Sherlock Holmes Never Dies- Collection Four

by Copland, Craig Stephen

“Does Jane Stuart know? Or the dean and his wife?”

  “I would wager that they all knew, and, with Rodney Bannister—fervent supports of the suffrage movement every one of them—are part of a conspiracy centered over at Lady Margaret’s to support Miss Deirdre’s quest. Had Daniel Jackson been called a sodomite and then of necessity, exposed as a women, the entire conspiracy, years in the making, would have been for naught. I suspect that two years from now, when her term as a Rhodes Scholar has passed and she has excelled as a brilliant young doctor and future diplomat, they might let the cat out of the bag and say to the world, ‘Look here. See. A woman can do exactly as well as any man.’ ”

  “Yes, that will cause a bit of a stir won’t it? But tell me Holmes, does she suspect that you have found her out?”

  “Oh, she knows. You were there when the truth was revealed. You heard it.”

  “Holmes, what are you talking about? I heard nothing of the sort.”

  “What were my parting words to her?”

  I thought back. “You quoted scripture. The words of the Lord.”

  “From what gospel?”

  “St. John’s.”

  “From which story?”

  “The one of the …” I paused and smiled.

  “Precisely, Watson. The Pharisees did not want to stone the man taken in adultery.”

  “So what happens now? Are you going to let the conspiracy continue? Are you going to let her get away with it? What are you going to do?”

  He slowly lit his pipe and took several slow puffs.

  “Elementary, Watson”

  He took another puff.

  “Nothing … nothing at all.”

  Historical and Other Notes

  Oxford University is famous as one of the greatest institutions of education in the world. From about the year 1100 until the 1870s only men were allowed to attend. Women were admitted during the last decades of the nineteenth century and allowed to take classes and write examinations, but they were not granted degrees until 1920. Several colleges were built and dedicated to the educating of women, including Lady Margaret and Somerville. Many remarkable women passed through Oxford on their way to becoming leaders in their chosen field of endeavor, including Margaret Thatcher and Indira Ghandi, who both attended Lady Margaret.

  I did not attend Oxford but have had the joy of visiting the town several times, participating in short seminars, and staying at the Randolph Hotel. The references to the various locations in Oxford are, to the best of my knowledge, accurate. Corrections and improvements are welcome by those who know far more about Oxford University and town than I do.

  Cecil Rhodes was, as described, born in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire to a clergy family. As a teen he was sent to the Cape, now known as the Republic of South Africa. Having taken over a struggling small mine owned by an aging Afrikaner named De Beers, he made a vast fortune from diamonds, farming, and other resources of that country. His legacy, as seen today, is controversial and complicated. He was undoubtedly a man of his time and was a visionary, a brilliant industrialist, a statesman, and a philanthropist. He was also a blatant racist, imperialist, and exploiter of the land and people of southern Africa.

  Having amassed a fortune and having never been married or had children, Cecil Rhodes, in his will, established the Rhodes Trust for the sponsoring of Rhodes Scholars. As described in this story, these scholarships were restricted to young white men from some English-speaking countries plus Germany. Since the inception of the program nearly 8,000 people from around the world have come and studied at Oxford University. Sadly, women were excluded until 1977 and black Africans until 1991. The Rhodes Scholarship was and remains one of the most prestigious scholarships available.

  Recipients of the Scholarships were selected then and are today from countries outside of the UK. The idea of there being a Selection Committee at Oxford University itself to choose an international student already studying at Oxford, is fictional. I made that up to fit the plot.

  William Blake’s poem, Jerusalem, was not set to music until 1916, ten years after the date of this story. It was adopted by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies and became the Women Voters’ Hymn. Given this connection to the story and the irresistible image of its being sung joyfully in a packed Sheldonian Theatre, I trust you will forgive my not being entirely faithful to history.

  If in doubt concern the meaning of the Latin phrases, use Google Translate. Corrections and improvements to my Latin are welcomed.

