 Adventure 9 of the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Recording by Martin Clifton. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Adventure 9. The Greek Interpreter. During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I had never heard him refer to his relations and hardly ever to his own early life. This reticence upon his part had increased the somewhat inhuman effect which he produced upon me, until sometimes I found myself regarding him as an isolated phenomenon, a brain without a heart, as deficient in human sympathy as he was preeminent in intelligence. His aversion to women and his disinclination to form new friendships were both typical of his unemotional character, but not more so than his complete suppression of every reference to his own people. I had come to believe that he was an orphan with no relative living, but one day to my very great surprise he began to talk to me about his brother. It was after tea on a summer evening, and the conversation which had roamed in a desultry spasmodic fashion from golf clubs to the causes of the change in the obliquity of the ecliptic came round at last to the question of atavism and hereditary aptitudes. The point under discussion was how far any singular gift in an individual was due to his ancestry and how far to his own early training. In your own case, said I, from all that you have told me, it seems obvious that your faculty of observation and your peculiar facility for deduction are due to your own systematic training. To the same extent, he answered thoughtfully, my ancestors were country squires who appeared have led much the same life as his natural to their class, but nonetheless my turn that way is in my veins and may have come with my grandmother, who was the sister of Verne, the French artist. Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms. But how do you know that it's hereditary? Because my brother Mycroft possesses it in a larger degree than I do. This was news to me indeed, if there were another man with such singular powers in England, how was it that neither police nor public had heard of him? I put the question with a hint that it was my companion's modesty which made him acknowledge his brother as his superior. Holmes laughed at my suggestion. I, dear Watson, said he, I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate oneself is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers. When I say, therefore, that Mycroft has better powers of observations than I, you may take it that I am speaking the exact and literal truth. Is your junior? Seven years, my senior. How comes it that he's unknown? Oh, he is very well known in his own circle. Where, then? Well, in the Diogenes Club, for example. I had never heard of the institution, and my face must have proclaimed as much, for Sherlock Holmes pulled out his watch. The Diogenes Club is the queerest club in London, and Mycroft one of the queerest men. He's always there from quarter to five to twenty to eight. It's six now, so if you care for a stroll this beautiful evening, I shall be very happy to introduce you to two curiosities. Five minutes later we were in the street walking towards Regent Circus. You wonder, said my companion, why it is that Mycroft does not use his powers for detective work. He is incapable of it. But I thought you said, I said that he was my superior in observation and deduction. If the art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from an armchair, my brother would be the greatest criminal agent that ever lived. But he has no ambition and no energy. He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solutions, and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right. Again and again I have taken a problem to him and have received an explanation which was afterwards proved to be the correct one. And yet he was absolutely incapable of working out the practical points which must be gone into before a case could be laid before a judge or jury. Which not his profession then, by no means. What is to me a means of livelihood is to him the nearest hobby of Dillet-Alt. He has an extraordinary faculty for figures and audits the books in some of the government departments. Mycroft lodges in Palmael and he walks round the corner into Whitehall every morning and back every evening. From years end to years end he takes no other exercise and is seen nowhere else except only in the Diogenes Club, which is just opposite his rooms. I cannot recall the name. Very likely not. There are many men in London, you know, who some from Shinus, some from Misanthropy have no wish for the company of their fellows. Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest periodical. It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubbable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one. Save in the stranger's room, no talking is under any circumstances allowed. And three offenses if brought to the notice of the committee render the talker liable to expulsion. My brother was one of the founders and I have myself found it a very soothing atmosphere. We'd reached Palmael as we talked and were walking down it from the St. James's end. Sherlock Holmes stopped at a door some little distance from the Carlton and, cautioning me not to speak, he led the way into the hall. Through the glass paneling I caught a glimpse of a large and luxurious room in which a considerable number of men were sitting about and reading papers, each in his own little nook. Holmes showed me into a small chamber which looked out into Palmael and then, leaving me for a minute, he came back with a companion who I knew could only be his brother. Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock. His body was absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive, had preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother. His eyes which were of a peculiarly light watery grey seemed to always retain that faraway introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock's when he was exerting his full powers. I'm glad to meet you, sir, said he, putting out a broad, fat hand like a flipper of a seal. I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler. By the way, Sherlock, I expected to see Rand Clanc's week to consult me over that manor house case. I thought you might be a little out of your depth. No, I sold it, said my friend, smiling. It was Adams, of course. Yes, it was Adams. I was sure of it from the first. The two men sat down together in the bow window of the club. To anyone who wishes to study mankind, this is the spot, said Mycroft. Look at the magnificent types. Look at these two men who are coming towards us, for example. The billiard marker and the other? Precisely. What do you make of the other? The two men had stopped opposite the window. Some chalk marks over the waistcoat pocket were the only signs of billiards which I could see in one of them. The other was a very small, dark fellow with his hat pushed back and several packages under his arm. An old soldier, I perceive, said Sherlock. And very recently discharged, remarked the brother. Served in India, I see. And a non-commissioned officer. Royal artillery, I fancy, said Sherlock, and a widower. But with a child. Children, my dear boy, children. Some, said I, laughing, this is a little too much. Surely, answered Holmes, it is not hard to say that a man with that bearing expression of authority and sun-baked skin is a soldier, is more than a private, and is not long from India. That he has not left the service long is shown by his still wearing his ammunition boots, as they're called, observed Mycroft. He had not the cavalry stride, yet he wore his hat on one side, as is shown by the lighter skin on that side of his brow. His weight is against his being a sapper, he is in the artillery. Then, of course, his complete mourning shows that he has lost someone very dear. The fact that he is doing his own shopping looks as though it were his wife. He has been buying things for children, you perceive. There is a rattle which shows that one of them is very young. The wife probably died in child-bed. The fact that he has a picture-book under his arm shows that there is another child to be thought of. I began to understand what my friend meant when he said that his brother possessed even keener faculties than he did himself. He glanced across at me and smiled. Mycroft took snuff from a tall shell-box and brushed away the wandering grains from his coat-front with a large red silk handkerchief. By the way, Sherlock said he, I have had something quite half to your own heart, a most singular problem submitted to my judgment. I really had not the energy to follow it up, save in a very incomplete fashion, but it gave me a basis for some pleasing speculation, if you would care to hear the facts. My dear Mycroft, I should be delighted. The brother scribbled a note upon a leaf of his pocket-book and, ringing the bell, he handed it to the waiter. I've asked Mr Melas to step across, said he. He lodges on the floor above me and I have some slight acquaintance with him, which led him to come to me in his perplexity. Mr Melas is a Greek by extraction, as I understand, and he is a remarkable linguist. He earns his living partly as an interpreter in the law-courts and partly by acting as guide to any wealthy orientals who may visit the Northumberland Avenue hotels. I think I will leave him to tell his very remarkable experiences in his own fashion. A few minutes later we were joined by a short stout man whose olive face and cold black hair proclaimed his Southern origin. Though his speech was that of an educated Englishman, he shook hands eagerly with Sherlock Holmes, and his dark eyes sparkled with pleasure when he understood that this specialist was anxious to hear his story. I do not believe that the police credibly on my word I do not," said he in a wailing voice, just because they have never heard of it before, they think that such a thing cannot be. But I know that I shall never be easy