Show i d 4 r C t l fj V r tA 1 p o f M C w r W f P TrW x JL i By Sir Arthur re Engineer Thumb numb conan f i Adventure of or engineer s I i Conan Doyle Of all ull tho the problems which have bavo b been n submitted to to my friend Mr Sherlock Holmes for tor solution during durn the Uie years of br our Intimacy there thera were of ot I the tho means which waa wae mens only two wal that that of ot Mr Ir his notice Introducing ng t to tot Hatherley's thumb and that that of ot Colonel Colonel Colo Cob ad Of ot tb these e. e nel Del Warb madness these finer havo afforded a n the may te later and original observer ob ob- field for tor an acute acuto server ferver but the other waa wa no CO 10 strange and so BO o dramatic In Us its Is In n Its Inception worthy worthy wor wor- details that It may be t the e more record even evenI thy of ot being placed upon If It Jt save gave my fend friend fewer openings for tor I those deductive methods of ot reasoning reasoning rea rea- by which ho achieved such Buch re remarkable remarkable re- re results The Tho story loy has I 1 In Inthe Inthe believe been told more moro th than n once such narratives nar nar- the tho newspaper but like all al Jko Its effect Is much less less' bloc In a Ing when set Iset forth en 0 when gb Elo glo half column of ot print than tha the facts slowly bowly evolve before betor your te own eyes and the mystery clears each new discovery gr gradually away aa as 4 dual which leads on onto onto onto furnishes a step le cry ery n cr to the complete to truth At the tho time the tho te circumstances made modo a a deep dep Impression impression Im Im- im- im upon mo inn and the tho lapse of I two years has hn hardly hadly served sered to weaken weaken the tho effect It was In the summer Bummer of ot 1889 not notIonS I te the marriage that long after my IonS events occurred which I 1 am now event returned about to summarize I had to civil practice and had hod hl finally abandoned abandoned abandoned aban aban- civi Holmes It In his Baker street It although I continually visited rooms him and occasionally even persuaded him to forego his Bohemian habits habis so sotar far tar as to come como and visit us My practice pra- pra tics tice had steadily Increased and ad as 08 I happened to live livo at no very ver great get distance distance distance dis dis- dis- dis tance from station staton I got gota ot ota from among the oft a a few fow patients te I had cured whom dais One of at these of la a painful and lingering disease was wa never 0 weary of ot advertising m my yr tues and of at end endeavoring to send mo me moon meon moon he ho might whom on every sufferer sutter r over oer ever have any Influence 7 On One morning at a 0 little before o'clock I was awakened by the maid tapping at nt tho the door to announce that two men had come from and were waiting In the te consulting room I dressed hurriedly for I knew by experience that railway cases were seldom t trivial 01 and hastened down down- stairs As I descended my old aly ally the stars guard came out of or the room and ce closed the tho door tightly behind him Ive got him here he whispered Jerking Ive his thumb over his shoulder I Hes all right Tight What al Is IB It then thon I asked aked for his manner suggested than that It waa o some strange creature which he ho bad had caged up In hi my mi room Its a a new pate patient nt he whispered I thought Id I'd Id bring him around myself myself my my- self then he couldn't slip away There he Is all safe sato and sound I must go now doctor al I have my ny Just the same samo as you And off ott he ho went vent ent this trusty tout tout without even giving me rae time to thank him I entered my consulting room and found a gentleman genteman seated b by the ta ta- ta ble He was quietly dressed In a asuit asuit asuit suit of at heather tweed with a 0 soft soC cloth cap Cp which ho had laid down dow upon my books Around one of his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped which was mottled all al over with blood blood- stains Ho was young not more than 25 I should say with wih a n strong masculine ma- ma mas mas- culine face but he ho was exceedingly palo pale and and gave me the tho Impression of ofa ofa ofa a pao man who was suffering from some strong agitation which It took all 01 his strength of ot mind to control I am a sorry sorn to t knock you up so s searl earl early doctor said Bald he but I have had a very serious accident during tho the night ver I came In b by train trin this morning moring and on Inquiring at Paddington Pad Pad- as to where I might find a doctor a a worthy fellow very cr kindly escorted me here I gave tho the maid a acard acard acard card but I see that she sho has hs loft left It upon the side table I took It up and nd glanced at It It Mr Victor Stor Hatherly hydraulic engineer A 16 Victoria street street third floor foor That That was the tho name style and abode of at m my moring morning visitor I 1 regret that I havo have kept you waiting I said sitting sitting sit sit- ting Ung down don In my library chair You are fresh from a night joure Journey I understand understand un un- un- un which Is In Itself a monotonous monotonous monotonous occupation Oh m my night could not be called cled monotonous salt salt ho he and laughed He laughed very er heart heartily