thousand at your finger ends, it is odd if you can’t unravel the thousand and

first.

 

Lestrade is a well-known detective. He got himself into a fog recently over a

forgery case, and that was what brought him here.”

 

“And these other people?”

 

“They are mostly sent on by private inquiry agencies. They are all people who

are in trouble about something, and want a little enlightening. I listen to

their story, they listen to my comments, and then I pocket my fee.”

 

“But do you mean to say,” I said, “that without leaving your room you can

unravel some knot which other men can make nothing of, although they have seen

every detail for themselves?”

 

“Quite so. I have a kind of intuition that way. Now and again a case turns up

which is a little more complex. Then I have to bustle about and see things with

my own eyes. You see I have a lot of special knowledge which I apply to the

problem, and which facilitates matters wonderfully. Those rules of deduction

laid down in that article which aroused your scorn, are invaluable to me in

practical work. Observation with me is second nature. You appeared to be

surprised when I told you, on our first meeting, that you had come from

Afghanistan.”