The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-12

trusions into his own finely adjusted tenn
permanent was to introduce a most dis
tracing factor which might throw doubt
upon all his mental results Grit in a
sensitive instrument. or a crack in one of
his own high power lenses would not be
more disturbing than strong emotion in a
nature such as his. And yet there was but
one woman to him, and that woman was
the late Irene Adler, of dubious and oues-
tionable memory.
/ had seen little of Holmes since the
singular chain of events which / have
already in bald fashion narrated under
the heading of "The Sign of Four" NY
marriage had, as he foretold, drifted us
away from each other. Ny own complete
happiness and the home conferred interests
which rise up around the man who first
finds himself master of his own establish
ment We're sufficient to absorb all my at
tention, while Holmes, who loathed everv
form of society with his whole Bohemian
soul, remained in our lodgings on Baker
street, buried among his old books, and
alternating from week to week between
cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of
the drug and the fierce energy of his own
keen nature. From time to time heard
some vague account of his doings.
of his summons to Odessa in the case
of the Trepoff murder. of his clearing up
of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson
brothers at Trincomalee, and finally of the
mission which he had accomplished so
delicately and successfully for the reign
ing family of Holland. Beyond these
signs of his activity, however, which I
merely shared with all the readers of the
daily press, knew little of my former
friend and companion.
One night-it was on the 10Th of March.
1sss-I was returning from journey to A
patient (for | had now returned to civil
rractice), when my way led me through
Baker street, As passed the well-remem-
bered door, which must always be associ-
ated in my mind with my wooinc and
with the dark incidents of the Study in
Scarlet. was seized with a keen desire to
see Holmes again and to know how he
was employing his extraordinary now
ers. His rooms were brilliantly
lit, and, even as | looked up.
saw his tall, spare figure pass twice in a
bark silhouette against the blind. He was
pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with his
head sunk upon his chest and his hands
clasped behind him. To me, who knew
his every mood and habit, his attitude and
manner told their own story. He was at
work again. He had risen out of his drug
created dreams and was hot upon the
scent of some new problem. I rang the
bell and was shown up to the chamber
which had formerly been in part my own.
His manner was not eifusive. 1t seldom
was; but he was glad, think, 10 see me.
With hardly word spoken, but with a
kindly eye he waved me to an arm chair,
threw across his case of cigars and indi-
Gated spirit case and q gasogene in the
corner. Then he stood before the fire and
looked me over in his singular introspec-
tive fashion.
"Wedlock suits you, he remarked. "I
think, Watson, that you have put on seven
and half pounds since saw YOU"
''Seven," | answered.
Indeed. should have thought n little
more. Just a triie more, fancy, Wat
son. And in practice again, observe.
You did not tell me that you intended 10
go into harness."
Then how do you know"
Il see it, deduce it, How do I know
that you have been getting yourself very
wet lately. and that you have a most
clumsy and careless servant girI2"
My dear Holmes" said /. "this is too
much. You would certainly have been
burned had Won lived few centuries ago.
Ii is true that l had a country walk on
Thursday and came home in a dreadful
mess, but, as have changed my clothes, |
can't imagine how you deduce it, As to
Mary Jane, she Is ineorEigibIe, and my