Sherlock Holmes: Shoscombe Old Place

9781465598530

213 pages

Library of Alexandria

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Overview

Sherlock Holmes had been bending for a long time over a low-power microscope. Now he straightened himself up and looked round at me in triumph. “It is glue, Watson,” said he. “Unquestionably it is glue. Have a look at these scattered objects in the field!” I stooped to the eyepiece and focussed for my vision. “Those hairs are threads from a tweed coat. The irregular gray masses are dust. There are epithelial scales on the left. Those brown blobs in the centre are undoubtedly glue.” “Well,” I said, laughing, “I am prepared to take your word for it. Does anything depend upon it?” “It is a very fine demonstration,” he answered. “In the St. Pancras case you may remember that a cap was found beside the dead policeman. The accused man denies that it is his. But he is a picture-frame maker who habitually handles glue.” “Is it one of your cases?” “No; my friend, Merivale, of the Yard, asked me to look into the case. Since I ran down that coiner by the zinc and copper filings in the seam of his cuff they have begun to realize the importance of the microscope.” He looked impatiently at his watch. “I had a new client calling, but he is overdue. By the way, Watson, you know something of racing?” “I ought to. I pay for it with about half my wound pension.” “Then I’ll make you my ‘Handy Guide to the Turf.’ What about Sir Robert Norberton? Does the name recall anything?” “Well, I should say so. He lives at Shoscombe Old Place, and I know it well, for my summer quarters were down there once. Norberton nearly came within your province once.”