Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette by Fred Thursfield Page B

of the building and now found ourselves some where in the middle.
    I was beginning to think we had lost our last hope and was ready to share this thought with Holmes when he asked me a curious question “Watson do you happen to notice anything in particular about where we are standing right now?” The only obvious observation I could make was that we were standing on a packed earth floor.
    Then pointing all around he said “It is an odd thing that this ware house has packing crates of all manner and description stored everywhere but look at the size of the area we are standing is bereft of crates.”
    When Holmes paced out the dimensions of the area in question it was roughly about five feet in width and about fifteen feet in length. “You don’t suppose?” I started then crouching down Holmes lightly touched what look like to be the impressions of two long pieces of pipe about five feet apart. Holmes looked up at me and replied “I believe it is.”
    Still not ready to accept the fact we had found evidence of the time machine I tried to make reason of what Holmes had found by saying that the impressions were nothing more than the results of two long lengths of pipe that had been stored there for some time.
    Holmes now himself a little doubtful about the apparent evidence got up and went to where the back or front of the machine would be bent down and dusted for what I thought were more impressions of the machines existence.
    Getting up again then coming back to me he said a well proven statement “Watson again when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
    â€œWe have found where Wells time machine is being operated from,” as if to back up this incredible find Holmes then produced yet another discarded cigarette from the packed earth floor with the flair of a sleight of hand artist “this I believe will be prove to be the same brand of cigarette I found in Druitt’s rooms if it matches the one I already have then all that will be left is for us is to apprehend the man who has lit and smoked both cigarettes.
    Leaving the ware house and locking the workman’s entrance then walking back to where we could find a hansom cab Holmes and I starting making plans to go back to the ware house very early the next morning and wait for Druitt’s return.

Chapter 23
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    Returning to 221 B Baker Street Holmes instructed me as to what we would need for tomorrows early vigil while he conducted scientific tests on the two discarded cigarettes that were in his keep.
    â€œOur Druitt is a man of expensive tastes Watson” came Holmes voice from his laboratory “How so?” was my reply while checking the coal oil lamp. “Both cigarettes are labeled as Dunbar it is an extraordinary cross-cut English flake the result of a complex mixture of the finest Virginias, choice Turkish and Oriental tobaccos hard-pressed and broad-cut into thick flakes.”
    â€œWhere would Druitt have purchased them?” I asked my curiosity now piqued “An educated guess” my friend said. I already knew that he had fixed the shop where they had come from “J.F. Germain & Son pipe, cigarette tobaccos.” was Holmes answer. A visit later that day to that particular tobacconist would confirm both the product and its customer.

Chapter 24
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    During my bachelor day with Holmes I remembered be awakened early in the morning to pursue some clue or apprehend some criminal but these early risings had always happened just as the sun was lighting the eastern sky. This particular morning as I was feeling myself being gently jostled and Holmes telling me wake and get ready to go it was still dark outside.
    Sitting up on Holmes chesterfield shaking off the effects of sleep I asked the obvious question “What time of the night is it Holmes?” “It’s three in the morning Watson, and to answer your