I had returned to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally even persuaded him to forgo his Bohemian habits so far as to come and visit us.

My practice had steadily increased, and as I happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington Station, I got a few patients from among the officials.

One of these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send me on every sufferer over whom he might have any influence.
One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room.

I dressed hurriedly, for I knew by experience that railway cases were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs.

As I descended, my old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door tightly behind him.
"I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his shoulder; "he's all right." "What is it, then ?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was some strange creature which he had caged up in my room.
"It's a new patient," he whispered.