Page 4 - Drinks Jorunal Vol 3

Having returned from my year’s exile in somewhat warmer climes, I
am once again in my Mother’s favour.

In a secret audience with my Mother I inform her that I believe
there is a criminal mastermind at work on the British Isles and that
I suspect it may involve my childhood antagonist Prometheus Livingarty.

My Mother, while not quick to dismiss the idea, feels I need to hone
my investigative skills in order to build a case. To this end she has sent
me to Edinburgh to be an apprentice under the tutelage of a Doctor
Joseph Bell.

On arriving at the medical school I am met, not by Doctor Bell, but
instead by a young medical student named Arthur. We are to be schooled
in Doctor Bell’s rather unorthodox method of patient analysis. This

involves analysing every small detail of a person’s appearance and nature so
as to deduce their story, without the need for words as these “often just
muddy an observation”. To begin with Bell has given us his most curious
case files to investigate.

We have enlisted the assistance of my young friend, Herbert G Wells.
However the young lad keeps playing havoc with my files by hiding clues
to glimpses of the future; which he insists he has seen while using his so

called “Time Machine”. The young boy is certifiable, although his ridiculous
tales of talking pictures, flying machines and orchestra boxes are very
entertaining.