Free Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette by Fred Thursfield Page B

up towards the ceiling of the warehouse paused for the briefest time then fell and landed with a soft thud on the packed earth floor.
    Wells looked both amazed and a little confused as to Holmes last minute action. Holmes taking the moment in stride said to Wells as he went over the pick up the crystal control rod. “Mr. Wells there has never been a machine like yours before and there will never be another like it again.”
    Then walking back with the crystal control rod in his hand Holmes presented it to Wells saying “A souvenir or a memento as it were to your genius Mr. Wells, save for your mechanical drawings you will never have the machine but you will have some small physical proof to yourself that a creation of your brilliant imagination came into being.
    After sharing a handsome cab back into the city and first saying good bye then dropping off Wells (with his souvenir) at his residence Holmes and I returned to 221 B Baker Street in time for a late breakfast. As were finishing the last of the coffee and the remainder of the toast we both heard Mrs. Hudson calling from downstairs that there was a message for me.
    Holmes realizing it was probably from my wife asking me to come home said “you had better pack Watson; no doubt your wife is waiting for you at Paddington station with her luggage wanting you to escort her home.”
    With out waiting for Mrs. Hudson to deliver the message I asked as I was getting up from the breakfast table “How can you be sure?” A rare but genuine warm smile played out on Holmes face as he answered “This is one time when my brain is governed my heart. I may never have been in love but I know of love.
    However Watson love is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things. I should never marry myself, lest I bias my judgment.
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    Dr. John H. Watson M.D.
    Transcribed from his original case notes by Mr. Fred Thursfield
    June 06, 2010
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    After reading the account of this affair the reader may wonder what was the eventual fate of the last collection of paintings Druitt had brought back from the future with Wells time machine.
    Because neither Holmes nor I at the time could ever ascertain as to whether or not they were in fact the originals or very good forgeries it was decided to have paintings taken from Burke & Wills Removals and Storage back to Holmes rooms which would act both as safe temporary storage for the collection and as an impromptu art gallery to display them
    After we had both personally enjoyed the company of the collection for a short time Holmes felt that each should now be returned to their proper owners. To that end he placed a small notice in each of the afternoon news papers to be published in the next edition that was to state that some “stolen” art work had been recently recovered (with the help of the Metropolitan Police) and the location as to where the art work could be reclaimed.
    The duly published notice in each paper discreetly left out the incredible details as to where the paintings had actually been located and how they had eventually come to be recovered. The notice factually informed the interested reader that if positive ownership of the piece could be properly established while attending at 221B Baker Street each “stolen” painting would gladly be returned to its rightful owner.
    I should comment that it was with some mixed emotions that as each of the stolen pieces of art left with the person or gallery who had owned it before the “theft” Holmes and I would never be sure if we were in fact returning an original painting or a well executed forgery back into an unsuspecting world. Holmes succinctly summed up my thoughts on this subject with “Let us hope Watson that none of the paintings we are returning over the next few days and weeks ever finds its way to the Belgravia Art Gallery and into the capable hands of Jeffery