in my mind until I know what has become of my poor man with the sticking plaster upon his face. I am all attention," said Sherlock Holmes. This is Wednesday evening, said Mr Melas. Well, then it was Monday night, only two days ago, you understand, that all this happened. I am an interpreter, as perhaps my neighbour there has told you. I interpret all languages, or nearly all, but as I am a Greek by birth and with a Grecian name, it is with that particular tongue that I am principally associated. For many years I have been the chief Greek interpreter in London, and my name is very well known in the hotels. It happens not infrequently that I am sent for at strange hours by foreigners who get into difficulties or by travellers who arrive late and wish my services. I was not surprised, therefore, on Monday night when a Mr Latimer, a very fashionably dressed young man, came up to my rooms and asked me to accompany him in a cab which was waiting at the door. A Greek friend had come to see him upon business, he said, and as he could speak nothing but his own tongue, the services of an interpreter were indispensable. He gave me to understand that his house was some little distance off in Kensington, and he seemed to be in a great hurry, bustling me rapidly into the cab when we had descended to the street. I say into the cab, but I soon became doubtful as to whether it was not a carriage in which I found myself. It was certainly more roomy than the ordinary four-wheeled disgrace to London, and the fittings, though frayed, were of rich quality. Mr Latimer seated himself opposite to me, and we started off through Charing Cross and up the Shaftesbury Avenue. We had come out upon Oxford Street, and I had ventured some remark as to this being a roundabout way to Kensington when my words were arrested by the extraordinary conduct of my companion. He began by drawing up most formidable-looking bludgeon loaded with lead from his pocket and switching it backwards and forwards several times as if to test its weight and strength. Then he placed it without a word upon the seat beside him. Having done this, he drew up the windows on each side, and I found to my astonishment that they were covered with paper so as to prevent my seeing through them. I'm sorry to cut off your view, Mr Melas, said he. The fact is that I have no intention that you should see what the place is to which we're driving. It might possibly be inconvenient to me if you could find your way there again. As you can imagine, I was utterly taken aback by such an address. My companion was a powerful, broad-shouldered young fellow, and apart from the weapon I should not have had the slightest chance in a struggle with him. This is very extraordinary conduct, Mr Latimer, I stammered. You must be aware that what you're doing is quite illegal. It is somewhat of a liberty, no doubt, said he, but we'll make it up to you. I must warn you, however, Mr Melas, that if at any time tonight you attempt to raise an alarm or do anything which is against my interests, you will find it a very serious thing. I beg you to remember that no one knows where you are and that, whether you are in this carriage or in my house, you are equally in my power. His words were quiet, but he had a rasping way of saying them which was very menacing. I sat in silence, wondering what on earth could be his reason for kidnapping me in this extraordinary fashion. Whatever it might be, it was perfectly clear that there was no possible use in my resisting and that I could only wait to see what might befall. For nearly two hours we drove without my having the least clue as to where we were going. Sometimes the rattle of the stones told of a paved causeway and at others our smooth silent cause suggested asphalt. But, saved by this variation in sound, there was nothing at all which could in the remotest way help me to form a guess as to where we were. The paper over each window was impenetrable to light and a blue curtain was drawn across the glasswork in front. It was a quarter past seven when we left Palmao and my watch showed me that it was ten minutes to nine when we at last came to a standstill. My companion let down the window and I caught a glimpse of a low arched doorway with a lamp burning above it. As I was hurried from the carriage it swung open and I found myself inside the house with a vague impression of a lawn and trees on each side of me as I entered. Whether these were private grounds however or bona fide country was more than I could possibly venture to say. There was a coloured gas-lamp inside which was turned so low that I could see little, save that the hall was of some size and hung with pictures. In the dim light I could make out that the person who had opened the door was a small, mean-looking middle-aged man with rounded shoulders. As he turned towards us the glint of the light showed me that he was wearing glasses. Is this Mr. Melas, Harold? said he. Yes, well done, well done. No, it will, Mr. Melas, I hope, but we could not get on without you. If you deal fair with us you'll not regret it, but if you try any tricks God help you. He spoke in a nervous, jerky fashion with little giggling laughs in between but somehow he impressed me with fear more than the other. What do you want with me, I asked. Only to ask a few questions of a Greek gentleman who is visiting us and to let us have the answers, but say no more than you were told to say, or, here came the nervous giggle again, you had better never have been born. As he spoke he opened the door and showed me the way into a room which appeared to be very richly furnished, but again the only light was afforded by a single lamp half turned down. The chamber was certainly large and the way in which my feet sank into the carpet as I stepped across it told me of its richness. I caught glimpses of velvet chairs, a high white marble mantelpiece and what seemed to be a suit of Japanese armour at one side of it. There was a chair just under the lamp and the elderly man motioned that I should sit in it. The younger had left us but he suddenly returned through another door leading with him a gentleman clad in some sort of loose dressing gown who moved slowly towards us. As he came into the circle of dim light which enables me to see him more clearly I was thrilled with horror at his appearance. He was deadly pale and terribly emaciated with the protruding brilliant eyes of a man whose spirit was greater than his strength. But what shocked me more than any signs of physical weakness was that his face was grotesquely crisscrossed with sticking plaster and that one large pad of it was fastened over his mouth. Have you the slate, Harold? cried the older man as this strange being fell rather than sat down into the chair. Are his hands loose? Now then, give him the pencil. You are to ask the questions Mr. Melas and he will write the answers. Ask him first of all whether he's prepared to sign the papers. The man's eyes flashed with fire and never he wrote in Greek upon the slate. On no condition I asked at the bidding of our tyrant only if I see him married in my presence by a Greek priest whom I know. The man giggled in his venomous way. You know what awaits you then? I care nothing for myself. These are samples of the questions and answers which made up our strange half-spoken half-written conversation. Again and again I had to ask him whether he would give in and sign the documents. Again and again I had the same indignant reply. But soon a happy thought came to me. I took to adding on little sentences of my own to each question. Innocent ones at first to test whether either of our companions knew anything of the matter. And then as I found that they showed no signs I played a more dangerous game. Our conversation ran something like this. You can do no good by this obstinacy. Who are you? I care not. I am a stranger in London. Your fate will be upon your own head. How long have you been here? Let it be so, three weeks. The property can never be yours. What ails you? It shall not go to villains. They are starving me. You shall go free if you sign. What house is this? I will never sign. I do not know. You are not doing her any service? What is your name? Let me hear her say so. Cretidese. You shall see her if you sign. Where are you from? Then I shall never see her. Athens. Another five minutes, Mr. Holmes, and I should have wormed out the whole story under their very noses. My very next question might have cleared the matter up. But at that instant the door opened and a woman stepped into the room. I could not see her clearly enough to know more than that she was tall and graceful with black hair and clad in some sort of loose white gown. Harold said she, speaking English with a broken accent, I could not stay away longer. It is so lonely up there with only— Oh, my God! It is Paul! These last words are in Greek, and at the same instant the man with a convulsive effort tore the plaster from his lips and, screaming out Sophie, Sophie rushed into the woman's arms. Their embrace was but for an instant, however, for the younger man seized the woman and pushed her out of the room, while the elder easily overpowered his emaciated victim and dragged him away through the other door. For a moment I was left alone in the room and I sprang to my feet with some vague idea that I might in some way get a clue to what this house was in which I found myself. Fortunately, however, I took no steps, for looking up I saw the older man was standing in the doorway with his eyes fixed upon me. That will do, Mr Melas said he. You perceive that we have taken you into our confidence over some very private business. We should not have troubled you only that our friend who speaks Greek and who began these negotiations has been forced to return to the East. It was quite necessary for us to find someone to take his place, and we were fortunate in hearing of your powers. I bowed. There are five sovereigns here, said he, walking up to me, which will, I hope, be a sufficient fee. But