Sherlock Holmes and The Search for Excalibur

My mind was confused and whirling with conjecture as we hurried along.  I turned to Holmes and started to make my feelings known as we were forced to slow our pace a bit due to the fatigue of the horses.  “Who do you think that man was, Holmes?  How did he know about the ladies?  What in Hades is going on?!”

“I don’t know, Watson,” he answered in his usual calm manner.  “But there’s no time for thinking now.  Let’s just get to the apartment and we’ll deal with things as they are.”

I couldn’t get there swiftly enough.  But soon we rounded the corner onto Baker Street and pressed our mounts one, last time to arrive as quickly as possible.  Having finally reached the steps, we leapt from the horses and ran to the front door.

Cody then remarked to Holmes, “You open her up, and I’ll give us cover.”

“Right you are, sir,” my colleague told him.

Holmes then turned the handle and pushed the door open as Cody whisked by him, his Western American six-guns drawn and ready for action.

“Reach for the skies!” he shouted as Holmes and I moved through the door behind him, rushing into the sitting-room ready for the fight.

Suddenly, I caught sight of a small figure, in a corner seat, who was holding a pistol, and then shouted, “Blue blazes, Bill!  What the sam hill you tryin’ ta do?  I nearly shot yer ears off!”

I then realized that it was Miss Oakley who had spoken. 

It was Mrs. Hudson, who was seated on the couch with Emily and Mrs. McBride, who spoke next.  “Now see here, sir, you will have to put those away if you wish to remain in this house.”

“Mrs. Hudson!” I shouted, still a bit befuddled, “are you alright?”

“Why, yes, Doctor,” she answered, as she eyed us with some confusion of her own. “Why would you think otherwise?”

“Just then, another man came into the room from the direction of Holmes’s study. “Hi, Bill. You folks alright in here?  I just finished checkin’ the place and everything seems OK ta me.”

I recognized the man as, Frank; the man who had helped Miss Oakley with her shooting act.

“Is there a problem, Bill?” he asked, as he looked over and observed our disheveled state.

“Emily, are you sure you’re alright?” I asked, as I went to her side to relieve my concern.

“We’re fine,” was her adamant reply. “John, what is going on?”

Now we all breathed a sigh of relief, and we took a moment to calm ourselves before we began the explanations.

“There’s so much to tell,” I told her, “I don’t know where to begin.”

Holmes then walked over to Mrs. McBride and leaned down on one knee beside her.  “How are you feeling, my dear?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she told him in a soft tone.  But I could see that she was completely exhausted from her ordeal.  It was plain to me that her illness was taking quite a toll on her.

Holmes then stood and walked over to Miss Oakley, who was still seated in the corner chair, although now, she had holstered her pistol.  “I’m not sure what has brought you to us on this odd occasion, Miss Oakley, but I wish to give my deepest thanks, once more, for having saved our beloved Majesty.”

“It’s nice of ya ta say so, slim,” she told him with a smile.  “But it looked ta me like it woulda been you who’d uh caught it if I hadn’t fired.  One uh the gutsiest things I’ve ever seen.”

Now Holmes smiled at her.  “What did bring you to us, Miss Oakley?”

“Well, Frank and I saw you and yer friend there take off with Bill after that varmint, so we thought we’d better see yer women back home safely.”  Then she stood and walked over to the man, Frank.  “This here’s my husband Frank Butler.” 

“How do you do,” Holmes and I said, very much in unison. 

And then Mr. Cody stepped forward.  “I’m glad ta see ya