from which you might obtain a clue to his present address?’
‘Only this,’ Venables replied. ‘I found it under the paper lining in his bureau drawer.’
Reaching up to the mantelpiece, he took down a small pasteboard oblong which he handed to me. It was a visiting card on which were engraved the following words:
COLONEL F. T. FORTESCUE-LAMB
Secretary
The Association for Maimed Soldiers
A. M. S. Head Office,
Buckmaster Buildings,
10–19 Titchbourne Street,
London, E. 1.
I said, ‘Does your son know this Colonel?’
‘Not to my knowledge although I myself was acquainted with Fortescue-Lamb several years ago in India. He was serving then in the Seventh Inverskillen Bombardiers. But you see, Watson, the baffling part of it is that Fortescue-Lamb retired from the army before I did and I happen to know that he emigrated toAustralia to run a sheep farm. I remember joking with him about the suitability of his name for his new career. As I received a greetings card from him, postmarked Bollawanga, only this very Christmas, I assume he must still be there. You follow my point? If old Baa-Lamb, as we used to call him, is sheep-farming in Australia, what is he doing acting as secretary to this charity and why should my son have his card?’
‘Could you not write or call at this address in Titchbourne Street and make inquiries?’
‘I could indeed, Watson. I have hesitated to do so in case I caused any further bad feeling between Teddy and myself. He already resents my meddling in his affairs, as he calls it.’
‘Yes; I can understand your reluctance. Then would you have any objections if I explained the situation to Sherlock Holmes and showed him this card? The circumstances are certainly very strange and could well interest him. As he is quite used to making this type of inquiry, you may rely on his discretion.’
In the course of our meetings, I had told Venables a little about my own history and background since I had retired from the army, including the fact that I had once shared lodgings in Baker Street with the famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, with whose reputation Venables was already acquainted.
On my mentioning Holmes’ name, Venables sat up, his haggard features alight with new hope.
‘Would you ask him to take the case, Watson? I should be enormously relieved if Mr Holmes would agree. I feel Teddy is in some kind of trouble but I should much prefer to know the worst than remain in ignorance. What are Mr Holmes’ fees? I am afraid the state of my present finances …’
He broke off, once more plunged into a state of despair.
To console him, I said airily, although I had no idea what Holmes might charge in this particular case, ‘Oh, they are very small, Venables; a mere token sum,’ intending, should they not be so, to make up the difference out of my own pocket rather than see my old army companion suffer any further distress. ‘So that is decided,’ I concluded, anxious to bring Venables to a decision. ‘I shall place the facts before Sherlock Holmes tonight.’
In the event, I did not have the opportunity to discuss the case with Holmes that evening. Although I waited up for him until after midnight, he failed to return home until the early hours and it was not until the following morning over breakfast that I was able to give him the full story of Teddy Venables’ disappearance and to show him the visiting-card.
Holmes listened attentively to my account, inquiring when I had finished, ‘And you say that this Colonel Fortescue-Lamb is at present in Australia?’
‘Yes; according to Venables. So you see, Holmes …’
‘I do indeed, Watson. But the mystery can be quite easily solved. As soon as we have finished breakfast, we shall take a cab to the –,’ he consulted the card, ‘– A. M. S. Head Office in Titchbourne Street and ask whoever is in charge there how Fortescue-Lamb manages to run two such widely separated ventures.’
‘You will be
‘Only this,’ Venables replied. ‘I found it under the paper lining in his bureau drawer.’
Reaching up to the mantelpiece, he took down a small pasteboard oblong which he handed to me. It was a visiting card on which were engraved the following words:
COLONEL F. T. FORTESCUE-LAMB
Secretary
The Association for Maimed Soldiers
A. M. S. Head Office,
Buckmaster Buildings,
10–19 Titchbourne Street,
London, E. 1.
I said, ‘Does your son know this Colonel?’
‘Not to my knowledge although I myself was acquainted with Fortescue-Lamb several years ago in India. He was serving then in the Seventh Inverskillen Bombardiers. But you see, Watson, the baffling part of it is that Fortescue-Lamb retired from the army before I did and I happen to know that he emigrated toAustralia to run a sheep farm. I remember joking with him about the suitability of his name for his new career. As I received a greetings card from him, postmarked Bollawanga, only this very Christmas, I assume he must still be there. You follow my point? If old Baa-Lamb, as we used to call him, is sheep-farming in Australia, what is he doing acting as secretary to this charity and why should my son have his card?’
‘Could you not write or call at this address in Titchbourne Street and make inquiries?’
‘I could indeed, Watson. I have hesitated to do so in case I caused any further bad feeling between Teddy and myself. He already resents my meddling in his affairs, as he calls it.’
‘Yes; I can understand your reluctance. Then would you have any objections if I explained the situation to Sherlock Holmes and showed him this card? The circumstances are certainly very strange and could well interest him. As he is quite used to making this type of inquiry, you may rely on his discretion.’
In the course of our meetings, I had told Venables a little about my own history and background since I had retired from the army, including the fact that I had once shared lodgings in Baker Street with the famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, with whose reputation Venables was already acquainted.
On my mentioning Holmes’ name, Venables sat up, his haggard features alight with new hope.
‘Would you ask him to take the case, Watson? I should be enormously relieved if Mr Holmes would agree. I feel Teddy is in some kind of trouble but I should much prefer to know the worst than remain in ignorance. What are Mr Holmes’ fees? I am afraid the state of my present finances …’
He broke off, once more plunged into a state of despair.
To console him, I said airily, although I had no idea what Holmes might charge in this particular case, ‘Oh, they are very small, Venables; a mere token sum,’ intending, should they not be so, to make up the difference out of my own pocket rather than see my old army companion suffer any further distress. ‘So that is decided,’ I concluded, anxious to bring Venables to a decision. ‘I shall place the facts before Sherlock Holmes tonight.’
In the event, I did not have the opportunity to discuss the case with Holmes that evening. Although I waited up for him until after midnight, he failed to return home until the early hours and it was not until the following morning over breakfast that I was able to give him the full story of Teddy Venables’ disappearance and to show him the visiting-card.
Holmes listened attentively to my account, inquiring when I had finished, ‘And you say that this Colonel Fortescue-Lamb is at present in Australia?’
‘Yes; according to Venables. So you see, Holmes …’
‘I do indeed, Watson. But the mystery can be quite easily solved. As soon as we have finished breakfast, we shall take a cab to the –,’ he consulted the card, ‘– A. M. S. Head Office in Titchbourne Street and ask whoever is in charge there how Fortescue-Lamb manages to run two such widely separated ventures.’
‘You will be
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