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and I deduced that he intended to in volve
his friend in our proposed trip to Constantinople. I
was right.
    Progressing through busy streets,
the detective ex plained
that the Orientals, having lost us, would doubtless return to
the Bristol Kempinsky to pick up our trail when
we returned. What surprises he had in mind for the
Chinese, he did not go into.
    A presentation of the simple card
with the name of Sherlock
Holmes transformed a stiff, formal sergeant of police
into a somewhat flustered and excited servant of the
people.
    "Herr Holmes . . . but, of
course, sir. Would you kindly
be seated. Hein! Hein!" he almost shouted to a passing
policeman.
    Crossing, he whispered to the
surprised man, fiercely and
with effect since the policeman hastened from the main reception room
towards the lift.
    Somewhat recovered, the sergeant
resumed his post behind
his desk. "It will be but a moment, Herr Holmes,"
he explained, with rare deference. The great detective
nodded calmly and, turning to me, the ser geant
said, with a stiff smile, "Doctor Vatson, I pre sume?"
    Never having received attention
like this at Scotland Yard, it crossed my mind that Holmes and I
should travel abroad more often. But the sergeant, whose name proved
to be Dienstag, was not finished. Obviously, he felt that a
heaven-sent opportunity for criminal research had presented itself
and was loath to let the great moment slip away.
    "Doctor Vatson," he
continued, "in your masterly ac count
of the case of 'The Speckled Band' . . ."
    "Another of those overly
melodramatic titles," inter jected
Holmes with disdain.
    "Der speckled band vas from
India und a swamp adder. But der is no svamp adders in India,
vich has puzzled me greatly, Herr Doctor."
    Since Sergeant Dienstag was, to my
delight, directing his
question in my direction, I hastened to clear the matter
up. "Your confusion is understandable, Ser geant.
However, when I first made that adventure avail able
to the reading public . . ."
    Alas, my explanation could not be
completed since Wolfgang Von Shalloway appeared and advanced upon Holmes with his
hands outstretched.
    "Ach, Holmes! And Doctor
Watson? Such a happy surprise.
Come . . . come, my office is yours."
    Murmuring greetings, we were
escorted to the lift with
much pomp and Sergeant Dienstag remained con fused
since more important matters had to be dealt with.*
    * The loathsome serpent in The
Adventure of the Speckled Band was,
by most herpetologists' judgment, the Russell's viper.

    In but a short time we were in the
office of the chief of
the Berlin police. Von Shalloway shooed out mem bers
of his staff and ordered a cessation of all other business
during the visit of his illustrious friend.
    Holmes protested that he did not
wish to intrude on official
matters but Von Shalloway waved his objections aside.
I did not take my friend's disclaimers at face value
and was quite certain that the sleuth was secretly delighted
at the furor that his appearance had caused. Now
Von Shalloway exhibited the sagacity that had made
him one of the most famous man-hunters in the world.
    "To see you out of your
beloved London, Holmes— that is rare indeed. So something has
taken the British lion from his lair and it could only be a case."
    "We are involved in a
trifling matter," admitted Baker
Street's most famous resident. "A theft which did
not occur within the borders of Germany. In con nection
with the matter, I had reasons for coming here to Berlin and, in the
process, seem to have acquired some
unwelcome company."
    Von Shalloway regarded him blankly
and then his large
head shifted to me. "Surely, not the good Doctor Watson?"
he said, attempting a joke.
    "We are being shadowed by a
couple of Chinamen," I
said instinctively and, perhaps, defensively, then won dered
if I had said too much.
    "You are now leaving Berlin?"
questioned the police chief. When Holmes nodded, Von Shalloway
smiled, like a Cheshire cat. "Well, we shall arrange for some
difficulties with these