engaged.
I was borne back again upon my course. The woman kept to the right,
and, once we were entered into the straight road which leads to the
bridge, I again raised the speaking-tube.
"Pull up," I said. "On the right-hand side is an old woman carrying
a basket, fifty yards ahead. Do you see her? Keep well behind, but
don't lose sight of her."
The man drew up again and sat watching the figure with the basket
until it was almost lost from sight. Then slowly we resumed our
way. I would have continued the pursuit afoot now, but I feared
that my quarry might again enter a vehicle. She did not do so,
however, but coming abreast of the turning in which the mysterious
assault had taken place, she crossed the road and disappeared from
view.
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