The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-13
y HORTLY after my marriage I
had bought a connection in the
nnlli.nAa. IiaL-iaA Ola Mr.
BY A. n DOYLE

= HORTLY after my marriage I
had bought a connection in the
Paddington district. Old Mr..
Farquhar, from whom l purchased 1t,
had at one time an excellent general
practise, but his age, and an affection of
the natur of st. Vitus's n from
which he suffered, had very
much thinned it. The public
not unnaturally goes, on the
principal that he who would heal
others must himself be whole, and looks
askance at the curative powers OF the
man whose own case is beyond the
reach of his drugs. Thus as my prede-
cessor weakened his practise decnned,
until when l purchased it from him 1t
had sunk from twelve hundred to little
more than three hundred a year. |
had confidence, however, in my own
youth and energy, and was convinced
that in a very few years the concern
would be as fio%urishing as ever.
For three months after taking over
the practise / was kept very closely at
work, and saw little of my friend,
Sherlock Holmes, for l was too busy
to visit Baker street, and he seldom
went anywhere himself save upon pro-
fessional business. I was surprised,
therefore, when, n morning in June,
as l sat reading the British Medical
Journal after breakfast, l heard a ring
al the bell, followed by the high, some
what strident tones of my old conf
panion'S voice.
"Ah, my dear Watson" said he,
striding into the room, 81 am very de-
lighted to see you! | trust that Mrs.
Watson has entirely recovered from all
L. MAJ Ax-.gfa.,A-tC anr1annfnh with
our adventure of the Sign of Four"
THANK you, We are both very well"
said I, shaking him warmly by the
hand.
And 1 hope, also,,' he continued, sit
ting down in tho rocking-chair, THAT
the cares of medical practise have not
entirely obliterated the interest which
you used to take in our little deduc-
tive problems
ION the contrary" [ answered, "it
was only last night that | was looking
over my old notes. and classifying some
of our past results"
II trust that you don't consider your
collection closed"
mot at all. | should wish nothing
better than to have some more of such
experiences
To-day, for example?"
yes, today, if you like"
'And as far off as Birmingham"
Certainly, if you wish it."
And the practise?"
IT do my neighbours when he goes
He is always ready to work off tbs
debt"
ksHa, nothing could be BETTER" sale
Jgolmes. leaning back in his chair ant
tlI9pking keenly at me from under hi
1L.tr - = aT -AaaAtxvo f11of va
have been unwell lately. Summer colds
are always a little trying"
II was confined to the house by q
severe chill for three days last week
I thought, however, that / had cas-
off every trace of it."
so you have. You look remarkably
robust
How, then, did you know of it?"
MY lear fellow, you know my meth
DDS
you deduced it, tlen?"
Certainly"
And from what?'
from your slippers"
glanced down at the new patent
feathers which | was wearing. "HoV
on EARTH / began, but Holmes an
swered my question before it wa
asked.
"Your slippers are new" he said
'You could not have had them mor'
thar a few weeks. The soles which yol
are at this moment presenting to m
are slightly scorched. For a moment
thought they might a got wet AM
been burned in the drying. But nea
the instep there is a small circular wafe
of paper with the shopman's hero
glyphics upon it. Damp would of cours
nave removed this. You had, then
been sitting with your feet outstretche'
to the fire, which a man would hardl.
do even in so wet a June as this if h
were in his full health"
Like all Holiness reasoning the thin
seemed simplicity itself when it wa
once explained. He e the though
upon my features, and his smile a
tinge of bitterness.
II am afraid that I rather give mysel
away when 1 explain said he. Re
suits without causes are much NOR
impressive. You are ready to come t
Birmingham, them"
''CertainIy. What is the case?"
''You shall hear 1t all in the train. M
client is outside in a four-wheeler. Cal
you come at once?"
I'm an instant" / scrubbed a note t
my neighbor, rushed upstairs to ex
plain the matter to my wife, and Joine'
Holems upon the doorstep"
your %neighbor is a DOCTOR" said he
nodding at the brass plate.
Eyes; he bought a practise as | did,
IAN old-established one?"
Just the same as mine. Both hav'
been ever since the houses were built.
"Ah! then you got hold of the bes
of the two"
81 think 1 did. But how do yol
know?"N
"By the steps. my boy. Yours ar
worn three inches deeper than his. Blu
this gentleman in the cab is my client
MIR. Hall Pycroft. Allow me to intro
duce YOU to him. Whip your horse VI
cabby, for we nave only just time t
catch our train"
The man whom / found myself faclnl
was a well-built, fresh-complexlohe'
young fellow, with a frank, honest rae
and a slight, crisp, yellow mustache
He wore a very shiny top hat and
neat suit of sober black, which mad
him look what he was-a smart youn
city man. of the class who have bee
labeled cockneys, but who give US GU
crack volunteer regiments, and WI
turn out more fine athletics and sports
men than any body OF men in thes