Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-05-05

] WI w a DE iaia s at tn.
ole. and rolled back his left shirt-cuff
For some little time his eyes rested
thoughtfully upon the sinewy fore
arm and wrist all dotted and Scared
with innumerable puncture marks
FINALLY he thrust the sharp point
home, pressed down the tiny piston,
and sank back into the velvet-lined
armchair with long sigh of satsfac-
ton.
Three times day for many months
had witnessed this performance, but
custom had not rcconciled nv mind to
1T. On the contrary, from day to day
1 had become more irritable at the
sight. and my conscience swclled night
~ within me at the thought that had
lacked the courage to protest. Again
and again had registered n VOW that
should deliver my soul upon the sub
Ject, but there was that in the cool.
nonchalant air of my companion which
made him the last man with whom one
would care to take anything approach
Ping to liberty. His great powers, his
mastery manner, and the experience
which had had OF lis many extraor-
binary qualities. all made me diffident
and backward in crossing him.
Yet upon that afternoon, whether It
was the Beaune which had taken with
my lunch. or the additional exaspera-
ition produced 10y the extreme dclibera-
ton of his manner | suddenly felt that
! could hold out no longer.
(which is it to-day?" ] asked-"mor-
phinc or cocaine?"
lie raised his eyes laneuidlv from the
old blacli-lettcr volume which he had
opened. at is cocaine" he said, "a
seven per cent, solution. Would YOU
care to try it,"
mo, indeed" 7 answered, brusquely.
My constitution has not got over the
Afghan campaign yet. cannot afford
to throw any extra strain upon it."
He smiled AT my vehcmencc. PER-
haps you are right, Watson" he said.
81 suppose that its influence is phvsic-
ally "a bad one. find it. however,
so tranScendently stimulating and
clarifying to the mind that its Sec
Ondary action is Il matter of small mo.
mcnt."
But consider" 7 sail, earnestly.
Count the cost, Your brain may, as
YOU say, be reused and excited, but it
r Il pathological and morbid process,
which involves increased tissue-change
and may at last leave a permanent
weakness. You know. too, what a
black reaction comes upon You. Surely
the game ia hardly worth the candle
Why should You, for mere passing
pleasure, risk the loss of those great
powers with which you have been en-
dowed? Remember that l speak not
only as one comrade to another, but as
a medical man to one for whose con-
stitution he is to some extent answer
able"
He did not seem offended. On the
contrary, he put his fnger-tips to-
gether and leaned his elbows on the
arms of his chair, like one who has a
relish for conversation.
My mind, he said, "rebels at stag
nation. Give me problems, give me
work, give me the most abstruse
cryptOgram or the most intricate
analysis, and | am in my own proper
atmosphere. ! can dispense then with
artificial stiInulants. But | abhor the
dull routine Of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation. That is why have
chosen my own particular profession
or rather created it, for / am the only
one in the world.'
The only unofficial detective?" /
said, raising my eyebrows.
THE only unofficial consulting de-
tectivc," he answered. ~ am the last
and highest court of appeal in detec-
ton. When Gregson or Lcs.rade or
Athelncy Jones are out of their depths
which, by the way, is their normal
state-thc matter is laid before me.
examine the data, as an expert, and pro-
nounce specialists opinion. | claim
no credit in such cases. by name fig
ures in no newspaper. The work itself,
the pleasure of finding field for my
peculiar powers, is my highest reward,
But yOu have yourself had some expert
ence of my methods of work in the
Jefferson Hope case"
YES. indeed said I, cordially. 81
was never SO struck by anything in my
life. ! even embodied it in small
brochure with the somewhat fantastic
title OF "A Study in Scarlet"
He shook his head sadly. az glanced
over it, said he. Honestly, ! cannot
congratulate you upon it. Detection
is or ought to be, an exact science, and
should be treated in the same cold and
Unconditional manner. You have at
tempted TO tinge it with romanticism.
which produces much the same effect
as if You worked love story or an
elopemrnt into the fifth proposition of
Euclid"
but the romance was there" ! re-
monstratcd. Il could not tamper with
the facts"
"Some facts should be suppressed, or
at least just sense of proportion
should he observed in treating them.
The only point in the case which de-
served mention was the curious ana
lytical reasoning from effects to causes
by which ! succeeded in unravelino it,"
was annoyed at this criticism of "a
work which had been specially de-
Signed to please him. confess, too,
that | was irritated by the egotism |,
which seemed to demand that every
line OF my pamphlet should be devoted
10 his own special doings. More than |
once during the years that had lived |
with him in Baker street | had OBJ
served that n small vanity undcrlay my |
companions quiet and didactic manner.
made no remark, however, but sat |