The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures

beneath the lead to hold the pane firmly, which would have required a greater application of force. Was this, I wondered, how the knife-blade came to be broken? This conjecture was at once confirmed, for there in the gutter below me was a little shiny triangle – the missing tip of the blade.

'It seemed clear enough, then, what had happened. The thief had been at work when you chanced upon the scene, Mr Grice Paterson, and was evidently the figure you saw cross the path in the darkness. He would then have returned to his boat, but must have taken the wrong path in the darkness, and mistakenly set off in your boat, rather than his own.You came along shortly afterwards, found your boat missing, and returned to seek Mr MacGlevin's aid. The thief, meanwhile, must have realized his mistake, and so returned your boat, in which he had dropped his knife, found his own boat, and left the island for the second time.

'So much seemed clear. But who, then, was the thief? There seemed no way of knowing. It was then that I recalled Morton's reported accident, and his claim to have lost all his fishing tackle, about which I had had some doubt at the time. Now it struck me as possible that his boat had not sunk at all, but had been hidden in the bushes by the shore on the south side of the bay, together with his fishing equipment. If that were so, he would be able to use it when he wished to commit this crime, without the slightest suspicion attaching to him, even if the crime were discovered before he and his accomplice had left Kilbuie. MacPherson and I therefore rowed over to the mainland, which is no great distance at that point, and soon found what we were looking for – one of this hotel's distinctive little skiffs dragged up behind some rocks, with a disordered heap of fishing tackle within it.

'The case was therefore complete, and it remained only to locate the buckle. I was quite certain that the Mortons had it, but finding it might have taken some time. However, as you may recall, they had claimed on the day the crime was committed to have gone inland so that Mrs Morton might sketch – probably they did so, earlier in the day – and had therefore had the satchel containing the art materials with them. It seemed likely, then, that the stolen buckle had been secreted in there in the first place, and, if so, it seemed to me possible that it was still there, especially as Mrs Morton was demonstrating an unusual attachment to the bag.This surmise proved correct, and the rest you know. Mr MacGlevin has his heirloom restored to him, Mrs Formartine will soon have her brooch back – that was something of an unexpected bonus, I must confess – clearly Morton had been keeping his hand in – and two dangerous criminals are safely under lock and key.'

'You make it sound so obvious and straightforward, Mr Holmes!' exclaimed MacGlevin in amazement. 'I'm sure that if we had spent all day examining the museum, we should not have observed the little traces which you found, nor made anything of them if we had done!'

'Aye, it's a grand job of work all right,' said MacPherson with feeling. 'I may get my sergeant's stripes over this arrest. I don't know how I can ever thank you, Mr Holmes,' he continued, extending his hand. 'Without your help, I don't know that we should ever have caught those villains!'

'It is always a pleasure to assist the forces of law and order,' returned my friend with a smile. 'Now, Watson,' he continued, turning to me: 'the fresh air on Uffa has quite invigorated me! What say you to another expedition, this time to catch something a little smaller and tastier, for our supper?'

The Case of the Sporting Squire – Guy N. Smith

It was during 1887 that Watson obtained permission from Holmes to seek formal publication for his account of their meeting and the case known as 'A Study in Scarlet'. It's quite likely he finalized this novel while on holiday in Scotland and submitted it to the publisher Ward Lock via his agent Arthur Conan Doyle. Ward Lock published it in their Beeton's Christmas Annual that December and that was the first time that the general public came to learn of Sherlock Holmes. It inevitably led to an upsurge in the number of requests Holmes received and also, Holmes jokingly acknowledged, caused him to start going about his business in disguise. More importantly, it meant that Watson began to keep a better record of the cases. Flushed by the success of this saleWatson now wrote up most of the cases that happened over the following year from the end of 1887 and through 1888. These include some of Holmes's best: 'Silver Blaze', with the curious incident of the dog in the night; 'The Valley of Fear'; 'The Greek Interpreter' – which is remarkable in that not until now did Watson apparently discover that Holmes had a brother, Mycroft, though we know he was aware of him earlier; and 'The Cardboard Box', in which Holmes reveals his ability to deduce Watson's thoughts.Another of the cases falling in this period was that of 'The Sporting Squire', one that Watson did not refer to but which came to light following the investigations of that redoubtable author Guy N Smith early in his own career when undertaking research into the theory and practice of gamekeeping nothing could exceed his energy; at other times he would lie on the sofa, scarcely moving from morning to night, his eyes closed but I knew that he did not sleep. He either contemplated some intricate problem or else he was melancholic, but I knew better than to intrude upon his thoughts for it would only evoke some brusque reply, for my friend could be exceedingly rude when his private musings were disturbed.

It was in February 1888 that Holmes had reposed in such a fashion for three whole days, following upon a period when he had busied himself with his various files, scribbling on a notepad and occasionally muttering to himself. He had not eaten throughout this time, his only form of sustenance lying in that strong-smelling shag tobacco, a cloud of pipesmoke enshrouding him with the opaqueness of a November fog.

'Poison, Watson,' his sudden emergence from that apparent somnial state caused me to start involuntarily, 'is the device of more murderers who have escaped the gallows than any other weapon used. Poison is, in many cases, undetectable, only the symptoms of some being a guide to their identification. Often death occurs after the villain has returned to his normal routine and the victim is diagnosed as having died from natural causes. Doubtless you, yourself, have, on more than one occasion, been deceived by the guile of some insidious murderer who has later reaped the rewards of his vile deed.'

'I would hate to think so, Holmes.' I confess his words brought with them a pang of guilt, a momentary feeling that I had, in some instances, neglected my duty as a doctor.

'It is not a comforting thought but, undoubtedly, it has occurred.' He regarded me with an unwavering stare. 'Likewise, I, on rare occasions, have overlooked some vital clue that would have led to a conviction. None of us are infallible although, I hope, that over the past few days I have achieved something which will make those errors, where poison is concerned, something of a rarity.'

'That is good news, indeed.' I knew full well that he was about to confide in me the purpose of his recent writings and contemplations. I leaned forward expectantly.

'You will doubtless recall my original thesis on poisons,' he became a silhouette behind a cloud of exhaled tobacco smoke, 'in which I examined the varieties in some detail.'

'Yes, yes,' I had read it at his invitation some time ago. Some aspects of the paper did, indeed, throw new light on the subject.

'Well, I have revised and updated it,Watson. I would hope that from now on the prospective poisoner will think twice before administering some lethal dose to an unsuspecting victim.'

'That is good news, Holmes.' I have never doubted my friend's variable knowledge of botany, surpassed only by a profound understanding of chemistry.

'Cyanide, for example, works slowly if administered in small doses, produces symptoms of failing health which often deceives a well-meaning doctor right up to, and beyond, the point of death. Unless, of course, he perceives a faint smell of almonds on the doomed person's breath. Now, in total contrast…'

He was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the stairs, followed by a knocking on the door which bespoke an urgency that transcended the routine delivery of a letter or telegram. My colleague was instantly alert for it was for such moments that he lived: the unexpected visitor, in a state of distress, ushered in by the long-suffering Mrs Hudson.

'A lady to see you, Mr Holmes,' the landlady withdrew, closed the door behind her for she was accustomed to strange callers, day or night, and resolutely showed no surprise.

'Mr Holmes, please forgive this intrusion.' Our visitor was an exceedingly attractive lady in her early twenties, long auburn hair falling about her shoulders, her expression one of acute anxiety.

'Pray, be seated, Miss…' Holmes, like myself, had already noticed that our caller wore no wedding ring.

'I am Gloria Morgan.' She seated herself on the edge of the vacant chair, wrung her hands together in obvious