"THE CASE-BOOK OF SHERLOCK HOLMES"(Witer Arthur):Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the best-known of all fictional characters. From the first appearance of the short stories in the Strand Magazine chronicling his extraordinary deductive powers,Holmes became a larger-than-life figure whose devotees were stricken when it seemed that the great detective had perished at the Reichenbach Falls in The Final Problem. Young men put mourning crape on their hats. Eventually the author was forced by public demand reluctantly to resurrect his hero. From that day, a literary cult was born and continues unabated to this day. Perhaps it is best exemplified by the Baker Street Irregulars, who exist to perpetuate the memory, methods and iconography of the great detective. Its members comprise diplomats, judges and academics, as well as great numbers of ordinary readers who enjoy the romance and atmosphere of Conan Doyle's creation.