Judge — June 1, 1918 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Deductions from the German Drive By Kexnetu L. Ronerts OLMES knocked his pipe against his prominent ankle-bone, precipitat- ing the ashes into the up- turned cuff of his trouser-leg. Then, having filled a hypo- dermic needle with his private mixture of Worcestershire sauce and copper sulphate, and injected it carefully into his thin but sinewy forearm, he picked up the evening paper with a gentle sigh and sank back in his battered armchair, scarred with the bites and kicks of many hysterical clients. “Ah, Watson,” said Holmes, as his piercing eyes ran over the headlines, “here is something on which you may practise your deductive faculties. The Ger- mans are making desperate efforts to capture Amiens. They are using over forty divi- sions in the attempt, and are willing to lose 300,000 men to attain their ends. They are hurling shells into Amiens at the rate of 107 per minute. Every third man in the attacking forces carries a machine-gun to his hip. The German navy is preparing to co-operate with the land forces.* Now then, Watson, what does this tell us?” I was nonplussed by the suddenness of my friend’s question. In my embarrassment I unbuttoned and buttoned my vest several times. “Why,” I said at length, “it must mean that the Germans consider Amiens a strategical point of the highest importance, and are determined to have it at all costs.” Holmes smiled wearily. “At one time I had great hopes for you as a detective, Watson,” said he, “but of late I have begun to wonder whether you wouldn’t be more of a success as a fish peddler. Listen carefully, and I will explain everything.” The great detective placed his feet in the coal- scuttle, gazed dreamily at the ceiling, drew a Jew’s-harp from his pocket, and played the entire score of “Tosca” while I waited tensely for him to proceed. “The mere fact,” said Holmes at length, replacing the Jew’s-harp in his pocket and kicking the coal-scuttle out of the open window into Baker Street, where it hit a policeman on the head, “the mere fact that the Germans Cartson Draven by Georce L. Tue Wareare oF Love. Drawn by Norsax Antuony EVER HAVE THIS SE Feettxes or a Sensitive Person Wuo Foxcot To Pay His Fare are making an attempt to cap- ture Amiens shows very plainly that there is a cathedral in that city. It is a desperate at- tempt; therefore we may de- duce that the cathedral is an imposing one, probably Gothic, and without doubt between four and six hundred years of age.” “Marvelous!” I exclaimed, once more unbuttoning my vest in my excitement. Holmes smiled tolerantly. “From the fact that the Ger- mans are using forty divisions to capture the city,” he con- tinued, “I deduce that the cathedral owes its beauty one of the greatest of architects—let us say le-Duc, for example. That they are willing to lose 300,000 men to attain their ends proves that there is something very unusual—probably some- thing unique—about the cathe- dral: possibly the nave is the highest or almost the highest of all the French cathedrals.” “Astounding!” [ mur- mured. “The number of shells,” Holmes went on, “which are falling in the city show that the cathedral has several magnificent rose-windows, one of which must be at least thirty-eight feet in diameter. Since every third man of the attackers carries a machine-gun, and since the German navy is preparing to co-operate with the land forces, I deduce that the cathedral is adorned with statues of the entire celestial hierarchy. Suppose, my dear Watson, you look up Amiens in the encyclopedia and find out whether or not my deductions are correct.” Ejaculating “amazing!” in admiring tones, I did as Holmes requested. I found that his deductions were correct in every detail. Apparently there is no limit to the man’s overwhelming insight. A Protracted Visit “T don’t think your father feels very kindly toward me,” said Mr. Staylate. “You misjudge him. The morning after you called on me last week he seemed quite worried for fear I had not treated you with proper courtesy.” “Indeed! What did he say?” “He asked me how I could be so rude as to let you go away without your breakfast.” 4 No. 2. The Ace of Hearts