The Case of the Excellent Typist (Part I)

As I did with my essay "Baseball As Context" I'm going to serialize for you a short story that includes Sherlock Holmes I wrote called "The Case of the Excellent Typist". This is what is commonly referred to in Holmesian literature as a pastiche. Pastiches have a history reaching back over 100 years and in my own library I have a book entitled The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which contains pastiches by famous authors such as Steven King. Anyway, here is part I.


Looking back over the notes of my long association with Mr. Sherlock Holmes I find that the year 1884 provided us with many interesting cases which have yet to come under the public eye. As there are one or two which are of a sensitive nature and as such are not yet able to be fully divulged, I shall undertake to relate a most singular case which makes evident some of those qualities for which my friend has become renowned.

It was a crisp fall morning on Baker Street that found my companion and I sitting down to a hearty breakfast of ham and eggs. As I was about to partake of the feast Holmes glanced up quickly from the Sunday Times which lay sprawled across his half eaten breakfast, and tossed a small note more or less in my direction.

"What do you make of it Watson?", said he returning to his paper.

I picked up the note which read thusly:

Mr. Sherlock Holmes,
I would very much like to discuss with you a delicate matter of the utmost importance. I shall call first thing tomorrow.
Signed, M. Nordstrum

"I am not sure what to make of it.", I replied. "It would appear that this person requires your consultation urgently."

"That much is of course self evident," he retorted impatiently. Rising from the table he retrieved his pipe from the mantle and lit it before beginning to pace around the room. "What I meant was, what can we learn about the author of the correspondence?"

"Well," I paused and directed my attention to the characteristics of the note while attempting to apply some of my friend’s methods to the matter. "It is surely written in a lady’s hand, and the paper seems common enough. I don't believe I see anything more in it."

"Your observations are certainly correct Doctor but there are of course one or two other points one can deduce from the data. Gaining an eye for observation is simply a matter of discipline, of applied work - indeed our friend Inspector Lestrade has developed a keen sense of observation in comparison to his fellows. Deduction, however, is the very meat and potatoes of our craft. Bringing to bear all the knowledge that to the untrained mind seems unrelated and focusing it upon a single problem - that is deduction. Deduction derives information from the facts whereas observations are merely the facts themselves. Now," he paused in his pacing and sat down in his favorite chair, puffing on his pipe. "What else can we learn while we await the young secretary Miss Nordstrum?" He peered at me from the corner of eye with a satisfied expression on his face.

"Miss Nordstrum?" I inquired. "How do you know the women is young, unmarried and a secretary?"

"It is simplicity itself." he replied. "It is often the custom of young women in a profession these days to sign their names in such a manner as to make it difficult to perceive gender. It is done as a form of protection against unscrupulous men, the papers are full of such occurrences.

"Also, as you have observed the paper is common, and yet it is of the peculiar weight used for correspondence by many businesses. There again is confirmation of her professional standing. I’ll lay odds that Miss Nordstrum is then a secretary for a London business concern."

"London?" I inquired again with a resolution of inferiority. "Could she not be from a surrounding city or village?"

"I very much doubt it." He answered quickly. "Mrs. Hudson discovered the note under the door this morning, which means it must have been left there late last evening as I did not return from my visit with Mycroft at the Diogenese Club until after 9 PM. She mentions urgent business and so I have undertaken to scan the morning paper for any curious business which may have occurred late yesterday. If the event which produced such a strong reaction in this young lady did occur late yesterday an out of towner would have found it difficult to reach our lodgings so quickly. There on page two, first column, I will be very much surprised if we haven’t found our case. Read it aloud please Doctor as I would like to hear the facts once again."

I reached for the paper that lay scattered over the breakfast dishes and open to the second page. I scanned the article quickly and began to read.

Bank Robbery Narrowly Averted
The Hixton Road branch of the Bank of London was the site of furious excitement late last night around 10PM. It now is clear that two burglars made their way into the bank and attempted to abscond with the contents of the safe. Their intrusion caused such a commotion that a constable on patrol was alerted to their presence. Upon confronting the ruffians the constable was struck once in the leg with a bullet from a revolver while the intruders made their escape. Nothing was stolen as the thieves could not open the safe before one of the London’s finest foiled the attempt. The constable will recover from his wounds but is unable to identify his assailants as they were wearing masks.

"So you believe Miss Nordstrum is employed by the bank then?" I asked.

"We shall have all the answers soon enough for I believe the lady is ascending the stair."