remember, he added, tapping me lightly on the chest and giggling, if you speak to a human soul about this one human soul-mind, well, may God have mercy upon your soul. I cannot tell you the loathing and horror with which this insignificant-looking man inspired me. I could see him better now as the lamp-light shone upon him. His features were peaky and sallow, and his little pointed beard was thready and ill-nourished. He pushed his face forward as he spoke, and his lips and eyelids were continually twitching. Like a man with St. Vitastance, I could not help thinking that his strange, catchy little laugh was also a symptom of some nervous malady. The terror of his face lay in his eyes, however, steel-gray and glistening coldly with a malignant inexorable cruelty in their depths. We shall know if you speak of this, said he, we have our own means of information. Now you will find the carriage waiting, and my friend will see you on your way. I was hurried through the hall and into the vehicle, again obtaining that momentary glimpse of trees in a garden. Sir Latimer followed closely at my heels and took his place opposite to me without a word. In silence we again drove for an interminable distance with the windows raised until, at last, just after midnight, the carriage pulled up. You'll get down here, Mr. Melas, said my companion. I'm sorry to leave you so far from your house, but there is no alternative. Any attempt upon your part to follow the carriage can only end in injury to yourself. He opened the door as he spoke, and I had hardly time to spring out when the coachman lashed the horses and the carriage rattled away. I looked around me in astonishment. I was on some sort of heathy common mottled over with dark clumps of furs bushes. Far away stretched a line of houses with a light here and there in the upper windows. On the other side I saw the red signal lamps of a railway. The carriage which had brought me was already out of sight. I stood gazing round and wondering where on earth I might be when I saw someone coming towards me in the darkness. As he came up to me I made out that he was a railway porter. Can you tell me what place this is? I asked. Wandsworth Common, said he. Can I get a train into town? If you walk a mile or so to Clapham Junction, said he, you'll just be in time for the last of Victoria. So that was the end of my adventure, Mr. Holmes. I do not know where I was, nor whom I spoke with, nor anything save what I have told you. But I know that there is foul play going on and I want to help that unhappy man if I can. I told the whole story to Mr. Mycroft Holmes next morning and subsequently to the police. We all sat in silence for some little time after listening to this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes looked across at his brother. Any steps, he asked. Mycroft picked up the daily news which was lying upon the side table. Anybody supplying any information to the whereabouts of a Greek gentleman named Paul Crattides from Athens, who is unable to speak English, will be rewarded. A similar reward paid to anyone giving information about a Greek lady whose first name is Sophie. X-2473. That was in all the dailies? No answer. How about the Greek legation? I have inquired they know nothing. A wire to the head of the Athens police then? Sherlock has all the energy of the family, said Mycroft, turning to me. Well, you take the case up by all means and let me know if you do any good. Certainly, answered my friend, rising from his chair. I'll let you know, and Mr Mellas also. In the meantime, Mr Mellas, I should certainly be on my guard, if I were you, for of course they must know through these advertisements that you have betrayed them. As we walked home together, Holmes stopped at a telegraph office and sent off several wires. You see, Watson, he remarked, our evening has been by no means wasted. Some of my most interesting cases have come to be in this way through Mycroft. The problem which we have just listened to, although it can admit of but one explanation, has still some distinguishing features. You have hopes of solving it? Well, knowing as much as we do, it will be singular indeed if we fail to discover the rest. You must yourself have formed some theory which will explain the facts to which we have listened. In a vague way, yes. What was your idea then? It seemed to me to be obvious that this Greek girl had been carried off by the young Englishman named Harold Latimer. Carried off from where? Brassons, perhaps. Sherlock Holmes shook his head. This young man could not talk a word of Greek. The lady could talk English fairly well. Inference that she had been in England some little time, but he had not been in Greece. Well then, we will presume that she had come on a visit to England and this Harold had persuaded her to fly with him. That is more probable. Then the brother, for that I fancy must be the relationship, comes over from Greece to interfere. He imprudently puts himself into the power of the young man and his older associate. They seize him and use violence towards him in order to make him sign some papers to make over the girl's fortune, of which he may be trusty to them. This, he refuses to do. In order to negotiate with him they have to get an interpreter and they pitch upon this Mr Melas having used some other one before. The girl is not told of the arrival of her brother and finds it out by the nearest accident. Excellent, Watson cried Holmes, I really fancy that you are not far from the truth. You see that we hold all the cards and we have only to fear some sudden act of violence on their part. If they give us time we must have them. But how can we find out where this house lies? Well if our conjecture is correct and the girl's name is all was Sophie Cretidides, we should have no difficulty in tracing her. That must be our main hope for the brother is of course a complete stranger. It is clear that some time has elapsed since this Harold established these relations with the girl, some weeks at any rate, since the brother in Greece has had time to hear of it and come across. If they have been living in the same place during this time it is probable that we shall have some answer to Mycroft's advertisement. We had reached our house in Baker Street when we had been talking. Holmes ascended the stair first and as he opened the door of our room he gave a starter surprise. Looking over his shoulder I was equally astonished. His brother Mycroft was sitting smoking in the armchair. Come in Sherlock, come in sir, said he blandly smiling at our surprised faces. You don't expect such energy from me do you Sherlock, but somehow this case attracts me. How did you get here? I passed you an handsome. There has been some new development. I had an answer to my advertisement. Ah! Yes it came within a few minutes of your leering. And to what effect? Mycroft Holmes took out a sheet of paper. Here it is, said he, written with a J pen on royal cream paper by a middle-aged man with a weak constitution. Sir, he says, in answer to your advertisement of today's date I beg to inform you that I know the young lady in question very well. If you should care to call upon me I could give you some particulars as to her painful history. She is living at present at the Myrtles Becanum, yours faithfully, J Davenport. He writes from Lower Brixton, said Mycroft Holmes. Do you not think that we might drive to him now, Sherlock, and learn these particulars? My dear Mycroft, the brother's life is more valuable than the sister's story. I think we should call at Scotland Yard for Inspector Gregson, and go straight out to Becanum. We know that a man is being done to death, and every hour may be vital. Better pick up Mr. Mellis on our way, I suggest, if we may need an interpreter. Excellent, said Sherlock Holmes, send the boy for a four-wheeler, and we shall be off at once. He opened the table-draw as he spoke, and I noticed that he had slipped his revolver into his pocket. Yes, said he, in answer to my glance, I should say from what we have heard, that we are dealing with a particularly dangerous gang. It was almost dark before we found ourselves in Palmao, at the rooms of Mr. Mellis. The gentleman had just called for him, and he was gone. Can you tell me where? asked Mycroft Holmes. I don't know, sir, answered the woman who had opened the door. I only know that he drove away with the gentleman in a carriage. Did the gentleman give a name? No, sir. He wasn't a tall, handsome, dark young man. Oh, no, sir, he was a little gentleman with glasses, thin in the face, but very pleasant in his ways, for he was laughing all the time that he was talking. Come along, cried Sherlock Holmes abruptly. This grows serious, he observed, as we drove to Scotland Yard. These men have got hold of Mellis again. He is a man of no physical courage, as they are well aware from their experience the other night. This villain was able to terrorise him the instant that he got into his presence. No doubt they want his professional services, but, having used him, they may be inclined to punish him for what they will regard as his treachery. Our hope was that, by taking train, we might get to Beckenham as soon or sooner than the carriage. On reaching Scotland Yard, however, it was more than an hour before we could get Inspector Gregson and comply with the legal formalities which would enable us to enter the house. It was a quarter to ten before we reached London Bridge, and half-past before the four of us are lighted on the Beckenham platform. A drive of half a mile brought us to the Myrtle, a large, dark house standing back from the road in its own grounds. Here we dismissed our cab and made our way up the drive together. The windows are all dark, remarked the Inspector. The house seems deserted. Our birds are flown and the nest empty, said Holmes. Why do you say so? A carriage heavily loaded with luggage has passed out during the last hour. The Inspector laughed. I saw the wheel-tracks in the light of the gate-lamp, but where does the