with a high ringing note leaning back In his chair chUr and shaking his sides All Al my medical instincts rose up against that tat laugh Stop IU Iti I cried Pull Pl yourself together And Ad I poured out some water water from a a. a cafe It was waB useless however He was off oft In one of at those hysterical outbursts outbursts outbursts out out- bursts which come upon a strong nature wh whon n some great geat crisis Is Js over and gone Presently he came to himsel himself himself him him- self sel once more very weary car and blushIng blushIng blush- blush Ing hotly hoty I II have been making a fool of myself myself my my- self he gasped Not ot at all al Drink this this I dashed some Bomo sma brand brandy Into the water and the color began to come back to his bloodless cheeks better beter said sid he And now doctor perhaps you would kindly attend attend at- at tend to my thumb or rather to t the tho place where my thumb used to bo be He unwound the tho handkerchief and held heM out his hand hand It I gave oven even my hardened nerves a 0 shudder to look at atIt It It There were four tour protruding fingers fin gers and a horrid horid red spongy Buraco surface surface sur Bur face aco where tho the thumb should have been It I had been hacked hacke or torn tor right out from the roots Good heavens heavens I 1 cried cred This ThIB Is Isa Isa Isa a terrible injury Injun It I must have bled considerably Yes It did I fainted when It was wn done and I think I must have been senseless for tor a 3 Ion long time When I came to I found foud that It was waa still sUl bleeding so I tied ted one end of my han handkerchief very cr tightly around the wrist and braced It up with wih a twig Excellent You should have ha e been beena a surgeon surgeon It t is a queston ot hydraulics you OU see and came within m my own provInce provInce province ince Tilts This h has s been been done said I I. I examining examining ex ex- ex- ex the wound by hy a very ery ver heavy and sharp Instrument A thing thins like a n cle cleaver ver said heAn heAn heAn he An accident I presume presume By no means hat A murderous attack 1 Very murderous Indeed You horl horrify me me I sponged the wound cleaned It I dressed It and finally finaly covered ered It over with cotton coton wadding and bandages He lay by back without wincing although he bit his lip Up from time to time How Is 16 that I asked when I had ha finished Capital Capital Between your brandy brand and your bandage I feel a new man Iwas I 1 Iwas weak but hut I have hae had was ver very a good deal to go through through Perhaps you ou had better beter not speak of ot the matter It I Is evidently e trying to your nerves nerves Oh no nOt no-nOt not now I shall have ha e to tot t tell l my tale ule to the tho police But But between between between be be- tween ourselves If It It were ere not nol for the te convincing evidence of at this wound o omine ol mine I should be surprised If It the they believed belIe my ray statement for It Is A Aver very bele extraordinary e one n and d I X have not ver much In hi the way of at proof with wih which muc to back blk It te up And And even If Jt they be believe be- be here lieve me rae the clu clues which I can give them are r eo so vague that tat It Is Js a a. question question Queston Ques- Ques ques ques- tion whether Justice will wm be done ton Ha Ha I cried L If It 1 Is 15 anything In the tho nature of ot a n pr problem blem which you desire to see Beo solved I should bould strongly strongly strong strong- ly recommend you to come to m my friend rend Mr Sherlock Holmes before you go to the official police yu Oh I have have heard beard of that fellow answered my visitor and I should bevery bo be bover bovery very glad If Jt ho would take the tho matter matter matter mat mat- ver ter up though of at course I J must use se tho the official police pollee pole as ns welL Would you give me an a Introduction to him Ill Il do better beter Ill I'll Il take you around to him myself 1 I should hould be Immensely obliged to you Well el call can a 0 cab and go together We shall Just juet bo be In time to havo have a little breakfast breakfast with him Do you OU feel equal to It Jt Yes Ye eQual I shall n not feel fel easy ea until I havo have told my ray story Then my servant lerant will wi call can a R cab and I shall bo be with you In an nn In Instant In- In stant I rushed rushe upstairs explained I Ithe the matter mater shortly shorty to my wife and andIn andIn In five was wa Inside a a hansom driving with wih m my new acquaintance to Baker street Sherlock Holmes was as I expected lounging about abut his sitting room room In his gown dressing gow reading the agony column column col cob uma of at The Times and smoking his breakfast before before pipe which was composed com corn posed d of ot all aU tho the plugs and left from his sok smokes s of ot the te day before all al carefully dried and collected on the corner of ot the tho to mantelpiece mantelpiece He re received re re- us In his quietly genial fashIon fashIon fashIon fash- fash Ion ordered fresh rashers and eggs and Joined us In a a hearty meal When It was concluded he settled I our new acquaintance upon the tho sofa BOtn placed a pillow beneath his head hea and laid a 0 glass pf water brandy-and-water within his reach rech It Is easy to s