Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-07-09


But the romance was there" re-
monstrated. 81 could not tamper with
the facts"
"Some facts should be suppressed, or
at least just sense of proportion
should be 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 l succeeded in unraveling r..
was annoyed at this criticism of a
work which had been specially de-
signed to please him l confess, too,
that | was irrltated by the egotism
which seemed to demand that every
line of my pamphlet should be devoted
to his own special doings. More than
once during the years that had lived
with him in Baker street | had OBJ
served that a small vanity uuderlay my
companions quiet and didactic manner
l made no remark, however, but sat
nursing my wounded leg. l had had
Jezail bullet through it sometime be-
fore, and though it did not prevent me
from walking, it ached YEARLY at
every change of the weather.
''My practice has extended recently
to the continent" said Holmes, after
awhile, filing up his old brier-root
pipe. 81 was consulted last week by
Francois LIE Willard, who, as you prob
ably know, has come rather to 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 devel-
opments of his art. The case was con-
cerned with will, and possessed some
features of interest. / was able to re-
fer him to two parallel cases, the one
at Riga in 1857, and the other at st.
Louis in 1871, which have suggested to
him the true solution. Here is the let
ter which had this morning, acknowl-
edging my assistance" He tossed over,
as he spoke, crumpled sheet of for
eign notepaper. l glanced my eyes
down it, catching a profusion of notes
of admiration, with stray ''magni-
hques, coup de maitres' and "tours
de force" all testifying to the ardent
admiration of the Frenchman
HE speaks as pupil to his master"
said |.
ooh, he rates my assistance too high
ly," said Sherlock Holmes, lightly.
He has considerable gifts himself. He
possesses two out of the three quail
ties necessary for the ideal detective.
lie has the power of observation and
that of deduction. He is only wanting
In knowledge; and that may come in
time. He is now translating my small
svorlSs into French"
Your works."
"Oh, didn't you know" he cried.
laughing. YES, | have been guilty of
several monographs. They are all
upon technical subjects. Here, for ex-
ample, is one Upon the Distinction Be-
tween the Ashes of the Various Tobac-
Goes In il ] enumerate a hundred
and forty forms Of cigar, cigarette and
pipe tobacco, with colorcd plates illus
trating the difference in the ash. 1t
is point which is continually turning
up in criminal trials. and which is
sometimes of supreme Importance as a
clew. If you can say definitely, for ex-
ample, that some murder has been
done 10y man who was smoking an
Indian lunkah, il obviously narrows
your field of search. To the trained
eye there is as much difference be-
tween the black ash of a Trichinopoly
and the white fluff of bird's-eye as there
is between n cabbage and potato"
You have an extraordinary genius
for minutie." | remarked.
IL appreciate their Importance. Here
is my monograph upon the tracing of
footsteps, with some remarks upon the
uses of plaster of Paris as a preserver
of impresses. Here, too, is a curious
little yynrly H. ia
trade upon the form of the hama, with
the lthotypes of the hands Of skaters,
sailors, cork-cutters, compositors, weav-
ers and diamond polishers. That is a
matter of great practical interest to the
scientific detective, especially in cases
OF unclaimed bodies, or i'm discovering
the antecedents of criminals. But |
weary you with my hobby"
Not at ALL" | answered, earnestly.
1T is of the greatest interest TO me. es-
peciany since ! have had the oppor-
tunity of observing your practical APP
plication of it. But you spoke lust
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
his pipe For example, observation
shows me that you have been to the
Nigmore street post Office this morn
ing, but deduction lets me know that
when there you despatched a tele-
gram"
Right" said l. Fright on both
points, But confess that don't see
how you arrived at it. 1t was sudden
impulse upon my part, and have men
toned it to no one.''
1T is simplicity ITSELF" he remarked,
at my surprise-'so absurd
ly simple that an explanation is super
fuous; and yet may-serve to define the
limits of observation and of deduction.
Observation tells me that you have a
little reddish mould adherlng to your
nstep. just opposite the Seymour
street office they have taken up the
pavement and thrown up some earth
which lies in such a Tav that it is diff