luggage come in? You may have observed the same wheel-tracks going the other way, but the outward-bound ones were very much deeper, so much so that we can say for a certainty that there was a very considerable weight on the carriage. You who get a drive will be on me there, said the Inspector, shrugging his shoulder. It will not be an easy door to force, but we will drive, we cannot make someone hear us. He hammered loudly at the knocker and pulled at the bell, but without any success. Holmes had slipped away, but he came back in a few minutes. I have a window open, said he. It's a mercy that you're on the side of the force and not against it, Mr. Holmes, remarked the Inspector. As he noted the clever way in which my friend had forced back the catch. Well, I think that under the circumstances we may enter without an invitation. One after the other we made our way into a large apartment, which was evidently that in which Mr. Melas had found himself. The Inspector had lit his lantern, and by its light we could see the two doors, the curtain, the lamp, and the suit of Japanese mail as he had described them. On the table lay two glasses, an empty brandy bottle, and the remains of a meal. What's that? asked Holmes suddenly. We all stood and listened. A low, moaning sound was coming from somewhere over our heads. Holmes rushed to the door and out into the hall. The dismal noise came from upstairs. He dashed up. The Inspector and I at his heels, while his brother Mycroft followed as quickly as his great bulk would permit. Three doors faced us upon the second floor, and it was from the central of these that the sinister sounds were issuing, sinking sometimes into a dull mumble and rising again into a shrill whine. It was locked, but the key had been left on the outside. Holmes flung open the door and rushed in, but he was out again in an instant with his hand to his throat. It's charcoal, he cried. Give it time, it'll clear. Peering in we could see that the only light in the room came from a dull blue flame which flickered from a small brass tripod in the centre. It threw a livid and natural circle upon the floor, while in the shadows beyond we saw the vague loom of two figures which crouched against the wall. From the open door there reeked a horrible poisonous exhalation which set us gasping and coughing. Holmes rushed to the top of the stairs to draw in the fresh air, and then, dashing into the room, he threw up the window and hurled the brazen tripod out into the garden. We can enter in a minute, he gasped, darting out again. Where is the candle? I doubt we could strike a match in that atmosphere. Hold the light at the door and we shall get them out of Mycroft now. With a rush we got to the poisoned men and dragged them out into the well-lit hall. Both of them were blue-lipped and insensible with swollen congested faces and protruding eyes. Indeed, so distorted were their features that, save for his blank beard and stout figure, we might have failed to recognise in one of them the Greek interpreter who had parted from us only a few hours before at the Diogenes Club. His hands and feet were securely strapped together, and he bore over one eye the marks of a violent blow. Another who was secured in a similar fashion was a tall man in the last stage of emaciation, with several strips of sticking plaster arranged in a grotesque pattern over his face. He had ceased to moan as we laid him down, and a glance showed me that for him at least our aid had come too late. Mr Melas, however, still lived, and in less than an hour, with the aid of ammonia and brandy, I had the satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes and of knowing that my hand had drawn him back from that dark valley in which all paths meet. It was a simple story which he had to tell, and one which did but confirm our own deductions. His visitor, on entering his rooms, had drawn a life-preserver from his sleeve, and had so impressed him with the fear of instant and inevitable death that he had kidnapped him for the second time. Indeed, it was almost mesmeric the effect which this giggling ruffian had produced upon the unfortunate linguist, for he could not speak of him, say, with trembling hands and a blanched cheek. He had been taken swiftly to beckon him, and had acted as interpreter in a second interview, even more dramatic than the first, in which the two Englishmen had menaced their prisoner with instant death if he did not comply with their demands. Finally finding him proof against every threat, they had hurled him back into his prison, and after reproaching Melas with his treachery, which appeared from the newspaper advertisement, they had stunned him with a blow from a stick, and he remembered nothing more until he found a spending over him. And this was the singular case of the Grecian interpreter, the explanation of which is still involved in some mystery. We were able to find out, by communicating with the gentleman who had answered the advertisement, that the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian family, and that she'd been on a visit to some friends in England. While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer, who had acquired an ascendancy over her, and had eventually persuaded her to fly with him. Her friends, shocked at the event, had contented themselves with informing her brother at Athens, and had then washed their hands of the matter. The brother, on his arrival in England, had imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his associate, whose name was Wilson Kemp, a man of the foulest antecedents. These two, finding that through his ignorance of the language he was helpless in their hands, had kept him a prisoner, and had endeavoured by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away his own and his sister's property. They had kept him in the house without the girl's knowledge, and the plaster over the face had been for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should ever catch a glimpse of him. Her feminine perception, however, had instantly seen through the disguise, when, on the occasion of the interpreter's visit, she had seen him for the first time. The bald girl, however, was herself a prisoner, for there was no one about the house except the man who acted as coachman and his wife, both of whom were tools of the conspirators. Finding that their secret was out, and that their prisoner was not to be coerced, the two villains with the girl had fled away at a few hours' notice from the furnished house which they had hired, having first, as they thought, taken vengeance both upon the man who had defied, and the one who had betrayed them. Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from Budapest. It told how two Englishmen who had been travelling with a woman had met with a tragic end. They had each been stabbed, it seems, and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarrelled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other. Holmes, however, is, I fancy, of a different way of thinking, and holds to this day that if one could find the Grecian girl, one might learn how the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged. Adventure 10 of the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Naval Treaty The July which immediately succeeded my marriage was made memorable by three cases of interest, in which I had the privilege of being associated with Sherlock Holmes and of studying his methods. I find them recorded in my notes under the headings of The Adventure of the Second Stain, The Adventure of the Naval Treaty, and The Adventure of the Tired Captain. The first of these, however, deals with interests of such importance and implicates so many of the first families in the kingdom that for many years it will be impossible to make it public. No case, however, in which Holmes was engaged has ever illustrated the value of his analytical methods so clearly, or has impressed those who are associated with him so deeply. I still retain an almost verbatim report of the interview in which he demonstrated the true facts of the case to Montsur du Bouquet of the Paris police and Fritz von Waldbaum, the well-known specialist of Danzig, both of whom had wasted their energies upon what proved to be side issues. The new century will have come, however, before the story can be safely told. Meanwhile, I pass on to the second on my list, which promised also at one time to be of national importance, and was marked by several incidents which give it a quite unique character. During my school days, I had been intimately associated with a lad named Percy Phelps, who was of much the same age as myself, though he was two classes ahead of me. He was a very brilliant boy and carried away every prize which the school had to offer. Finish his exploits by winning a scholarship which sent him on to continue his triumph of career at Cambridge. He was, I remember, extremely well connected, and even when we were all little boys together, we knew that his mother's brother was Lord Holdhurst, the great conservative politician. This gaudy relationship did him little good at school. On the contrary, it seemed rather a pecan't thing to us to chevy him about the playground and hit him over the shins with a wicket. But it was another thing when he came out unto the world. I heard vaguely that his abilities and the influences which he commanded had won him a good position at the foreign office, and then he passed completely out of my mind until the following letter recalled his existence. Briar Bay Woking, my dear Watson. I have no doubt that you can remember Tadpole Phelps, who was in the fiftieth form when you were in the third. It is possible even that you may have heard through my uncle's influence I obtained a good appointment at the foreign office and that I was in the situation of trust and honor until a horrible misfortune came suddenly to my career. There is no use writing of the details of that dreadful event. In the event of your exceeding to my request, it