ree e e that your experience experience experience ex ex- ex- ex has hn been no common one Mr Hatherley said eald he Pray He lie le down there thero and make yourself absolutely absolutely abeo- abeo at home Tell us what yo you can but stop when you yu are tired and keep up your our strength with a little stimulant Thank you said my patient patent but I have havo felt another man since th tho doctor bandaged me and I think that your breakfast has ha completed the tho cure I shall take up as little of at your valuable time as Q possible so 80 soI soI I shall shaH start at once upon my peculiar peculiar liar lar experiences Holmes sat sat In his bl big armchair with wih the weary wear lidded heavy heavy expression slon sion which veiled his keen kon ken ana eager nature while I sat opposite to him and we listened In Blen silence e to the tho strange stor story which our visitor de detailed detailed de- de tailed tied to us You must know said Bald he that I 1 am an orphan and a bachelor re residing residing re- re siding Biding alone In lodgings In London By profession I am a an hydraulic en engineer engineer en en- and I ha have hae e had considerable experience of my work during the seven years yeas that I was apprenticed to Venner Matheson the well known known wel-known firm of Greenwich Two To years ear ago having served my time and having ha also come into a fair sum of ot money through my poor fathers father's death I de determined determined determined de- de to start In business for tor myself myself my my- sel self and ad took professional chambers In Victoria Street I 1 suppose that ever every one finds his his' first independent start In business bustness bust busi ness a dreary experience To me It Jt has ha been exceptionally so During two years ears I havo have had three consultations consul consul- and one small smal Job and that thatIs I Is absolutely all aU that my profession has brought me M My l gross takings amount to J 27 lOs Every day from nine In the morning moring until four In Inthe Inthe Inthe the afternoon I waited In my little den until at at last lat my heart began to sink and I came to believe beleve that I should never have any practice at all aU Yesterday however Just as I was thinking of ot leaving the office my clerk entered to say sy there was a a gentleman waiting who wished to see me upon business He Ho brought up a card too with tho the name flame nae of ot Colonel Lysander Stark engraved d dupon upon it It Close at his heels came the colonel himself a a man rather over the middle size but of ot an exceeding thinness I do not think that I have ever seen so 50 thin a man His whole face sharpened away Into nos nose and chin and tho the skin o of ot his cheeks was as drawn quite tense over his outstanding outstanding out out- standing bones Yet this emaciation tion ton seemed to be his natural habit habit and due to no disease for tor his eye W was R bright his step brisk and his hearing assured Ho He was waa wa plain plainly but neatly neaty dressed and his age I should judge would be nearer forty than thirty Mr Hatherley said he with something of ot a German ran accent You Tou have havo been recommended to me Mr Hatherley as being a man who Is not only proficient In his profession but It also discreet and ad capable of at preserving pro pre pr- pr serving a secret secret I bowed tee feeling as aB flattered as any young man would at such an address adress May I ask who It was wa who gave me so good a character I IVel Well Vel perhaps it Is I better belter that I should not toll tell tl you that Just at this moment I have It from tho the same I source that you OU are both an orphan and a bachelor and are residing I alone in London 1 That Is quite quie correct I answered an an answered but you OU will excuse me mo nn I It if I Isay Isay Isay say that I cannot see Bee how all al this I bears bear upon my professional tons I understood that it was on a professional matter mater that tat you ou wished to speak to mer me U Undoubtedly so so But you will find rind that alIt allf an I say sy Is really to wi the point I have a a professional f commission commission com corn mission for you but absolute secrecy Is quite essential essential absolute absolute secrecy you ou understand and of at course we e emay may expect that more from a man who Is I alone than from one who lives U es in the tho bosom of ot his family If It I 1 promise to keep a a. secret said I you ou ma may ab absolutely depend upon my doing so He looked very er so hard at me as I spoke and It seemed to me ma that 1 I had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye ec Do IDo you OU promise then l' l said ho he at last I Yes es I promise Absolute and complete completo silence before during and after ater No reference reference refer refer- ence to the tho matter at all al either cither In word ord or writing I 1 have already given you my word word Very good Ho He Ver good suddenly sprang up and darting darlng like lightning across the room he tun flung o open n the door Th The Tho passage outside was wn empty empt hats oil all right said sid he he coming back I v kno that clerks are sometimes some some- times curious as to their masters master's affairs Now Not we can talk in safety He drew up his chair er very close to mine and began to stare |