A Study in Scarlet Part II

Chapter 6

A Continuation Of The Reminiscences Of John Watson, M.D.

Our prisoner's furious resistance did not

apparently indicate any ferocity in his disposition

towards ourselves, for on finding himself power-

less, he smiled in an affable manner, and expressed

his hopes that he had not hurt any of us in the

scuffle. "I guess you're going to take me to the

police-station," he remarked to Sherlock Holmes.

"My cab's at the door. If you'll loose my legs I'll

walk down to it. I'm not so light to lift as I used to

be."

Gregson and Lestrade exchanged glances as if

they thought this proposition rather a bold one; but Holmes at once took the prisoner at his word, and

loosened the towel which we had bound round his

ankles. He rose and stretched his legs, as though

to assure himself that they were free once more. I

remember that I thought to myself, as I eyed him,

that I had seldom seen a more powerfully built

man; and his dark sunburned face bore an expres-

sion of determination and energy which was as

formidable as his personal strength.

"If there's a vacant place for a chief of the police,

I reckon you are the man for it," he said, gazing

with undisguised admiration at my fellow-lodger.

"The way you kept on my trail was a caution."

"You had better come with me," said Holmes

to the two detectives.

"I can drive you," said Lestrade.

"Good! and Gregson can come inside with me.

You too, Doctor, you have taken an interest in the

case and may as well stick to us."

I assented gladly, and we all descended to-

gether. Our prisoner made no attempt at escape,

but stepped calmly into the cab which had been

his, and we followed him. Lestrade mounted the

box, whipped up the horse, and brought us in a

very short time to our destination. We were ush-

ered into a small chamber where a police Inspector

noted down our prisoner's name and the names of

the men with whose murder he had been charged.

The official was a white-faced unemotional man,

who went through his duties in a dull mechanical

way. "The prisoner will be put before the magis-

trates in the course of the week," he said; "in the

mean time, Mr. Jefferson Hope, have you anything