is probably that I shall have to narrate them to you. I have only just recovered from nine weeks of brain fever and am still exceedingly weak. Do you think that you could bring your friend, Mr. Holmes, down to see me? I should like to have his opinion of the case, though the authorities assure me that nothing more can be done. Do try to bring him down and as soon as possible. Every minute seems an hour while I live in this state of horrible suspense. Assure him that I have not asked his advice sooner. It was not because I did not appreciate his talents, but because I have been off my head ever since the blow fell. Now I am clear again, though I dare not think of it too much for fear of a relapse. I am still so weak that I have to write, as you see, by dictating. Do try to bring him, your old school fellow, Percy Phelps. There was something that touched me as I read this letter, something pitiable in the reiterated appeals to bring Holmes. So moved was I that even had it been a difficult matter, I should have tried it. But of course I knew well that Holmes loved his art, so that he was ever as ready to bring his aid as his client could be to receive it. My wife agreed with me that not a moment should be lost in laying the matter before him. And so, within an hour of breakfast time, I found myself back once more in the old rooms in Baker Street. Holmes was seated at his side table, clad in his dressing gown, and working hard over a chemical investigation. A large curved retort was boiling furiously in the bluish flame of a Bunsen burner, and the distilled drops were condensed into a two-liter measure. My friend hardly glanced up as I entered, and I, seeing that his investigation must be of importance, seated myself in an armchair and waited. He dipped into this bottle or that, drawing out a few drops of each with his glass pipette, and finally brought a test tube containing a solution over to the table. In his right hand was held a slip of litmus paper. You come in a crisis, Watson, said he. If this paper remains blue, all is well. If it turns red, it means a man's life. He dipped it into the test tube, and it flushed at once into a full dirty crimson. I thought as much, he cried, I will be at your service in an instant, Watson. You will find tobacco in the Persian slipper. He turned to his desk and scribbled off several telegrams, which were handed over to the pageboy. Then he threw himself down into the chair opposite, and drew up his knees until his fingers clasped around his long, thin shins. A very commonplace little murder, said he. You've got something better, I fancy? You are the stormy petrol of crime, Watson. What is it? I handed him the letter, which he read with the most concentrated attention. It does not tell us very much, does it? he remarked. As he handed it back to me, hardly anything. And yet the writing is of interest, but the writing is not his own. Precisely, it's a woman's. A man surely I cried. No, a woman's, and a woman of rare character. You see, at the commencement of an investigation, it is something to know that your client is in close contact with someone who, for good or evil, has an exceptional nature. My interest is already awaken in the case. If you are ready, we will start at once for Woking, and see this diplomatist who is in such evil case, and the lady to whom he dictates his letters. We were fortunate enough to catch an early train at Waterloo, and in a little under an hour we found ourselves among the fir woods and the heather of Woking. Briar Bay proved to be a large detached house standing in an extensive grounds within a few minutes' walk of the station. On sending in our cards, we were shown into an elegantly appointed drawing room, where we were joined in a few minutes by a rather stout man who received us with much hospitality. His age may have been nearly forty than thirty, but his cheeks were so ready and his eyes so merry that he still conveyed the impression of a plump and mischievous boy. I am so glad that you have come, said he, shaking our hands with a fusion. Percy has been inquiring for you all morning. Ah, poor chap, he clings to any straw. His father and his mother ask me to see you, for the mere mention of the subject is very painful to them. We have had no details yet, observed Holmes. I perceive that you are not yourself a member of the family. Our acquaintance looked surprised, and then, glancing down, he began to laugh. Oh, of course, you saw the J.H. monogram on my locket, said he. For a moment I thought you had done something clever. Joseph Harrison is my name, and as Percy is to marry my sister Annie, I shall at least be a relative by marriage. You will find my sister in his room, for she has nursed him hand and foot these two months back. Perhaps we'd better go in at once, for I know how impatient he is. The chamber in which we were shown was on the same floor as the drawing room. It was furnished partly as a sitting and partly as a bedroom, with flowers arranged daintily in every nook and corner. A young man, very pale and worn, was lying upon a sofa near the open window, through which came the rich scent of the garden and the balmy summer air. A woman was sitting beside him, who rose as we entered. Shall I leave, Percy? she asked. He clutched her hand to detain her. How are you, Watson? said he cordially. I should never have known you under that mustache, and I dare say you would not be prepared to swear to me. This, I presume, is your celebrated friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. I introduced him in a few words, and we both sat down. The stout young man had left us, but his sister still remained with her hand in that of the invalid. She was a striking-looking woman, a little short and thick for symmetry, but with a beautiful olive complexion, large dark Italian eyes, and a wealth of a deep black hair. Her rich tints made the white face of her companion the more worn and haggard by the contrast. I won't waste your time, said he, raising himself upon the sofa. I'll plunge into the matter without further preamble. I was a happy and successful man, Mr. Holmes, and on the eve of being married, when a sudden and dreadful misfortune wrecked all my prospects in life. I was, as Watson may have told you, in the foreign office, and through the influences of my uncle, Lord Holdhurst, I rose rapidly to a responsible position. When my uncle became foreign minister in this administration, he gave me several missions of trust, and as I always brought them to a successful conclusion, he came at last to have the utmost confidence in my ability to intact. Nearly ten weeks ago, to be more accurate, on the 23rd of May, he called me into his private room, and after complimenting me on the good work which I had done, he informed me that he had a new commission of trust for me to execute. This, said he, taking a gray roll of paper from his bureau, is the original of that secret treaty between England and Italy, of which, I regret to say, some rumors have already got into the public press. It is of enormous importance that nothing further should leak out. The French or the Russian embassy would pay an immense sum to learn the contents of these papers. They should not leave my bureau, were it not that it is absolutely necessary to have them copied. You have a desk in your office? Yes, sir. Then take the treaty and lock it up there. I shall give directions that you may remain behind when the others go, so that you may copy it at your leisure without fear of being overlooked. When you have finished, relock both the original and the draft in the desk, and hand them over to me personally tomorrow morning. I took the papers and, excuse me an instant, said Holmes, were you alone during this conversation? Absolutely. In a large room, thirty feet each way. In the center? Yes, about it. And speaking low? My uncle's voice is always remarkably low. I hardly spoke at all. Thank you, said Holmes, shutting his eyes. Pray go on. I did exactly what he indicated, and waited until the other clerks had departed. One of them in my room, Charles Garot, had some arrears of work to make up, so I left him there and went out to dine. When I returned, he was gone. I was anxious to hurry my work, for I knew that Joseph, the Mr. Harrison whom you saw just now, was in town, and that he would travel down to Woking by the eleven o'clock train, and I wanted if possible to catch it. When I came to examine the treaty, I saw at once that it was of such importance that my uncle had been guilty of no exaggeration in what he had said. Without going into details, I may say that it defined the position of Great Britain towards the Triple Alliance, and foreshadowed the policy which this country would pursue in the events of the French fleet, gaining a complete ascendancy over that of Italy in the Mediterranean. The questions treated in it were purely navel. At the end were the signatures of the high dignitaries who had signed it. I glanced my eyes over it and then settled down to my task of copying. It was a long document, written in the French language, and containing twenty-six separate articles. I copied as quickly as I could, but at nine o'clock I had only done nine articles, and it seemed hopeless for me to attempt to catch my train. I was feeling drowsy and stupid, partly from my dinner and also from the effects of a long day's work. A cup of coffee would clear my brain. A commissioner remains all night in a little lodge at the foot of the stairs and is in the habit of making coffee at his spirit lamp for any of the officials who may be working overtime. I rang the bell, therefore, to summon him. To my surprise, it was a woman who answered the summons, a large, coarse-faced, elderly woman in an apron. She explained that she was in the commissioner's wife who did the chairing, and I gave her the order for the coffee. I wrote two more articles, and then, feeling more drowsy than ever, I rose and walked up and down the room to stretch my legs. My coffee had not yet come, and I wondered