  About The Author

  O nce upon a time Craig Stephen Copland was an English major and studied under both Northrop Frye and Marshall McLuhan at the University of Toronto way back in the 1960s. He never got over his spiritual attraction to great literature and captivating stories. Somewhere in the decades since he became a dedicated Sherlockian. He is a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Canada, who are also known as the Bootmakers of Toronto (www.torontobootmakers.com), and, like his Sherlockian colleagues, addicted to the sacred canon. In May of 2014, the Bootmakers announced a contest for a new Sherlock Holmes mystery. Although he had no previous experience writing fiction, he entered and was blessed to be declared one of the winners. So he kept writing more stories and is now on a mission to write sixty new Sherlock Holmes mysteries – each one inspired by one of the original stories in The Canon.

  He lives and writes in Toronto, New York, Tokyo, and Okanagan Valley. If you have a suggestion for a new Sherlock Holmes mystery, please contact him at craigstephencopland@gmail.com.

  More Historical Mysteries

  by Craig Stephen Copland

  www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com

  Click on links to look inside and download

  Studying Scarlet. Starlet O’Halloran, a fabulous mature woman, who reminds the reader of Scarlet O’Hara (but who, for copyright reasons cannot actually be her) has arrived in London looking for her long-lost husband, Brett (who resembles Rhett Butler, but who, for copyright reasons, cannot actually be him). She enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes. This is an unauthorized parody, inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet and Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. http://authl.it/aic

  The Sign of the Third. Fifteen hundred years ago the courageous Princess Hemamali smuggled the sacred tooth of the Buddha into Ceylon. Now, for the first time, it is being brought to London to be part of a magnificent exhibit at the British Museum. But what if something were to happen to it? It would be a disaster for the British Empire. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and even Mycroft Holmes are called upon to prevent such a crisis. This novella is inspired by the Sherlock Holmes mystery, The Sign of the Four. http://authl.it/aie

  A Sandal from East Anglia. Archeological excavations at an old abbey unearth an ancient document that has the potential to change the course of the British Empire and all of Christendom. Holmes encounters some evil young men and a strikingly beautiful young Sister, with a curious double life. The mystery is inspired by the original Sherlock Holmes story, A Scandal in Bohemia. http://authl.it/aif

  The Bald-Headed Trust. Watson insists on taking Sherlock Holmes on a short vacation to the seaside in Plymouth. No sooner has Holmes arrived than he is needed to solve a double murder and prevent a massive fraud diabolically designed by the evil Professor himself. Who knew that a family of devout conservative churchgoers could come to the aid of Sherlock Holmes and bring enormous grief to evil doers? The story is inspired by The Red-Headed League. http://authl.it/aih

  A Case of Identity Theft. It is the fall of 1888 and Jack the Ripper is terrorizing London. A young married couple is found, minus their heads. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, the couple’s mothers, and Mycroft must join forces to find the murderer before he kills again and makes off with half a million pounds. The novella is a tribute to A Case of Identity. It will appeal both to devoted fans of Sherlock Holmes, as well as to those who love the great game of rugby. http://authl.it/aii

  The Hudson Valley Mystery. A young man in New York went mad and murde
red his father. His mother believes he is innocent and knows he is not crazy. She appeals to Sherlock Holmes and, together with Dr. and Mrs. Watson, he crosses the Atlantic to help this client in need. This new story was inspired by The Boscombe Valley Mystery. http://authl.it/aij

  The Mystery of the Five Oranges. A desperate father enters 221B Baker Street. His daughter has been kidnapped and spirited off the North America. The evil network who have taken her has spies everywhere. There is only one hope – Sherlock Holmes. Sherlockians will enjoy this new adventure, inspired by The Five Orange Pips and Anne of Green Gables. www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com http://authl.it/aik

  The Man Who Was Twisted But Hip. France is torn apart by The Dreyfus Affair. Westminster needs Sherlock Holmes so that the evil tide of anti-Semitism that has engulfed France will not spread. Sherlock and Watson go to Paris to solve the mystery and thwart Moriarty. This new mystery is inspired by, The Man with the Twisted Lip, as well as by The Hunchback of Notre Dame. http://authl.it/ail

