Free Sherlock Holmes by Dick Gillman

a few moments, a rather rotund
gentleman with grey hair, a fine handlebar moustache and dressed in
a smart, three piece suit appeared. “Mr Holmes? I am George Shaw,
Head Clerk.”
     Holmes touched his hat, saying, “Good
morning, Mr Shaw. I am working with Inspector Thomas and would like
some information regarding the tragic death of Master Anthony
Trelorn."
    Shaw nodded. “Come this way, gentlemen.”
leading us through the gap in the public counter, then through
frosted glass swing doors and into a small office. “Please, take a
seat."
     Holmes smiled, but refused. “Thank you,
but no. We seek knowledge of the boy and his duties.”
    Shaw rubbed his cheek. “Well, he was a good
lad, always on time for work. He used to be our delivery boy for
telegrams and such." Shaw shook his head saying, “A great shame, he
fell ill here, you know. We haven't been able to replace him and
his bench is just as he left it. One of the more senior boys has
had to take on his duties temporarily.”
    On hearing this, Holmes expression changed
and he was immediately alert. “Nobody has touched his work area you
say?” questioned Holmes.
    “ Nobody wants
to , Mr Holmes! The lad said he felt ill,
grabbed the table and keeled over. He was deathly pale, sweating
and racked with stomach pains. A doctor was immediately called, of
course, and the lad was taken to the hospital but was dead within
two hours."
    “Please, show me his work place. This is
vitally important.” urged Holmes.
    Mr Shaw escorted us from his office to a
small room off the main sorting office. “Here we are, sir.” said
Shaw, pointing to an empty bench.
    Holmes took in the area with a series of
swift, enquiring looks, almost like a garden bird on the look-out
for a cat. He followed this by a slow examination of the area,
pausing to pick up items, examining them minutely before replacing
them exactly from where they had come.
    After some ten minutes he had finished and,
turning to Shaw, asked, “Tell me, Mr Shaw, from where do you get
your supplies of materials for the telegrams?”
    Shaw rubbed his chin. “Well, they mostly come
from Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, the telegram forms and such.
We sometimes have to buy in materials when we run short, things
like the odd ball of string. Of course, we do sometimes have
special commemorative telegram envelopes which come directly from
the manufacturers. This is the latest one which came in last week.”
Shaw picked up an envelope which had on the front a picture of a
steam locomotive emerging from a tunnel. “It celebrates the opening
of the world's first underground railway by The City and South
London Railway Company on the fourth of November. Here's some the
lad was using.” Shaw bent down and pulled out a part used box from
under the work bench.
    Holmes bent down and carefully removed one.
“Would you mind if I took one of these?” asked Holmes, with a
slight smile.
    “Not at all, Mr Holmes.” replied Shaw.
    Holmes slipped the envelope into his coat
pocket, saying, “Well, we won't take up any more of your valuable
time, Mr Shaw. You have been most helpful."
     

Chapter 5 - The solution
     
    Bidding Mr. Shaw farewell, we left the
telegraph office. As we mounted the trap I asked Holmes about the
envelope. “Have you been on the new underground railway, Holmes?
It’s wonderful! The line runs all the way from The City to
Stockwell.”
    Holmes appeared to be completely unimpressed,
replying, “Really? It is neither the route of the railway nor the
commemorative aspect of the envelope that interests me, Watson.
Driver! Take us back to Inspector Thomas."
    In minutes we had returned and I watched from
the trap as Holmes had the briefest of conversations with the
Inspector. Thomas saluted and hurried back into the police station.
We, in turn, were taken back to ‘The Swan’.
    Once inside, we again settled into the small
sitting room. Holmes now had the look of a man inspired. He pulled
from his pocket the