what was the cause of the delay could be. Opening the door, I started down the corridor to find out. There was a straight passage, dimly lighted, which led from the room in which I had been working, and was the only exit from it. It ended in a curving staircase with a commissioner's lodge in the passage at the bottom. Halfway down the staircase is a small landing, with another passage running into it at right angles. This second one leads by means of a second small stair to a side door, used by servants and also as a shortcut by clerks when coming from Charles Street. Here is a rough chart of the place. Thank you. I think that I quite follow you, said Sherlock Holmes. It is of the utmost importance that you should notice this point. I went down the stairs and into the hall, where I found the commissioner fast asleep in his box, with the kettle boiling furiously upon the spirit lamp. I took off the kettle and blew out the lamp, for the water was spurting over the floor. Then I put out my hand and was about to shake the man, who was still sleeping soundly, when a bell over his head rang loudly and he woke with a start. Mr. Phelps, said he, looking at me and Bill Wildermint. I came down to see if my coffee was ready. I was boiling the kettle when I fell asleep, sir. He looked at me and then up at the still, quivering bell, with an ever-growing astonishment upon his face. If you was here, sir, then who rang the bell? He asked. The bell, I cried. What bell is it? It's the bell of the room you were working in. A cold hand seemed to close around my heart. Someone then was in that room where my precious treaty lay upon the table. I ran frantically up the stair and along the passage. There was no one in the corridors, Mr. Holmes. There was no one in the room. All was exactly as I left it, save only that the papers which had been committed to my care had been taken from the desk on which they lay. The copy was there and the original was gone. Holmes sat up in his chair and rubbed his hands. I could see that the problem was entirely to his heart. Pray, what did you do then, he murmured. I recognized in an instant that the thief must have come up the stairs from the side door. Of course I must have met him if he had come the other way. You were satisfied that he could not have been concealed in the room all the time or in the corridor which you have just described as dimly lighted? It is absolutely impossible. A rat could not conceal himself either in the room or the corridor. There is no cover at all. Thank you. Pray proceed. The commissioner, seeing by my pale face that something was to be feared, had followed me upstairs. We both rushed along the corridor and down the steep steps which led to Charles Street. The door at the bottom was closed but unlocked. We flung it open and rushed out. I can distinctly remember that as we did so there came three chimes from a neighboring clock. It was quarter to ten. That is of enormous importance at Holmes making a note upon his shirt cuff. The night was very dark and a thin warm rain was falling. There was no one in Charles Street, but a great traffic was going on as usual in Whitehall at the extremity. We rushed along the pavement, bareheaded as we were, and at the far corner we found a policeman standing. A robber has been committed I guess. A document of immense value has been stolen from the foreign office. Has anyone passed this way? I have been standing here for a quarter of an hour, sir, said he, only one person has passed during that time a woman, tall and elderly with a paisley shawl. Ah, that is only my wife, cried the commissioner. Has no one else passed? No one. Then it must be the other way that the thief took, cried the fellow tugging at my sleeve. But I was not satisfied, and the attempts which he made to draw me away increased my suspensions. Which way did the woman go, I cried. I don't know, sir. I noticed her pass, but I had no special reason for watching her. She seemed to be in a hurry. How long ago was it? Oh, not very many minutes. Within the last five? Well, it could not be more than five. You're only wasting your time, sir, and every minute now is of importance, cried the commissioner. Take my word for it that my old woman has nothing to do with it, and come down to the other end of the street. Well, if you won't, I will. And with that he rushed off in the other direction. But I was after him in an instant, and caught him by the sleeve. Where do you live, said I? Sixteen Ivy Lane Brixton, he answered. But don't let yourself be drawn away upon a false scent, Mr. Phelps. Come to the other end of the street and let us see if we can hear of anything. Nothing was to be lost by following his advice. With the policemen we both hurried down, but only to find the street full of traffic, many people coming and going, but all only too eager to get a place of safety upon Sowette a night. There was no lounger who could tell us who had passed. Then we returned to the office and searched the stairs and the passage without result. The corridor, which led to the room, was laid down with a kind of creamy linoleum, which shows us an impression very easily. We examined it very carefully, but found no outline of any footmark. Had it been raining all evening? Since about seven. How is it then that the woman who came into the room about nine left no traces with her muddy boots? I am glad you raised the point. It occurred to me at the time. The charwoman are in the habit of taking off their boots at the commissioner's office and putting on list slippers. That is very clear. There were no marks then, though the night was a wet one. The chain of events is certainly one of extraordinary interest. What did you do next? We examined the room also. There is no possibility of a secret door and the windows are quite 30 feet from the ground. Both of them were fastened on the inside. The carpet prevents any possibility of a trapped door and the ceiling is on the ordinary whitewashed kind. I will pledge my life that whoever stole my papers could only have come through the door. How about the fireplace? They use none. There is a stove. The bell rope hangs from the wire just to the right of my desk. Whoever rang it must have come right up to the desk to do it. But why should any criminal wish to ring the bell? It is a most insoluble mystery. Certainly the incident was unusual. What were your next steps? You examined the room, I presume, to see if the intruder had left any traces, any cigar end or dropped glove or hairpin or other trifle. There was nothing of the sort. No smell? Well, we never thought of that. Ah, a scent of tobacco would have been worth a great deal to us in such an investigation. I never smoked myself, so I think I should have observed it if there had been any smell of tobacco. There was absolutely no clue of any kind. The only tangible fact was that the commissioner's wife Mrs. Tangi, was the name, had hurried out of the place. He could give no explanation, save that it was about the time when the woman always went home. The policeman and I agreed that our best plan would be to seize the woman before she could get rid of the papers, presuming that she had them. The alarm had reached Scotland Yard by this time, and Mr. Forbes, the detective, came round at once and took up the case with a great deal of energy. We hired a handsome, and in half an hour we were at the address which had been given to us. A young woman opened the door, who proved to be Mrs. Tangi's eldest daughter. Her mother had not come back yet, and we were shown into the front room to wait. About ten minutes later, a knock came at the door, and here we made the one serious mistake for which I blame myself. Instead of opening the door ourselves, we allowed the girl to do so. We heard her say, Mother, there are two men in the house waiting to see you. And in an instant afterwards, we heard the platter of feet rushing down the passage. Forbes flung open the door, and we both ran into the back room or kitchen. But the woman had got there before us. She stared at us with defiant eyes, and then suddenly recognizing me, an expression of absolute astonishment came over her face. Why, if it isn't Mr. Phelps of the office, she cried. Come, come, who did you think we were when you ran away from us, asked my companion? I thought you were the broker, said she. We have had some trouble with the tradesmen. That's not quite good enough, answered Forbes. We have reason to believe that you have taken a paper of importance from the Foreign Office, and that you ran in here to dispose of it. You must come back with us to Scotland Yard to be searched. It was in vain that she protested and resisted. A four-wheeler was brought, and we all three drove back in it. We had first made an examination of the kitchen, and especially of the kitchen fire, to see whether she might have made away with the papers during the instant that she was alone. There were no signs, however, of any ashes or scraps. When we reached Scotland Yard, she had handed over at once to the female scripture. I waited in an agony of suspense until she came back with her report. There were no signs of the papers. Then for the first time, the horror of my situation came in as full force. Hitherto I had been acting, and action had numbed thought. I had been so confident of regaining the treaty at once that I had not dared to think of what would be the consequence if I failed to do so. But now there was nothing more to be done, and I had leisure to realize my situation. It was horrible. Watson there would tell you that I was a nervous, sensitive boy at school. It is my nature. I thought of my uncle and of his colleagues in the cabinet of the shame which I had brought upon him, upon myself, upon everyone connected with me. What though I was the victim of an extraordinary accident, no allowance is made for accidents where diplomatic interests are at stake. I was ruined, shamefully, hopelessly ruined. I don't know what I did. I fancy I must have made a scene. I have a dim recollection