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never spoken of it,” I said.
    “And why should she, Watson? The name would probably mean nothing to her. It has after all been fifteen years sine her father’s death.
    “I suppose you are right. So what do you think brought him to Woolwich?”
    “I can’t really say but if he did have some mischief in mind, yesterday morning would have been an ideal time for him to bring to fruition any such plan , whether a kidnapping or something even worse.”
    “You think he would dare kidnap a respectable woman right off the streets of London in broad daylight?” I asked doubtfully.
    “Such a man would risk anything and an unescorted lady alone in a cab would be easy prey. There exists the very real possibility that she could have become the victim of an unscrupulous cab driver in the Colonel’s employ, who could have simply taken her to a place of Moran’s choosing. He has used such a device before. Or possibly an accident would be staged which would cause the cab to be held up in traffic. In the resulting confusion she could have been snatched from the inside of the vehicle with no one being the wiser. It would be child’s play.”
    “So what happened when you confronted him?” I asked.
    “That would not have been prudent at the time. I retreated back down the pavement and approached the house by way of the back garden.”
    “Kate never mentioned your visit.”
    “As Mrs. Whitney remains for the most part bedridden she never knew of it.”
    “And what of the maid?”
    “When I asked her if Mrs. Watson was in her first instinct was to turn me away but a five pound note and the mention of your name helped decide the matter in my favour. I cajoled and pleaded with your wife to come with me, advising her of how it would now be too dangerous to return home, however she was unwilling to believe that she was in any danger from which you could not safeguard her.”
    “I would like to think that she is right, Holmes. I do not fear Moran or others of his ilk.
    “No one doubts your bravery old fellow however you could not always be there to protect her.”
    “I could sell the practice and move elsewhere; to Scotland or even Canada perhaps.”
    “That would be no more than a temporary solution, Watson. The man is a hunter by nature, sooner or later he would find you. Our best option , I believe, is to secrete your wife at a location where she could be protected while we set our sights on Moran. Once we have dealt with him your lives can then return to normal.”
    “Holmes,” I said, “why not just ask Mary if she knows anything of this Colon el Moran? If, as I suspect, she knows nothing of the man’s antecedents we could make him aware of this, then perhaps he would leave her alone and if it turns out that she does know anything of a criminal nature concerning the man, then we could go to the police.”
    “A rather idealistic solution Watson. In the first place if we were to tell Moran that your wife knows nothing of his past life and that his name means nothing to her, I do not e xpect that he would believe us.
    “In the second place if Mrs. Watson does possess knowledge, unknowingly or otherwise, of Moran’s activities and it these activities were illegal the police could do nothing without corroborating evidence; evidence which at the moment we do not possess. With no proof her information would be little more than useless.”
    “Surely with your powers Holmes you would be able to find such proof.”
    “You flatter me Doctor. However if a crime was indeed committed , and if evidence of such does exist it will take some time for me to ferret out the relevant details especially if it is as I think, an army matter.”
    “Holmes. Do you really think Ma ry’s father knew anything of an illegal nature concerning Moran?”
    “You know Watson that I never theorize without the facts, and at this moment we do not know that Captain Morstan knew anything w hatsoever about Moran. However anytime one man knows another