The Red Thumb Mark

ed the history of one of the tall houses at the upper end of King's Bench Walk and as I, somewhat absently, read over the inscription, my attention was divided between admiration of the ex

rrister had halted in the doorway to turn over a sheaf of papers that he held in his hand, and, as he replaced the red tape which bound them together, he looked up and our eyes met. For a moment we regarded one another with the incurious gaze that casual strange

ow often have I thought of my old comrade and wondered if I should ever see him again, and lo! here he

the position of a man who, having cast his bread upon the waters, sees it return in the form of a buttered muffin or a Ba

ughed at the

d him a butterfly. But the change is not so great as you think. Hippocrates is only hiding under the gown of Solon, as

ed at present," I said, "

and we will have a chop and a pint of claret together and ex

hin that noble old

h of one's burrow was graced with a Latin inscription for admiring strangers to ponder over. No; my chambers are

with fluttering gown towards the Law Courts, while I directed my step

muffled accents (as though it apologised for breaking the studious silence)

e doorway of number 6A, in which, though the wig had now given place to a fel

virtue is punctuality, even in small things. I have just been taking the air in Fou

stairs to the first floor, where we were confronted by a massive

ed Thorndyke, as he inserted the latch

d a baize-covered inner door, which Thornd

Thorndyke, "for they combine the attractions of a

n, who was decanting a bottle of claret by me

have not." He glanced towards a small table that had been pla

n the products of Polton's culinary experiments, "what has be

lutely empty, and though, no doubt, a medical diploma contains-to use Johnson's phrase-the potentiality of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, there is a vast difference in practice between the potential and

sed up his li

f your abilities and scientific acquirements should be fritteri

But what would you have, my learned brother? If poverty steps behind you and claps the occultin

runted Thorndyke, and he remai

rizzling with curiosity to know what chain of circumstances has converted Jo

smiled i

ansformation has occurred. John Evelyn T

ig and gown!"

g about the chemical and physical laboratories, the museum and post mortem room, and meanwhile took my M.D. and D.Sc. Then I got called to the bar in the hope of getting a coronership, but soon after this, old Stedman retired unexpectedly-you remember St

has come

nalysis in a doubtful poisoning case, but, by degrees, my sphere of influence has extended until it now incl

in court, I o

el-the scientific witness. But in most instances I do not appear at all; I merely direct investigations,

g.p.," said I, a little enviously. "But you deserve to succeed, for yo

my hours of leisure, unlike you poor devils of general practitioners, who are liable to be dragge

tary on his self-congratulation, there

continued, "though one expects peopl

lung open the door with an air

id an apologetic voice outside, "but my cl

men-one middle-aged, rather foxy in appearance and of a typically legal aspect, and the other a fine, handsome young fellow o

ur visit-for which I am alone responsible-is a most unseasonable one. If we are r

s glance at the young man, and he no

eniencing us, why, my friend and I are both doctors, and, as you are aware, no

and now proposed to take a walk on the Embankment

out to lay before Dr. Thorndyke will be known to all the world by th

nd fall to business forthwith. We had just finished our dinner and were

n had set the coffee on the table and retired, th