  The Adventure of the Blue Belt Buckle. A young street urchin discovers a man’s belt and buckle under a bush in Hyde Park. A body is found in a hotel room in Mayfair. Scotland Yard seeks the help of Sherlock Holmes in solving the murder. The Queen’s Jubilee could be ruined. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Scotland Yard, and Her Majesty all team up to prevent a crime of unspeakable dimensions. A new mystery inspired by The Blue Carbuncle. http://authl.it/aim

  The Adventure of the Spectred Bat. A beautiful young woman, just weeks away from giving birth, arrives at Baker Street in the middle of the night. Her sister was attacked by a bat and died, and now it is attacking her. A vampire? The story is a tribute to The Adventure of the Speckled Band and like the original, leaves the mind wondering and the heart racing. http://authl.it/ain

  The Adventure of the Engineer’s Mom. A brilliant young Cambridge University engineer is carrying out secret research for the Admiralty. It will lead to the building of the world’s most powerful battleship, The Dreadnaught. His adventuress mother is kidnapped and he seeks the help of Sherlock Holmes. This new mystery is a tribute to The Engineer’s Thumb. http://authl.it/aio

  www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com

  The Adventure of the Notable Bachelorette. A snobbish nobleman enters 221B Baker Street demanding the help in finding his much younger wife – a beautiful and spirited American from the West. Three days later the wife is accused of a vile crime. Now she comes to Sherlock Holmes seeking to prove her innocence. This new mystery was inspired The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor. http://authl.it/aip

  The Adventure of the Beryl Anarchists. A deeply distressed banker enters 221B Baker St. His safe has been robbed, and he is certain that his motorcycle-riding sons have betrayed him. Highly incriminating and embarrassing records of the financial and personal affairs of England's nobility are now in the hands of blackmailers. Then a young girl is murdered. A tribute to The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet. http://authl.it/aiq

  The Adventure of the Coiffured Bitches. A beautiful young woman will soon inherit a lot of money. She disappears. Another young woman finds out far too much and, in desperation seeks help. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Miss Violet Hunter must solve the mystery of the coiffured bitches and avoid the massive mastiff that could tear their throats out. A tribute to The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. http://authl.it/air

  The Silver Horse, Braised. The greatest horse race of the century, will take place at Epsom Downs. Millions have been bet. Owners, jockeys, grooms, and gamblers from across England and America arrive. Jockeys and horses are killed. Holmes fails to solve the crime until… This mystery is a tribute to Silver Blaze and the great racetrack stories of Damon Runyon. http://authl.it/ais

  www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com

  The Box of Cards. A brother and a sister from a strict religious family disappear. The parents are alarmed, but Scotland Yard says they are just off sowing their wild oats. A horrific, gruesome package arrives in the post, and it becomes clear that a terrible crime is in process. Sherlock Holmes is called in to help. A tribute to The Cardboard Box. http://authl.it/ait

  The Yellow Farce. Sherlock Holmes is sent to Japan. The war between Russia and Japan is raging. Alliances between countries in these years before World War I are fragile, and any misstep could plunge the world into Armageddon. The wife of the British ambassador is suspected of being a Russian agent. Join Holmes and Watson as they travel around the world to Japan. Inspired by The Yellow Face. http://authl.it/akp

  The Stock Market Murders. A young man's friend has gone missing. Two more bodies of young men turn up. All are tied to The City and to one of the greatest frauds ever visited upon the citizens of England. The story is based on the true story of James Whitaker Wright and is inspired by, The Stock Broker's Clerk. Any resemblance of the villain to a certain American political figure is entirely coincidental. http://authl.it/akq

  The Glorious Yacht. On the night of April 12, 1912, off the coast of Newfoundland, one of the greatest disasters of all time took place – the Unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg and sank with a horrendous loss of life. The news of the disaster leads Holmes and Watson to reminisce about one of their earliest adventures. It began as a sailing race and ended as a tale of murder, kidnapping, piracy, and survival through a tempest. A tribute to The Gloria Scott. http://authl.it/akr

