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

y v
to the continent" said Holmes, after
awhile, filling up his old brier-root
pipe. 81 was consulted last week by
Francois lie Willard, who, as you prob
ably know, has come rather 20 the
front lately in the French detective
service. He has all the Celtic power of
quick intuition, but he is deficient in
the wide range of exact knowledge
which is essential to the higher dcvel-
opmenis of his art. The case was con
ccrncd with will, and possessed some
features Of interest. was able to re-.
fer him to two parallel cases. the one
at Riga in 1871, and the other at 81,
Louis in 1871, which have suggested to
him the true solution. Here is The let.
ter which had this morning, acknowl-
cdCinr my assistance" lie tossed over.
as he spoke. crumpled sheet of for
eiFn notcpapcr. | glanced my eyes
down it. catching profusion of notes
Of admiration, with stray ''magni-
fques. coup de maitres'' and "tours
de force" all tcs,fying to the ardent
admiration of The Frcnchman.
"lie speaks as pupil to his MASTER =
said |.
"Oh, he rates my assistance too high.
ly." said Sherlock Holmes, lightly
"IIc has considerable gifts himself He
possesses two ont of the three quail
ties necessary for the ideal detective.
lie has the power Of observation and
that of deduction lie is only wanting
in knowledge; and that may come in
time. He is now TRANSMITTING my small
works into French
"Your works.
"Oh. didn't yon know" he cried.
laughing. YES, have been guilty of
several monographs. They are all
upon technical subjects. Here, for ex.
ample, Is one 4 pom the Distincto Be
tween the Ashes of the Various Tobac-
Goes In it | enumcrate hundred
and forty forms Of cigar. cigarette and
pipe tobacco, with culored plates illus
trating the difference in the ash. 1t
Is point which is continually turning
mp in criminal trials. and which is
of supreme Importance as Il
rlew. II you can say definitely for eX-
ample. that some murder has been
dCre by man who WIS smoking an
Indian lunkah. it obviously narrows
your field of search. To the trained
eye there is as much difference be-
tween the black ash of Trichinopolv
and the white If of brd's-cye as there
Is between cabbage and potato"
'lou have an extraordinary geniu.
for minutie.' | remarked.
81 appreciate their Importance. Here
is my monograph upon the tracing OF
footsteps. with some remarks upon the
uses of plaster of Paris as prescrver
Of imprcsses.. Ecrc, too, is a curious
little work upon the influence of
trade upon the form Of the hand. with
the lithotypes Of the hands of skaters.
sailors. cork-cutters. compositors, weav-
ers and diamond polishcrs. That is a
matter of great practical interest to the
scientific tivc.--especially in cases
Of unclaimed bodies, or in discovering
the antecedents of criminals. But |
weary you with my hobby"
mot at ALL" answered, earnestly.
ut is of the greatest interest TO me. es-
peciany since | have had the oppor.
tunity of observing your practical ap-
plication of it. But you spoke Just
now Of observation and deduction.
Surely the one to some extent implies
the other"
"Why, hardly" he answered, leaning
back luXuriously in his armchair. and
sending up thick blue wreaths from
MS pipe. For example, observation
shows me that you have been to the
Nigmore street post Office this morn
ng, but deduction let's me know that
when there you despatched tele-
gram"
"Rightw said |. Fright on both
points! But confess that don't see
low you arrived at it, IL was sudden
impulse upon my part, and have men
Toned it to no one"
at is simplicity itself" he remarked,
at my surprise-"so absurd
y simple that an explanation is super
nous; and yet il may serve TO define the
limits Of observation and Of deduction.
observation tells me that YOU have a
little reddish mould adherIng to your
nstcp. just opposite the Seymour
trcct Office they have taken up the
pavement and thrown up some earth
which lies in such way that it is diff
'ult to avoid treading in 1t in entering.
The earth is of this peculiar reddish
int which is found, as far as ! know.
Nowhere else in the neiehborhood So
much is observation. The rest is de-
luction."
GLOW, then, did You deduce the tele-
'ram?"
"Why, of course | knew that YOU
lad not written a letter, since sat OPP
'ositc to you all morning. see also
n your open desk there that You have
sheet Of stamps and n thick bundle
# postcards. What could You 90 into
he post office for, then, but to send a
wire? Eliminate all other factors, and
he one which remains must be the
ruth"
"ln this case it certainly is So" re-
died, after a little thought. "The
hing. however, is, as you say, Of the
mplest. Would you think me imper-
inent if were to put your theories to
more severe test?"
"On the contrary" he answered, sit
would prevent me from taking a Sec
md dose of cocaine. should be de,
lighted to look into any problem which
'ou might submit TO me-"
II have heard you say that II is diff
nit for n man to have any object in
laily use without leaving the impress