Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette (5 page)

Chapter 15

 

I leave the revelations of the forged oil painting for a moment to tell of a pivotal event that took place a couple of days after our first visit to the Belgravia Gallery

Very early one morning Burke & Wills Removals and Storage in Camden London town was where three large goods wagons being pulled by Clydesdale's horses had been witnessed one morning by a mill worker while on his way home after his shift.

He (the mill worker had noticed that a large number of wooden crates were being taken off the goods wagons by two men (one at each end) and brought into the ware house for apparent storage. Other than noticing the odd hour of the delivery, and the number of goods wagons located there the man gave no thought to the early morning scene and continued on his way home.

If anyone had placed Burke & Wills Removals and Storage under continued surveillance they would have noticed several skilled tradesmen, with the tools of their profession entering early in the morning and leaving late at night for a period of about a week.

After hearing expert testimony as to why the Hughes painting was a forgery Holmes asked the young restorer “with what you have discovered about the oil paints that have been used to create this copy of the Long Engagement could you tell me by whom and where they were manufactured?'

“I'm not a chemist Mr. Holmes, but I have worked with pigments and oil paints long enough to tell you the basic materials that go into the manufacture of each color and from there I'm able to tell you who the company was who made each tube of paint. Leave this with me and I should have an answer for you within a couple of days.”

On our ride back to 221 B Baker street Holmes said as much to himself as to me “This is a curious state Watson, an art forger who has not thought through the crime well enough by duplicating the oil paints used on the original making it less likely that if the copy was well executed it might not be detected as being a forgery.”

A curious state indeed as we were to find out later that young Daniels, the art restorer was at a complete loss at identifying the components that made the oil paint used for the Hughes copy.

In the work area at the
Belgravia Gallery standing next to the forged copy of The Long Engagement he stated “Gentlemen in all my years as an art restorer I have used and worked with many different types and kinds of pigments and oil paints, but there is nothing in these paints used that I can even come close to identifying.”

Even more curious was the fact that suddenly more forgeries with the unidentifiable oil paints were starting to show up at the Belgravia Gallery as well as other reputable galleries in the greater London area.

Chapter 16

 

The next morning as we were finishing breakfast Holmes, sitting on the other side of the breakfast table stated to himself as much as to me “This will not do.” “Do what?” I returned while putting down my cup hoping to catch the thread of his thought.

Holmes answered “Art forgeries that cannot be traced, reasonably good reproductions being produced with an unknown type of oil paint” “Where do you suggest that we start then?” I asked encouragingly. “By paying a visit to some one who may possibly be connected to this affair in ways we may have overlooked.” Curious to know who this mysterious person was I asked “Who could it be?”

Holmes answer and line of reason I found hard to believe but after he finished he ended his reasoning with “When Watson you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Holmes then announced he would be out for the rest of the day but when he returned he might be a step closer to solving the mystery.

Later that afternoon a bedraggled criminal looking fellow was seen entering the Rookery then making his way slowly along to the Old Mint located along the Ratcliffe Highway and Petticoat lane. Black John, as the fellow introduced himself in a gruff voice to the proprietor of the Old Mint asked if he could speak with Montague John Druitt.

“Druitt?” the proprietor answered Black John questioningly as if he had no knowledge of the person and if he did he didn't want to reveal that he might know him to the ruffian that was standing in front of him.

“The lodger who has or had rooms upstairs in this establishment!” answered Black John impatiently. Then as the bedraggled criminal waited for a reply he slowly started metamorphosing into my friend Sherlock Holmes.

Holmes reputation was well known in this part of London and when the transformation was almost complete the proprietor suddenly realized who he was facing his knowledge of Druitt's where about came back to him.

“Mr. Druitt moved out some time ago, he mentioned that he was going abroad to the continent for a time to talk to some people about an idea he recently had in mind. “I only have two more questions to ask” Holmes continued as he shed the last vestiges of Black John.

“One, at any time was a lady seen entering and leaving his residence?” “Yes” was the proprietor's quick answer. “And why I remember seeing her was that she was uncomfortably carrying what looked like a large roll of paper when she arrived, but didn't have it with her when she left.”

“Two” Holmes told me later that he didn't want to ask this question but felt compelled to “When Druitt left for his trip to the continent, was there anything unusual about his luggage?” “Well yes sir” the proprietor had answered “besides a couple of cases and a steamer trunk he appeared to be carrying a similarly large roll of paper with him like the one the one the lady had left before.

Holmes finished his investigation by asking to see where Druitt had resided. “Well there isn't much to see besides the furniture; Mr. Druitt packed all his personal belongings along with some oil paintings I assumed he owned before he left.

Holmes pressed with his request and was lead up a flight of old and creaky wooden stairs to where Druitt had conducted his criminal business. As had been described the dingy rooms were bereft of any personal goods except for the few pieces of bare furniture that came with the weekly rent.

Holmes assuring the proprietor he would properly close the door when he left he excused him then began a closer examination of Druitt's last whereabouts. The only indication as to the level of Druitt's criminal activity was the large number of exposed nails that had been driven into the walls indicating that a variety of pictures or paintings may have hung there just a short while ago.

Holmes scoured cupboards, drawers, table top, the bed and closets to find that Druitt had not left anything of his inhabitance behind. Out of habit Holmes gave the floor a quick look not expecting to see any thing when his attention was attracted to a small cylindrical object lying almost neglected next to the empty coal stove.

