Free Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette by Fred Thursfield

any one man will do, but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to. Individuals vary, but percentages remain constant.”
    A softer knock on the entrance door told of us Wells arrival. “Watson if would be so kind as to let Mr. Wells in and prepare him for the inevitable shock he is about to experience.” So as instructed I went to the entrance door opened it and invited Wells inside.

Chapter 30
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    â€œGood morning Dr. Watson I received a message from hansom cab driver to be here this morning and I was wondering what it was in regard to.” “Mr. Wells” I started before we preceded any further “it is in regards to your time machine.” “Do you mean that the second set of drawings has been recovered?” Wells questioned me.
    â€œMore than that” was all I could answer, “come with me please.” As Wells and I made our way into the middle of the ware house he observed two sites, my friend Holmes standing next to for Wells at least a very real time machine.
    At this point I could tell that Wells was very much at a loss for words while he beheld the site that was presented to him. Partial sentences were all he could manage “That’s impossible...that can’t...this isn’t re...”
    Holmes not wanting Wells to struggle with the reality of the situation said “Mr. Wells the machine you see before is quite real and fully functional.” Wells being a man of logic questioned this fact by asking “How is this so?”
    Holmes then went into a brief explanation of how Wells ex wife, a copy of the mechanical drawings, three inventors, an art forger by the name of Montague John Druitt and a time trip 100 years into the future almost ruined the art world had all made it so.
    â€œ100 years?” Wells asked with out fully understanding what he had just been told. “Mr. Wells if you would step over here” Holmes pointed in the general direction of the machines controls.
    Wells joined my friend now standing in front of the machines controls much as Druitt had revealed the record of the machines travels Holmes now stated Mr. Wells “in front of you there is a panel with two dates, one is departure date and one is the arrival date. Read the date on the left then the one on the right that should answer your question.”
    Wells silently mouthed the two dates he saw “1895 – 1995”

    Giving Wells a few minutes to let this information settle in Holmes gravely stated “Seeing this, and knowing how such technology could be used for great good also for great evil it is very obvious that this machine should not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.”
    Wells asked with almost the same type of voice that one asks upon learning about the death of a loved one “Are you suggesting that my time machine be destroyed?” This was one of the rare times when I have ever seen my friend at a loss for words.
    I could see that there was some conflict going on in my Holmes mind about this matter. There was the fact that the machine was a technological wonder a marvel and a wonder of its time. But there was the matter that Druitt had used it for no good but his own.
    Holmes no doubt realized that Druitt was for all purposes a small time criminal but if such a machine was to fall into the hands of an arch enemy like Professor Moriarty who knows what the outcome might be. .
    Not being able to look at Wells growing sad face Holmes turned to me and stated “Watson we have a dilemma. It is obvious that with what has happened Mr. Well’s creation cannot continue to exist, but it is almost unthinkable that this machine should be destroyed.”

Chapter 31
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    For some reason I saw Druitt’s hand on the small crystal rod pushing it down to make the machine stop. Sensing some solution to this problem I asked Wells “The small crystal shaft in front of operator. Pushing it down makes the machine stop