Sherlock Holmes and the Discarded Cigarette
comment or had read my thoughts Druitt continued “It wasn’t too long before I realized the true potential of Mr. Wells’s machine in connection to my profession.”
    â€œArt forgery in this time has reached a certain level of perfection, but there is the matter of how long it takes to produce a copy. I doubt that you are aware of the fact that creating a reasonable copy is a time consuming process, and for me anyway Dr. Watson volume is my prime consideration.”
    Despite the fact that I still had my service revolver pointed at him I could hear the sound of Druitt’s voice get a bit cocky as if he was proud of what he had accomplished. I cut him off sharply by saying “How is the time machine connected with the forgeries.”
    Then before he began again a cold feeling ran down me when I remembered what Jeffery Daniels the young art restorer had told us about the forged Hughes painting “Gentlemen in all my years as an art restorer I have used and worked with many different types and kinds of pigments and oil paints, but there is nothing in these paints used that I can even come close to identifying.”
    Then in a moment of inspiration I deduced “You went far enough ahead in time to where you could locate resources and art forgers not unlike yourself to have copies that could be produced fairly quickly then brought back to this time to sell.” Druitt acknowledged my observation with “You would be surprised Dr. Watson how fast a good copy of a painting such as, say The Long Goodbye by Hughes can be produced in the year 1995. And more so the number of art forgers who in that time are willing to carry out such a lucrative enterprise.”

Chapter 28
    Â 
    Then Holmes coming back from the time machine to where we were both standing continued on the trail. “It was a brilliant plan no doubt, but it came to an end when a young art restorer could not identify the composition of the pigments in the oils that were used to paint the forged Hughes.
    â€œHaving knowledge of your criminal career and the fact you had dealings with the ex Mrs. Wells and what she was willing to part with no doubt for a considerable amount of money it was only a matter of time when our paths would cross.” There was a moment of silence when Holmes and I heard an authoritative knock on the entrance door.
    Holmes then pulled out his watch from his vest pocket then announced “Ah right on time. That should be the Metropolitan Police for our art forger” “Watson would you please escort Druitt to the trades man door and into their custody. Having to explain where these forged paintings came from will be tricky enough but having to explain the existence of a functioning time machine might be next to impossible.
    While I escorted Druitt out of the ware house and into the hands of the waiting Metropolitan Police Holmes went back to remove the forged paintings still located behind the operators seat and no doubt to decide the fate of Wells functioning time machine.
    Having transferred custody, seeing Druitt was being placed in the police wagon and starting its return journey back towards its final destination I too starting have questions to about the fate of such an elegant and technological wonder.

Chapter 29
    Â 
    Walking back into the warehouse I saw my friend deep in study about how one went about traveling into the future. I stood quietly beside him until he was ready to share any observations he might have “It is almost miraculous how a set of mechanical drawing can become what we see before us isn’t it Watson”
    Asking the obvious “What’s to done with it then?” “I think that should be decided by its creator who should be joining us shortly.” Holmes answered.” You have invited Wells here. You were very confident then that you would apprehend Druitt then” Holmes smiled the briefest of smiles then said “You can...never foretell what

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