Sabrina was so happy! That man, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, had agreed to teach her to see things the way he did. She was to come to his cottage tomorrow at the same time, and to bring her violin. She was so lost in thought that she almost ran into her brother.
Jeremy Walters was a 20 year old boy of a rare type. He was a strong fellow, with blond cropped hair, a shad darker than his sister's. His brilliant blue eyes were quick and smart. He had a soothing influence on everyone around him. He had always done well at school and had dreams of being a doctor, but when his farther died and his mother fell ill, he gave it up to care for the family. He was working now as a gardener for the Winters, a rich family with a summer house on the downs.
When he saw his sister arrive at the general store, their regular meeting place, with a bright light in her eyes, he knew something good must have happened.
"What happened, Pop?"
"I met Mr. Holmes!"
"You did what?"
She told him the whole story, from bumping into Mr. Tolman, to Mr. Holmes asking her to come over the next day.
"Gee, Pop. You've had a day." He said when she was done, "Tell you what, tomorrow I'll go over to Mr. Holmes' house on Cottondrum to pick you up." Cottondrum was their only horse.
"Thank you Jem!" She said as they started the long walk home, hand in hand, "My teachers think that Mr. Holmes is crazy, do you?"
"I don't reckon he is. He knows stuff sure, but he's always right. And madmen aren't usually right."
"He told me that he observes and deduces. He knew that I was learning the violin, liked reading and that my big brother looked after me."
"Mr. Holmes is smart man, Pop."
"He told me that he learned it from his brother."
"Did he now?"
"Yeah, Jem."
There was a pause.
"Jem?"
"Yeah, Pop."
"Tell me about dad."
Jem smiled. "What do you want to know?"
"I don't know, describe him."
"He was a good man, strong and fierce but generous and smart. He used to take me hunting in the spring and he brought mom to London every summer for a holiday..." Jem went on and on, describing their father in detail. Sabrina had heard it all before but she loved hearing about him. She did not remember him, per say, but she had a general impression of him.
"Jem?"
"Yes, Pop?"
"Never mind."