  A Most Grave Ritual. In 1649, King Charles I escaped and made a desperate run for Continent. Did he leave behind a vast fortune? The patriarch of an ancient Royalist family dies in the courtyard, and the locals believe that the headless ghost of the king did him in. The police accuse his son of murder. Sherlock Holmes is hired to exonerate the lad. A tribute to The Musgrave Ritual. http://authl.it/aks

  The Spy Gate Liars. Dr. Watson receives an urgent telegram telling him that Sherlock Holmes is in France and near death. He rushes to aid his dear friend, only to find that what began as a doctor’s house call has turned into yet another adventure as Sherlock Holmes races to keep an unknown ruthless murderer from dispatching yet another former German army officer. A tribute to The Reigate Squires. http://authl.it/akt

  The Cuckold Man Colonel James Barclay needs the help of Sherlock Holmes. His exceptionally beautiful, but much younger, wife has disappeared and foul play is suspected. Has she been kidnapped and held for ransom? Or is she in the clutches of a deviant monster? The story is a tribute not only to the original mystery, The Crooked Man, but also to the biblical story of King David and Bathsheba. http://authl.it/akv

  The Impatient Dissidents. In March 1881, the Czar of Russia was assassinated by anarchists. That summer, an attempt was made to murder his daughter, Maria, the wife of England’s Prince Alfred. A Russian Count is found dead in a hospital in London. Scotland Yard and the Home Office arrive at 221B and enlist the help of Sherlock Holmes to track down the killers and stop them. This new mystery is a tribute to The Resident Patient. http://authl.it/akw

  The Grecian, Earned. This story picks up where The Greek Interpreter left off. The villains of that story were murdered in Budapest, and so Holmes and Watson set off in search of “the Grecian girl” to solve the mystery. What they discover is a massive plot involving the re-birth of the Olympic games in 1896 and a colorful cast of characters at home and on the Continent. http://authl.it/aia

  The Three Rhodes Not Taken. Oxford University is famous for its passionate pursuit of learning. The Rhodes Scholarship has been recently established and some men are prepared to lie, steal, slander, and, maybe murder, in the pursuit of it. Sherlock Holmes is called upon to track down a thief who has stolen vital documents pertaining to the winner of the scholarship, but what will he do when the prime suspect is found dead? A tribute to The Three Students. http://authl.it/al8

  The Naval Knaves. On September 15, 1894, an anarchist attempted to bomb the Greenwich Observatory. He failed, but the attempt led Sherlock Holmes into an intricate web of spies, foreign naval officers, and a beautiful princess. Once again, suspicion landed on poor Percy Phelps, now working in a senior position in
the Admiralty, and once again Holmes has to use both his powers of deduction and raw courage to not only rescue Percy, but to prevent an unspeakable disaster. A tribute to The Naval Treaty. http://authl.it/aia

  A Scandal in Trumplandia. NOT a new mystery but a political satire. The story is a parody of the much-loved original story, A Scandal in Bohemia, with the character of the King of Bohemia replaced by you-know-who. If you enjoy both political satire and Sherlock Holmes, you will get a chuckle out of this new story. http://authl.it/aig

  The Binomial Asteroid Problem. The deadly final encounter between Professor Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes took place at Reichenbach Falls. But when was their first encounter? This new story answers that question. What began a stolen Gladstone bag escalates into murder and more. This new story is a tribute to The Adventure of the Final Problem. http://authl.it/al1

  The Adventure of Charlotte Europa Golderton. Charles Augustus Milverton, was shot and sent to his just reward. But now another diabolical scheme of blackmail has emerged centered in the telegraph offices of the Royal Mail. It is linked to an archeological expedition whose director disappeared. Someone is prepared to murder to protect their ill-gotten gain and possibly steal a priceless treasure. Holmes is hired by not one but three women who need his help. http://authl.it/al7

  The Mystery of 222 Baker Street. The body of a Scotland Yard inspector is found in a locked room in 222 Baker Street. There is no clue as to how he died, but, he was murdered. Then another murder in the very same room. Holmes and Watson might have to offer themselves as potential victims if the culprits are to be discovered. The story is a tribute to the original Sherlock Holmes story, The Adventure of the Empty House. http://authl.it/al3