staring at the strange message which I had scrawled, as he
deciphered it, upon a sheet of foolscap on my knee.
"What a queer, scrambling way of expressing his meaning!" said I.
"On the contrary, he has done quite remarkably well," said Holmes.
"When you search a single column for words with which to express your
meaning, you can hardly expect to get everything you want. You are
bound to leave something to the intelligence of your correspondent. The
purport is perfectly clear. Some deviltry is intended against one
Douglas, whoever he may be, residing as stated, a rich country
gentleman. He is sure--'confidence' was as near as he could get to
'confident'--that it is pressing. There is our result--and a very
workmanlike little bit of analysis it was!"
Holmes had the impersonal joy of the true artist in his better work,
even as he mourned darkly when it fell below the high level to which he
aspired. He was still chuckling over his success when Billy swung open
the door and Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard was ushered into the
room.
Those were the early days at the end of the '80's, when Alec MacDonald
was far from having attained the national fame which he has now
achieved. He was a young but trusted member of the detective force, who
had distinguished himself in several cases which had been entrusted to
him. His tall, bony figure gave promise of exceptional physical
strength, while his great cranium and deep-set, lustrous eyes spoke no
less clearly of the keen intelligence which twinkled out from behind
his bushy eyebrows. He was a silent, precise man with a dour nature and
a hard Aberdonian accent.
Twice already in his career had Holmes helped him to attain success,
his own sole reward being the intellectual joy of the problem. For this
reason the affection and respect of the Scotchman for his amateur
colleague were profound, and he showed them by the frankness with which
he consulted Holmes in every difficulty. Mediocrity knows nothing
higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius, and
MacDonald had talent enough for his profession to enable him to
perceive that there was no humiliation in seeking the assistance of one
who already stood alone in Europe, both in his gifts and in his
experience. Holmes was not prone to friendship, but he was tolerant of
the big Scotchman, and smiled at the sight of him.
"You are an early bird, Mr. Mac," said he. "I wish you luck with your
worm. I fear this me
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