The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-20
ADVENTURES OF SHERLOC HOLMES
1.-THE ENGINEERS THUMB.v
BY Sir Arthur Conan DOYLE

Sherlock Holmes for solution during
the years of our intimacy, there were
only two which / was the means Of in
PRODUCING to his notice-that of Mr.
Hatherley's thumb. and that of Col
onel Warburton's madness. Of these
the latter may have afforded finer
field for an acute and original OBJ
server, but the other was SO strange
in it's inception and so dramatic in
its details that it may be the more
worthy of being placed upon record
even If it gave my friend fewer open
ings for those deductive methods OF
reasoning by which he achieved such
remarkable results. The story has,
believe. been told more than once in
the newspapers, but, like all such mar
ratives, it's effect h>much less striking
when set forth en- bloc in single half
column of print than when the facts
slowly evolve before your own eyes,
and the mystery clears gradually away
as each new discovery furnishes a
step which leads on to the complete
truth. AT the time the circum-
stances made a deep impression upon
me, and the lapse of two years has
hardly served to weaken the effect.
1t was in the summer of 80. not
long after my marriage, that the
events occurred which am now
about to summarize. I had returned
to civil practice, and had finally aban-
doned Holmes i'm his Baker Street
rooms. although I continually visited
him, and occasionally even persuaded
him to forego his Bohemian habits so
far as to come and visit us. My prac-
tice had steadily increased. and as l
happened to live at no very great
distance from Paddington Station, /
got a few patients from among the
officials. One of these, whom 1 had
cured of a painful and lingering dis
ease was never weary Of advertising
my virtues, and Of endeavoring to
send me on every sufferer over whom
he might have an influence.
One morning, at little before seven
o'clock, I was awakened by the maid
tapping at the door, to announce that
two men had come from Paddington,
and were waiting in the consulting
room. / dressed hurriedly, for / knew
by experience that railway cases were
seldom trivial, and fastened down
stairs. AS l descended, my old ally,
the guard, came out of the room and
closed the door tightly behind him.
i've got him here" he whispered,
jerking his thumb over his shoulder.
hes all right
What is it, them" I asked, for his
manner suggested that it was some
strange creature which ne had Gagged
up I'm my room.
Its a new patient" he whispered
81 thought I'd bring him round my
self; then he couldn't slip away
There he is all safe and sound. /
must go now, doctor; / have my do.
ties, just the same as YOU" And Off
he went, this trusty tout, without even
giving me time to thank him.
1 entered my consulting-room and
found a gentleman seated by the table
He was quietly dressed in a suit OF
heather tweed, with soft cloth cap.
which he had laid down upon my
books Round one of his hands he
had a handkerchief wrapped, which
was mottled all over with bloOd-stains
He was young, not more than five-and-
twenty, l should say, with a strong
masculine face; but he was exceeding,
ly pale, and gave me the impression
of a man who was suffering from some
strong agitation, which it took all his.
strength of mind to control
Il am sorry to knock you up so
early, DOCTOR" said he, but l have
had a very serious accident during
the night. I came in by train this
morning, and on inquiring at Padding
ton as to where l might find a doctor.
worthy fellow very kindly escorted
me here. l gave the maid card, but
/ see that she has left it upon the
side-table.'
/ took it up and glanced at it. "Mr.
Victor Hatherley, hydraulic engineer.
lea, Victoria Street (3rd fioor)." That
was the name, style, and abode Of my
morning visitor. II regret that have
kept you waiting" said I, sitting down
in my library -chair you are fresh
from q night journey, 1 understand,
which is In itself a monotonous Occu-
patton"
.Oh, my night could not be called
monotonous," said he, and laughed.
He laughed very heartily, with high,
ringing note. leaning back in his chair
and shaking. his sides All my medical
instincts rose up against that laugh.
stop it, I cried; pull yourself
together" and I poured out some wa
ter from caraffe.
1t was useless, however. He was
off in one of those hysterical outbursts
which come upon strong nature
when some great crisis is over and
gone. Presently he came to himself1
once more, very weary and blushing
holly.
II have been making a fool of my
SELF he gasped.
mot at all. Drink this" 1 dashed
some brandy into the water, and the
color began to come back to his
bloodless cheeks.
That's bctter." said he. "And
now. doctor, perhaps you would kind
~ attend to my thumb, or rather to
the place where my thumb used to
be-"
He unwound the handkerchief and
held out his hand. 1t gave even my
hardened nerves a Shudder to look
at it. There We're four protruding
fingers and a horrid, red. spongy sur
face where the thumb should have
been. 1t had been hacked or torn
right out from the roots.
Good heayens!' cried. this is
terrible injury. 1t must have BILE"
considerably -
Yes. it did / tainted when 1t was
done. and / think that / must have
been senselass for long time. Nher
1 came to I found that II was stn1
bleeding, SO I tied ole end Of my
handkerchief very tightly round the
wrist. and bl.aced it up with txig. .
Excellent! You should have bees
q surgeon
1T is a question OF hydraulics yosl.
see, and came within my own pro-
vince"
This has been done" said I. exam
ing the wound. "by Ia very heavs ai.d
sharp Instrument"
a thing like a cieaEer,. said he