Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-12-28

you hS Euttf
care for him as a constant companion"
"Why, what is there against him?"
sOh, l didn't say there was any
thing against him. He is a little queer
in his ideas-an enthusiast in some
branches of science. AS far as 1 know,
he is a decent fellow enough"
ga medical student, l suppose?" said
1.
"No-I have no idea what he intends
to go in for. / believe he is well up in
anatomy, and he is a irst-class
chemist; but, as far as | know. he has
never taken out any systematic medi-
cal classes, His studies are very
desultory and eccentric, but he has
amassed a lot of out-of-the-way
knowledge which would astonish his
professors"
"Did you never ask him what ne was
going in for?" l asked.
"No; he is not a man that it is easy
to draw out, though he can be COM
municative enough when the fancy
seiZes him"
II should like to meet him. said.
"If l am to lodge with anyone, /
should prefer a man with studlous and
quiet habits. I am not strong enough
yet to stand much noise or excitement.
/ had enough of both in Afghanistan
to last me for the remainder of my
natural existence. How could l meet
this friend of yours?"
"He is sure to be at the laboratory.
He either avoids the place for weeks,
or else he works there from morning
to night. If you like, we shall drive
round together after luncheon"
Certainly" | answered., and the
conversation drifted away into other
channels.
AS we made our way to the hospital
! after leaving the Holborn, Stamford
gave me a few more particulars about
the gentleman whom / proposed to
take as a fellow ledger.
"You mustn't blame me if you don't
get on with him." he said; II know
nothing more Of him than / have
learned from meeting him occasional
ly in the laboratory. You proposed
this arrangement, SO you must not hold
me responsible"
eff we don't get on it will be easy to
part company" I answered. 1T seems
to me, Stamford" l added, looking
hard at my companion, that you have
some reason for washing your hands
of the matter. Is this fellows temper
so formidable, or what is it? Don't be
mealy-mouthed about it."
at is not easy to express the mex
pressible," he answered, with a laugh.
Holmes is a little too scientific for my
tastes-it approaches to cold-blooded-
ness. l could imagine his giving a
friend a little pinch of the latest vege.
table alkaloid not out of m~alevolence,
you understand, but simply out of a
spirit of inquiry in order to have an
accurate idea of the effects. To dc
him justice, 1 think that he would take
it himself with the same readiness. He
appears to have a passion for definite
and exact knowledge"
Very right, too"
Eyes; but it may be pushed to ex'
cess. When it comes to beating the
subjects in the dissecting-rooms with
a stick it is certainly taking rather a
bizarre shape"
Beating the subjects!"
Eyes, to verify how far bruises may
be produced after death. Isaw him al
it with my own eyes"
"And yet you say he is not a medical
student?"
mo. Heaven knows what the OBJ
jects of his studies are! But here we
are, and you must form your own i'm
pressions about him. As he spoke we
turned down a narrow lane and passed
through a small side door which
opened into a wing of the great hos
pital. It vas familiar ground to me
and I needed no guiding as we as
cended the bleak stone staircase and
made our way down the long corridor
with it's vista of whitewashed wall and
d~un-colored doors. Near the farther
end a low, arched passage branched
away from it and led to the chemical
laboratory.
This was a lofty chamber, lined and
Uttered with countless bottles. Broad,
low tables were scattered about, which
bristled with retorts, test-tubes and
little Bunsen lamps, with their blue
Pickering flames. There was only one
student in the ROOM, who was bending
owe a distant table absorbed in hi:
work. At the sound of our steps he
glanced round and sprang to his fee
with . cry of pleasure. I've found it
I've found It'll" he shouted to my com
panion, running toward us with a test
tube in his hand. 81 have found {
reagent which is precipitated b,
hamoglobin, and by nothing else.
Had he discovered a gold mine, great
er delight could not have shone upor
his features.
CDR. Watson-Mr. Sherlock Holmes,
said Stamford, introducing us.
How are your he said, cordially
gripping my hand with a strength fol
which I should hardly have given hin
credit. "You have been in Afghanis
tan, l perceive"
Glow on earth did you know that?'
/ asked, in Advertisements.
Never mind" said he. chuckling t.
himself. The question now is abou-
hamoglobin. No doubt you see the
significance of this discovery o.
mine?"
at is interesting, chemically, NJ
doubt" answered.; but practically
-
"Why, man, it is the most practica
m~edico-legal discovery for years
Don't you see that it gives us an in