CHAPTER TWO

A Strange Visitor

Pouring my friend and I a cup of tea, I was about to enquire whether Holmes believed the owner of the case would return to claim it when there was a knock on the door and the landlady, Mrs. Hudson entered. She was about to announce a visitor when Holmes silenced her by holding up his hand.

"A gentleman to see me, Mrs. Hudson, yes? Well dressed, smartly turned out and," Holmes winked at me, "not smoking."

"Why, yes, Mr. Holmes" Mrs. Hudson said, a look of surprise and amazement crossing her face.

"Well, my dear woman, send him in, send him in!" Holmes crossed the room and refilled his pipe as Mrs. Hudson led the gentleman in. He was a tall gentleman, only slightly shorter than Holmes, and, as Holmes had predicted, immaculately turned out save for a small bandage wrapped around his right hand. His face was a mask of worry and internal conflict. As his eyes fell on the figure of Holmes, his entire countenance changed an his face broke into a smile.

"Mr. Holmes," said he, "how glad I am to find you at home. I attempted to call on you last night, but alas you were otherwise engaged."

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, sir," said Holmes, holding a match to his pipe. "You know my name, but I do not know yours."

Our visitor fished in his pocket and pulled from it a small card. "My apologies, Mr. Holmes. My name is Jekyll. Dr. Henry Jekyll."

This piqued my interest and I stood up to greet the man. "A doctor, eh? And no less a doctor than Dr. Henry Jekyll. Well sir, it is a pleasure - your work to help the poor and underprivileged is an example to us all." I extended my hand to the man. "John H. Watson," said I.

Dr. Jekyll shook my hand warmly, "so at last I meet the famous Dr. Watson! I must say, doctor, it is indeed an honour." As Jekyll was talking, Holmes removed the cigarette case from his pocket and opened it.

As I shook his hand I noticed the bandage wrapped around it. "Hurt yourself, old boy?"

"Oh, that's nothing. Had an accident with a test tube yesterday morning."

"Cigarette, doctor?" said Holmes and held the case out to Jekyll.

"Why, Mr. Holmes! My cigarette case! How glad I am to see that you have it!"

"Indeed, sir." Holmes said and passed the case back to it's owner. "But perhaps you could tell me how it came into my possession?"

Jekyll removed a cigarette and struck a match. "Of course, Mr. Holmes" he said, lighting the cigarette and blowing the smoke out through his nostrils. "I visited yesterday night to seek your advice on a most...worrisome matter. Your delightful landlady Mrs..." his voice trailed off as he hunted for the name. I provided him with it and after thanking me, went on. "Your landlady Mrs. Hudson informed me you and the good doctor were out for the evening and asked me to return today. I must have taken my case out at some point during that exchange and left it behind. How good of you to return it, Mr. Holmes."

"It was no problem, I assure you" Holmes told him, signalling for the doctor to take a seat. "Now, to business. What was the matter so 'worrisome' that you sought my help?" Jekyll glanced at me, an unsure expression on his face. "I assure you, Dr. Jekyll, anything you say will be taken in the strictest confidence. My colleague Dr. Watson has assisted me on occasions innumerable and there is no more trustworthy man in all of London than he."

Jekyll smiled weakly and spoke. "Some days ago I awoke early in the morning -"

"How early?" Holmes interjected.

"Oh, about six or seven o clock. This in itself is nothing unusual as I am by nature an early riser. But on the morning in question I awoke in a state of" he glanced at our faces, "undress, shall we say, and not only this, Mr. Holmes, but the clothes I had been wearing and the bed sheets were covered in blood."

Holmes' face remained impassive, his fingers arched in front of him as he said to our visitor, "go on, sir."

"Well, of course, Mr. Holmes, I was appalled and shocked. I leapt from the bed, changed clothes and ordered my servants not to enter the room under any circumstances."

"So the room is exactly as it was?"

"Yes, exactly" replied Jekyll. "But more remarkable than the blood itself, Mr. Holmes, are the footprints."

"Footprints?" said I.

"Yes, indeed, doctor. Footprints. Leading from the open window to my bed."

Holmes stood up and walked to the mantle where he began filling his pipe. "This, Watson," he said, "is a two pipe problem, I think." He turned back to Jekyll. "Now, Dr. Jekyll, back to these footprints. You say they led from your window to where you lay, yes? I assume, therefore, that your bedroom is on the ground floor?"

Jekyll paused. "Well, no, Mr. Holmes."

Holmes raised a quizzical eyebrow. "No?"

"No. My bedroom is on the top floor of my house, sir."

"Dr. Jekyll. Return home. Leave the room exactly as it is." Holmes checked his pocket watch. "I shall be with you within the hour."

Jekyll looked utterly elated. "Then you'll take my case? Oh, Mr. Holmes, I am delighted! Within the hour, sir?"

Holmes nodded. "Within the hour."

Jekyll jumped to his feet and held his hand out to Holmes. "Mr. Holmes, a thousand thank yous." Rather than shake the Jekyll's hand, Holmes turned and stood by the window. The good doctor then turned to me and, grasping my hand said, "and Dr. Watson, thank you, sir." He retrieved his coat and hat from the stand and stood in the doorframe. "I shall be expecting you, gentlemen. Goodbye - for now" and then he was gone.

"Well," said I, returning to the breakfast table. "He was an odd one, wasn't he Holmes." I picked up the remains of an egg sandwich and began eating. Holmes in the meantime had already changed into his coat and hat.

"Put that down, Watson. We've no time for breakfast now - the game is afoot!"