The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-31
HerIock Shames Has Been lnvesti.
eating a Local Matter
He Would Have Divulged the Whole
Thing But Was Called Away.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS:


one and going nowhere in partieu lar but APP
parently with purpose. My curiosity was
To know what that purpose was ana my uh'
conyentionality amounted 10 scraping aa
acquaintance, Hoping that the lneioeh'
would appear accidental / Intentionally JOS
tied against the man for the excuse 10 peg
his pardon and then, with the freemasonry Oh
the intelligent loafer. started conversation
about the cool July. Ny stranger was per
fectly willing to develop the acquaintance
but showed his aversion 10 smai taIk W
lunging into discussion OF the Democratic
city committees clambake ana its ponticai
significance. His observations were reinarh
ably TO the point and, although apparently
stranger, he showed accurate knowledge
of the details of city affairs. But he sudden
ly changed from general topics ana became
personal, startling with the question:
why didn't you approach me IN more
courteous manner, instead OF pretending that
an accidental niisstep threw you againt me
II was too astonished 10 attempt deception,
but stammered out some apology ana some
thing TO the effect that wished 10 know him
and II possible something about him. And then
| he became as frank as had been surpriseo
into being myself"
my name, he said, sis Herlock Shomes.
You have shown an interest IN my movements
| for the last two days. which account Tor as
being the result of intelligent intuluon,
| rather than of curiosity. II is true that have
| an object in being in Providence ana nave
reached point where need asslstance,
you have 81 hours to spare and are wllhng
| to lend yourself to confidential matter
know of no one whom should rather have as
| my lieutenant"
"But you know nothing OF me, i ex-
| claimed.
"Ob. yes, / do. Perhaps you remember that
few moments ago correctly concluded tpat
| our meeting each other was the result OF de-
| sign and not accidental. as you hoped II TO
appear. i will tell you why. When man
| falls or stumbles accidentallynt - OF course
not anticipated and there Is nothing OF anxl.
ETY. regarding the mishap 20 alter the normal
| expression OF his countenance. ON the con-
trary, when fall Is prtmeditated the person
| Is most apt to look worried and 10 thus show
| what he is contemplating. From the renec-
uon OF your face in that plate glass window
across the street knew that you We're max
| ing mental calculation OF distance preliminary
TO STUN milling. ielt SO sure that such was
| your intention that even braced myself 70
receive the shock Of your coming against me:
| We walked slowly up Weybossct street TO the
"Senate." where, without word from me,
| Shomes asked If ] would have my fayorlte
cordial, creme-de-menthe. As a matter OF
| fact, that IL my favorite cordial, but bis
knowing ii was way beyond my comprehen-
sion. he anticipated my query and said:
| "You are wondering how Anew that you
| preferred creme-de- menthe TO absinthe or
| any other cordial 1t is very simple. AS we
! passed that young woman just now, the one
| with the pink shirt waist, brown skirt and
| sailor hat, the one with the right shoe slight.
| ly worn over the instep and mole behind
her left ear, noticed momentary CLEAN OF
| pleasure IN your eyes. That could not have
| been without cause and by long training
| my mind worked back TO that cause almost
| without conscious effort. There was "A slight
| odor of peppermint about that woman-it was
| that which appealed to you pleasant
| ly. Creme -de-menthe is the only cordial
| which suggests peppermint, hence my conclu-
sion as to your favorite drink. There was
| no flaw TO be found with this reasoning,
| and when "A few minutes later he asked me
| what the number of my Office Is on South
| Water street gave him the information and
| asked. as a matter of course, by what pro-
| oess be arrived at the conclusion that my
| place of business is on South Water street.
| "Your nose tells me that" he replied.
| "There Is a slight contraction OF the nostrlls,
| which is not natural and indicates very plain
| ly that you are constantly smiling at some.
| thing disagreeable. IL has become habit and
| know enough of the city to conclude that
| you spend great part OF your time near the
| Providence kivcr. With the proximity to the
| river my exact reasoning stopped, and nam
| ing south Water street was a matter of guess
! work. You might have formed the habit on
| Dyer street. Although discover no particles
OF fine plaster dust on your collar, might
| have inferred that you are not very near the
| ruins of the Grosvenor estate.
| ''But we are losing time" he continued.
! "Come to my room and will explain the
| real object of my stay in Providence"
We went to the Narraganaett cafe for lunch
| and then upstairs to my friends apartT ent.
! Although it was only hotel room occupied
| by transient guests Its fitting up showed
that the occupant was no ordinary person. a
| large table was strewn with papers covered
| with intricate feometrical designs and the
| foot of the bed was piled up with heaps OF
| circulars, advertising. crockery and brica
| brac. "This trade literature he said,
| pointing TO a descriptive list OF dinner dishes
| and jardineres sis what am working on al
! present. One Of my favorite methods in solv
| ing mystery, and that IS my calling IL 10 first
| familiarize myself with the business pursuit
| OF the principal character.
s'If the hack diver Is suspected OF murder
| il il of secondary importance TO me whether
he knew the deceased or not but must know
| how he holds the reins before can begin the
case Now for instance, | am engaged in get
| ting at the bottom facts of the mysteriou.
| affair at the Wood residence on Charles Fielt
street the other night. and am first acquaiut
| ing myself with the details of the crockery
| business, which, as you undoubtedly know
| Mr.. Wood IL engaged in / shall next make
| careful analysis OF the municipal government
as understand that our hero in this case II
| a member OF the Common Council. After tina
| it will become perfectly clear TO me why thi
man was found tied IN bed with string foun.
| silyerware was found carefully piled up in th'
| back yard. You can assist me greatly IN
this matter. but lets rest Tor a while ,.;,,l nn'
| straight cigars because they are easy anC
| simple. There Is no problem of angles in tn
direction through which the smoke mus
We talked and smoked for several hours
| after which succeeded in allowing nothinl
| 10 surprise me. IL was IL o'clock last nlgh
| when we again took up the serious discussion
| az the Wood casssand lrofully reviewed tn
| undisputed facts which we had on hand. Mr.
! Shomes' whole manner changed. HE becam
| manded mo for scratching parlor mattel
| while no was examining with magnifyin
glass the illustrations ON piece OF genuln
| cut glassware and piece of imitation. Ate
| infarmng me that he always used the noise
less old fashioned match while at work, b
again became absorbed in the work. The cor
| ners OF his mouth twitched nervously AM
later he became almost frantic as he read al
| old speech Of Councilman Woods relative .
| n petition for sewers. But II was only
| srnsm, He became calm and with few
| strokes OF his pencil made graphic sketch Q
| a man breathing heavily through gag mad
out of u spool of cotton.
| ~ have IT," he cried at last" "On IN
morning of Saturday. July q, just after mid
| night
We were then interrupted by bell boy wit
| n telegram for Mr.. Sbomcs. 10 sum
| mons that demanded Immediate attention. 10
| after wringng my hands he rushed for th
| shore Line train to New York and hav
| not seen him since. although this forenoon
| received n dispatch dated at Jersey Cit
which read: do not do anything until 80