of a group of officials who crowded round me, endeavoring to soothe me. One of them drove down with me to Waterloo and saw me into the Woking train. I believe that he would have come all the way had it not been that Dr. Ferrier, who lives near me, was going down by that very train. The doctor most kindly took charge of me and it was well he did so, for I had a fit in the station and before we reached home I was practically a raving maniac. You can imagine the state of things here when they were roused from their beds by the doctor's ringing and found me in this condition. Poor Annie here and my mother were broken hearted. Dr. Ferrier had just heard enough from the detective at the station to be able to give an idea of what had happened and his story did not mend matters. It was evident to all that I was in for a long illness so Joseph was bundled out of this cheery bedroom and it was turned into a sick room for me. Here I have lain, Mr. Holmes, for over nine weeks unconscious and raving with brain fever. If it had not been for Ms. Harrison here and for the doctor's care I should not be speaking to you now. She has nursed me by day and a hired nurse has looked after me by night for in my mad fits I was capable of anything. Slowly my reason has cleared but is only during the last three days that my memory has quite returned. Sometimes I wish that it never had. The first thing that I did was to wire Mr. Forbes who had the case in hand. He came out and assures me that though everything has been done no trace of a clue has been discovered. The commissioner and his wife have been examined in every way without any light being thrown upon the matter. The suspicions of the police then rested upon Mr. Garot who as you may remember stayed over time in the office that night. His remaining behind and his French name were really the only two points which could suggest suspicion but as a matter of fact I did not begin work until he had gone and his people are of Huguenot extraction but as English in sympathy and tradition as you and I are. Nothing was found to implicate him in any way and there the matter dropped. I turned you Mr. Holmes is absolutely my last hope. If you fail me then my honor as well as my position are forever forfeited. The invalid sank back into his cushions tired out by this long recital while his nurse poured him out a glass of some stimulating medicine. Holmes sat silently with his head thrown back and his eyes closed in an attitude which might seem listless to a stranger but which I knew betokened to the most intense self-absorption. Your statement has been so explicit said he at last that you have really left me very few questions to ask. There is one of the very utmost importance however. Did you tell anyone that you had this special task to perform? No one. Not Ms. Harrison here for example? No. I had not been back to woking between getting the order and executing the commission and none of your people had by chance none. Did any of them know their way about in the office? Oh yes all of them have been shown over it. Still of course if you said nothing to anyone about the treaty these inquiries are irrelevant. I said nothing. Do you know anything of the commissioner? Nothing except that he has an old soldier. What regiment? Oh I have heard cold stream guards. Thank you. I have no doubt I can get details from Forbes. The authorities are excellent at amassing facts though they do not always use them to advantage. What a lovely thing a rose is. He walked past the couch to the open window and held up the drooping stalk of a moss rose looking down at the dainty blend of crimson and green. It was a new phase of his character to me for I had never before seen him show any keen interest in natural objects. There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary for religion said he leaning with his back against the shutters. It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life not a condition of it. The goodness which gives extras and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers. Percy Phelps and his nurse looked at Holmes during this demonstration with surprise and a good deal of disappointment written upon their faces. He had fallen into a reverie with the moss rose between his fingers. It had lasted some minutes before the young lady broke in upon it. Do you see any prospect of solving this mystery Mr. Holmes? Do you see any prospect with the touch of asperity in her voice? Oh the mystery he answered coming back with a start to the realities of life. Well it would be absurd to deny the case in a very obstruc and a complicated one but I can promise you that I will look into the matter and let you know any points which may strike me. Do you see any clue? You have furnished me with seven but of course I must test them before I can pronounce upon their value. Do you suspect someone? I suspect myself. What? Of coming to conclusions too rapidly. Then go to London and test your conclusions. Your advice is very excellent Miss Harrison said Holmes Rising. I think Watson we cannot do better. Do not allow yourself to indulge in false hopes Mr. Phelps. The affair is a very tangled one. I shall be in a fever until I see you again cried the diplomatist. Well I'll come out by the same train tomorrow though it's more than likely that my report will be a negative one. God bless you for promising to come cried our client. It gives me fresh life to know that something is being done. By the way I have had a letter from Lord Holdhurst. Ha! What did he say? He was cold but not harsh. I dare say my severe illness prevented him from being that. He repeated that the matter was of the utmost importance and added that no steps would be taken about my future by which he means of course my dismissal. Until my health was restored and I had an opportunity of repairing my misfortune. Well that was reasonable and considerate said Holmes. Come Watson for we have a good day's work before us in town. Mr. Joseph Harrison drove us down to the station and we were soon whirling up in a Portsmouth train. Holmes was sunk in profound thought and hardly opened his mouth until we had passed Clapham Junction. It is a very cheery thing to come into London by any of these lines which run high and allow you to look down upon the houses like this. I thought he was joking for the view was sorted enough but he soon explained himself. Look at those big isolated clumps of building rising up above the slates like brick islands in a lead-colored sea. The board schools, lighthouses my boy, beacons of the future, capsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each out of which will spring the wise, better England of the future. I suppose that man Phelps does not drink. I should not think so nor should I but we are bound to take every possibility into account. The poor devil has certainly got himself into very deep water and it's a question whether we shall ever be able to get him ashore. What did you think of Miss Harrison? A girl of strong character. Yes, but she is a good sort or I am mistaken. She and her brother are the only children of an iron master somewhere up Northumberland Way. He got engaged to her when traveling last winter and she came down to be introduced to his people with her brother as escort. Then came the smash and she stayed on to nurse her lover while brother Joseph finding himself pretty snug stayed on too. I've been making a few independent inquiries you see but today must be a day of inquiries. My practice, I began. Oh, if you find your own cases more interesting than mine said Holmes with some asperity. I was going to say that my practice could get along very well for a day or two since it is the slackest time in the year. Excellent said he, recovering his good humor. Then we'll look into this matter together. I think that we should begin by seeing Forbes. He can probably tell us all the details we want until we know from what side the case is to be approached. You said you had a clue. Well, we have several but we can only test their value by further inquiry. The most difficult crime to track is the one which is purposeless. Now this is not purposeless. Who is it who profits by it? There is the French ambassador, there is the Russian, there is whoever might sell it to either of these and there is Lord Holdhurst. Lord Holdhurst? Well, it is just conceivable that a statesman might find himself in a position where he was not sorry to have such a document accidentally destroyed. Not a statesman with the honorable record of Lord Holdhurst? It is a possibility and we cannot afford to disregard it. We shall see the noble Lord today and find out if he can tell us anything. Meanwhile, I have already said inquiries on foot. Already? Yes, I sent wires from Woking Station to every evening paper in London. This advertisement will appear in each of them. He handed over a sheet torn from a notebook. On it was scribbled in pencil. Ten pound reward. The number of the cab which dropped a fare at or about the door of the foreign office in Charles Street at quarter to ten in the evening of May 23rd. Apply 221B Baker Street. You are confident that the thief came in a cab? If not, there is no harm done. But if Mr. Phelps is correct in stating that there is no hiding place either in the room or the quarters then the person must have come from outside. If he came from outside on so what a night and yet left no trace of damp upon the linoleum which was examined within a few minutes of his passing then it is exceedingly probable that he came in a cab. Yes, I think that we may safely deduce a cab. It sounds plausible. That is one of the clues of which I spoke. It may lead us to something and then of course there is the bell which is the most distinctive feature of the case. Why should the bell ring? Was it the thief who did it out of bravado or was it someone who was with the thief who did it in order to prevent the crime or was it an accident or was it? He sank back into the state of intense and silent thought from which he