Walking over to it he bent down and picked up the object examined it closely and sniffed it “Aha!” he exclaimed with joy while putting the hard won prize into a vest pocket for safe keeping “Now I have you Druitt” When Holmes made his entrance through the front door of his rooms later I put my journal down and asked

“Did you manage to talk to Druitt?” “No” was his answer, “and if it wasn't for this” at which time he pulled out of his vest pocket what looked very much like the remains of a cigarette “there would be no evidence at all that Druitt had ever occupied the rooms I looked through.”

Removing his top hat and coat Holmes continued “and my worst fears have been confirmed Watson. Our Mr. Druitt has gone abroad to conduct some business with people who have are experts in machinery and electricity.” “That in and of its self shouldn't be cause for too much concern” I countered.

“Watson do you remember our conversation with Mr. Wells and his shocking revelation” “Vaguely yes” I replied still trying to see the gravity of what Holmes had found out.

“Remember his words Watson”....
I have not been entirely truthful with both of you on that matter.”
remember my asking him
how so?
Then remember that he looked almost relieved when he said I
have long thought that it might be possible, in theory at least to have a set of mechanical drawings that could again in theory describe how to build my time machine. My machine is now one step beyond fiction, theory and imagination gentlemen. I now own a set of mechanical drawings, that with the right materials, skills and abilities it could be built.”

I felt as if the floor had opened up when Holmes finished with “and the proprietor of the Old Mill where Druitt had rooms this after noon told me when I asked about Druitt's luggage “
Well yes sir, besides a couple of cases and a steamer trunk he appeared to be carrying a similarly large roll of paper with him like the one the one the lady had left before.

“I think Watson it would be in our best interests to make discreet inquiries with the booking agents to see if they have seen anyone of Druitt's description and if they have if they can enlighten us as to where his destinations were when he was expected to arrive on the continent.”

Holmes walked over his parlor windows that over looked Baker Street watched the late afternoon parade of humanity and industry for a short time, then turned to me and announced “Watson we shall have to ask Mr. Wells to come and visit us again and give us a full and complete disclosure of what he truly knows of this matter.”

Chapter 17

 

When H.G. Wells walked through the front door of Holmes rooms the next afternoon the atmosphere was much more subdued. Hanging up his hat and coat Wells announced “Dr. Watson I was surprised to get your note and got here as quickly as I could.” As we were all sitting down I expected Homes to share his news about Druitt with Wells instead

Holmes went straight into what concerned him the most. “I must ask you Mr. Wells is your time machine only a theory or is it possible to construct one?” “Mr. Holmes, when I wrote this story there is much I left out.” “The relevant details being?” queried Holmes. “That time travel is possible and how the machine makes it happen.

But you have to understand this kind of knowledge in the wrong hands could be dangerous.” “When I had the mechanical drawings executed it was only to prove that the machine could be constructed and could operate in the way I described in my story.”

“A moot point Mr. Wells, it appears that some one has come into possession of this information by way of a duplicate copy of the mechanical drawings and may make your theoretical,” Holmes waved his hand in Mr. Well's direction, “machine a reality.”

“I can only speculate as to what type of havoc such a machine might be capable of doing, but because I have knowledge of the person who has the drawings so we can rule out any major crime like bank robbery happening once the machine becomes operational.”

Wells now looking a little sheepish asked “Do you know who has the copy of the mechanical drawings and how they came into possession of it?” “The who Mr. Wells, is one Montague John Druitt,”

“Watson can testify that Druitt was considered by many to be the number one suspect in the Jack the Ripper case how ever there was very little evidence with which to implicate him. He has been incarcerated for the theft of small to medium sized oil paintings and was also in the business of creating reasonably good forgeries of the stolen paintings to sell to less than discriminate buyers.”

“I have a feeling that Druitt is going to find a use for your machine that the character in your story never thought of or much less imagined. As to the how I can't really tell you, however I have it on good evidence that recently a lady was seen in Druitt's company and the she was see carrying what looked like a large roll of papers no doubt unlike a set of mechanical drawings.”

From the look of dismay and regret that was playing across Wells face I reasoned that he knew who in fact the lady was and why she had done this. Then realizing the gravity of what had been set in motion Wells stated “Mr. Holmes we will have to prevent this Druitt character from doing any harm at any cost.”

Reflecting back to events that had taken place at the Belgravia Gallery and to the conversations we had both had with the managing director and the art restorer Holmes very matter of fact stated “I think Mr. Wells that with what I have ascertained from a reputable art gallery here in London Druitt may have already put his plan into motion.”

Looking very puzzled Wells asked Holmes “How do you know this?” Before answering Holmes looked to me for some guidance. I minimally shook my head to him conveying that the less Wells knew at this time the better.

Taking my cue as he stood up and helped Wells to his feet, “Watson if you would be so kind as to fetch Mr. Wells's hat and coat.” Putting on his coat and hat Wells no doubt felt a little like he had been suddenly been left out in the cold, Holmes placed his hand reassuringly upon Wells shoulder and said to him “Rest assured Mr. Wells that when we know more about this matter we shall be in touch with you.”

Holmes saw to it that I escort our guest down the flight of carpeted stairs from Holmes rooms to the front door. As we were both standing in the door way waiting for Wells hansom cab to arrive I told him that as a married man I had a pretty good idea of how events had come to this stage. That Druitt would be stopped one way or another and that with some luck Wells name and reputation would never come to any type of harm.