Category: Amber Rose Of The Amazon

Mr. Adams is too young. Mr. Jones is too generous. Mr. Grant too senior. Mr. Long too defiant which leaves Mr. Camp the janitor.

“Mrs. Brown is the teller’s mother-in-law. For the 2nd stenographer could not be Miss Hill or Miss Dale. Since she shares a dislike for the pamper 3rd vice president with the assistant teller. Or is Mrs. Kane the teller’s mother-in-law. Goods odd for a wager Watson.”

“Only a fool would bet with the likes of Sherlock Holmes, I am sure you have already eliminated one of these married women.”

“And I thought you a gaming man.”

“So these five plus the bookkeeper Evans allow us to remove all male possibilities for president of the firm.”

“Miss Hill and Miss Dale lack prodigy, Mrs. Brown lacks affection and Mrs. Kane lacks distance.”

“Walla, President Mrs. Ford”

“When all possibilities are removed the answer appears.”

“Very good Watson 20 years has served you well.

“But there are deeper clues to be had concerning the former Miss Grant and the reason for respective Miss Hill’s anger. Generations of turmoil set in motions with a single action. I digress Watson let me lay before you the players first, the janitor”

As sparks flow off steel and cobblestone Holmes regaled the doctor with how deduction revealed each person’s identity.

“The president is Mrs. Ford and her grandson is Mr. Adams. Watson moved to ask, but was checked by the telegraphed expression in the detective’s eyes that read: STOP explanation to follow STOP do not remove all doubt STOP.

“The stenographers, assistant teller, 2nd vice, and president are all women. This is clearly apparent from the following. Posts held by the men were 3rd vice president the grandson, the teller the son-in-law 1st vice president and the cashier’s bachelor-hood, the janitor’s boyhood.

The detective raised a hand but not an eye while scanning hungrily over the remainder of the doctors notes which read:

Mr. Adams and the 2nd Stenographer are leaders of the young unmarried set

The Janitor, a miser, has occupied the attic of the firm since boyhood

Miss. Hill looks forward to lunching with the president of the Y.U.S.

The fashionable Teller is the son-in-law of the 1st Stenographer.

Mr. Jones secretly gives his discarded clothing to the elderly Bookkeeper Evans

“I have them all and I have the key to unlock the door,”

“We make for Mr. Adams residence”

Holmes devoured the good Doctors notes in two gulps punctuated by a single question of clarification. First section read:

The President’s neighbors are Mrs. Kane, Mr. Grant and Mr. Long.

Mrs. Brown and the Assistant Teller dislike the President’s pampered grandson the 3rd Vice President.

The Assistant Teller and the 2nd Stenographer’s father just passed away

Mr. Grant told Miss. Hill to send him a Stenographer.

The 1st Vice President and Cashier live at the exclusive Bachelor’s Club.

“Watson was there anything said about a failed engagement?”

“Yes, between the 2nd Vice President and the Bookkeeper.

“How did you ….”

“We are too late Holmes all have gone.”

“But the one who is most informative remains. I want you to inquire about local lodgings of the night maid. Be sure to inform her of your profession Take note of everything she says about the firm Make sure to ask no question during your time with her. Off you go gentle Angle of Healing.”

An hour later ….

“The only way I could pry myself from that woman was with a liberal amount of laudanum. But as requested here are 10 references she made as to the goings-on at the firm.

“I’ve arranged passage on the Sloop Noval Joe. She sails in the morn …. But first.”

“The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards is up to some unsavory business. What do you know brother?”

“That the King’s protection is with them

so tread lightly, where we can not tread.

“So you need information?

“And you need a 12 knot vessel

to make the channel crossing.”

“I promise little and most likely will deliver less”

“Humility suites you ill.

“What suit would?”

“Spades”

“Tell the boys in back this is not going to go well.”

“It never does. Goodbye Sherlock”

From pinprick of light to steam belching leviathan the train came to a rest just before the detective. A door opened, the two travelers entered. Down the tracks a switch pulled to the hard left. Slowly the train followed a course through a valley few eyes had seen. Within two miles the train was moving at an alarming speed, but this was unnoticeable to the occupants, who were already is deep discussion with Mycroft himself.

“You live brother, is this your seventh of eight?”

“I’ve lost track sometime ago. I need to be in Paris before the Easter bureaucratic ellipses.”

Watson thought a moment. He knew he had seen that number while tramping about in the woods for quail. But it hadn’t seemed very important.

“10DS it returns to Dorshire Summers.”

“Think Watson 10 D S the single more important place in the Umpire.

“Downing Street, are you telling me the PM has a private train that runs at his pleasure four times a day?”

“Money well spent, more that a war and revolution has been curtailed because of that train. Now it will serve both our needs and the Umpire, for this affair is like a dark curtain descending.