had emerged but it seemed to me a custom as I was to his every mood that some new possibility had dawned suddenly upon him. It was twenty past three when we reached our terminus and after a hasty luncheon at the buffet we pushed on at once to Scotland Yard. Holmes had already wired to Forbes and we found him waiting to receive us a small foxy man with a sharp but by no means amiable expression. He was decidedly frigid in this manner to us especially when he heard the errand upon which we had come. I've heard of your methods before now Mr. Holmes said he tartly. It would be enough to use all the information that the police can lay at your disposal and then try to finish the case yourself and bring discredit on them. On the contrary said Holmes, out of my last fifty three cases my name has only appeared in four and the police have had all the credit in forty nine. I don't blame you for not knowing this for you are young and inexperienced but if you wish to get on in your new duties you will work with me and not against me. I'd be very glad if a hint or two detective changing his manner. I've certainly had no credit from the case so far. What steps have you taken? Tangy the commissioner has been shadowed. He left the guards with a good character and we can find nothing against him. His wife is a bad lot though. I fancy she knows more about this than appears. Have you shadowed her? We have set one of our women onto her. Miss Tangy drinks and our woman has been with her twice when she was well on but she could get nothing out of her. I understand that they have had brokers in the house. Yes but they were paid off. Where did the money come from? That was alright. His pension was due. They have not shown any sign of being in funds. What explanation did she give of having answered the bell when Mr. Phelps ran for the coffee? She said that her husband was very tired and she wished to relieve him. Well certainly that would agree with his being found a little later asleep in his chair. There was nothing against them then but the woman's character. Did you ask her why she hurried away that night? Her haste attracted the attention of the police constable. She was later than usual and wanted to get home. Did you point out to her that you and Mr. Phelps who started at least 20 minutes after her got home before her? She explains that by the difference between a bus and a handsome. Did she make it clear why on reaching her house that she ran to the back kitchen? Or why she had the money there with which to pay off the brokers? She has at least an answer for everything. Did you ask her whether in leaving she met anyone or saw anyone loitering about Charles Street? She saw no one but the constable. Well, you seem to have cross-examined her pretty thoroughly. What else have you done? The clerk's garage has been shadowed all these nine weeks but without result we can show nothing against him. Anything else? Well we have nothing else to go upon. No evidence of any kind. Have you formed a theory about how that bell rang? Well, I must confess that it beats me. It was a cool hand, whoever it was, to go and give the alarm like that. Yes it was a queer thing to do. Many thanks you for what you have told me. If I can put the man into your hands you shall hear from me. Come along Watson. Where are we going to now? I asked as we left the office. We are now going to interview Lord Holdhurst, the cabinet minister and future premier of England. We were fortunate in finding that Lord Holdhurst was still in his chambers in Downing Street and on home sending in his card we were instantly shown up. The statesman received us with that old fashioned courtesy for which he is remarkable and seated us on the two luxuriant lounges on either side of the fireplace. Standing on the rug between us with his slight tall figure, his sharp features, thoughtful face and curling hair prematurely tinged with gray, he seemed to represent that not too common type, a nobleman who is in truth noble. Your name is very familiar to me, Mr. Holmes, said he smiling, and of course I cannot pretend to be ignorant of the object of your visit. There has only been one occurrence in these offices which could call for your attention. In whose interest are you acting, may I ask? And that of Mr. Percy Phelps, answered Holmes. Ah, my unfortunate nephew. You can understand that our kinship makes it the more impossible for me to screen him in any way. I fear that the incident must have a very prejudicial effect upon his career. But if the document is found, ah, that of course would be different. I had one or two questions which I wish to ask you, Lord Holterst. I shall be happy to give you any information in my power. Was it in this room that you gave your instructions as to the copying of the document? It was. Then you could hardly have been overheard. Did you ever mention to anyone that it was your intention to give anyone the treaty to be copied? Never. Are you certain of that? Absolutely. Well, since you never said so, and Mr. Phelps never said so, and nobody else knew anything of the matter, then the thief's presence in the room was purely accidental. He saw his chance and he took it. The statesman smiled. You take me out of my province there, said he. Holmes considered for a moment. There is another very important point which I wish to discuss with you, he said. You feared, as I understand, that very grave results might follow from the details of this treaty becoming known. A shadow passed over the expressive face of the statesman. Very grave results indeed. And have they occurred? Not yet. If the treaty had reached, let us say, the French or Russian foreign office, you would expect to hear of it. I should, said Lord Holterst, with a rye face. Since nearly ten weeks have elapsed then, and nothing has been heard, it is not unfair to suppose that for some reason the treaty has not reached them. Lord Holterst shrugged his shoulders. We can hardly suppose, Mr. Holmes, that the thief took the treaty in order to frame it and hang it up. Perhaps he is waiting for a better price. If he waits a little longer, he will get no price at all. The treaty will cease to be secret in a few months. That is most important, said Holmes. Of course, it is a possible supposition that the thief has had a sudden illness. An attack of brain fever, for example, asked the statesman, flashing a swift glance at him. I did not say so, said Holmes, improtubally. And now, Lord Holterst, we have already taken up too much of your valuable time, and we shall wish you good day. Every success to your investigation be the criminal who it may, answered the nobleman, and he bowed us out of the door. He's a fine fellow, said Holmes, as we came out into Whitehall. But he has a struggle to keep up his position. He is far from rich and has many calls. You know, of course, that his boots had been resold. Now, Watson, I won't detain you from your legitimate work any longer. I shall do nothing more today unless I have an answer to my cab advertisement. But I should be extremely obliged to you if you would come down with me to Woking tomorrow by the same train which we took yesterday. I met him accordingly next morning, and we traveled down to Woking together. He had had no answer to his advertisement, he said, and no fresh light had been thrown upon the case. He had, when he so willed it, the utter immobility of countenance of a red Indian, and I could not gather from his appearance whether he was satisfied or not with the position of the case. His conversation, I remember, was about the Bertilian system of measurements, and he expressed his enthusiastic admiration of the French savant. We found our client still under the charge of his devoted nurse, but looking considerably better than before. He rose from the sofa and greeted us without difficulty when we entered. Any news, he asked eagerly. My report, as I expected, is a negative one, said Holmes. I have seen Forbes, and I have seen your uncle, and I have set one or two trains of inquiry upon foot which may lead to something. You have not lost heart then, by no means. God bless you for saying that, cried Miss Harrison. If we keep our courage and our patience, the truth must come out. We have more to tell you than you have for us, said Phelps, receding himself upon the couch. I hope you might have something. Yes, we have had an adventure during the night, and one which might have proved to be a serious one. His expression grew very grave as he spoke, and a look of something akin to fear sprang up in his eyes. Do you know, said he, that I begin to believe that I am the unconscious center of some monstrous conspiracy, and that my life is aimed as well as my honor? Ah, cried Holmes. It sounds incredible, for I have not, as far as I know, an enemy in the world. Yet from last night's experience, I can come to no other conclusion. Pray let me hear it. You must know that last night was the very first night that I have ever slept without a nurse in the room. I was so much better that I thought I could dispense with one. I had a nightlight burning, however. Well, about two in the morning, I had sunk into a light sleep, when I was suddenly aroused by a slight noise. It was like the sound which a mouse makes when it is gnawing a plank, and I laid listening to it for some time under the impression that it must come from that cause. Then it grew louder, and suddenly there came from the window a sharp metallic snick. I sat up in amazement. There could be no doubt what the sounds were now. The first ones had been caused by someone forcing an instrument through the slit between the sashes, and the second by the catch being pressed back. There was a pause then for about ten minutes, as if the person were waiting to see whether the noise had awakened me. Then I heard the gentle creaking as the window was slowly opened. I could stand it no longer, for my nerves are not what they used to be. I sprang out of bed and flung open the shutters. A man was crouching at the window. I didn't see little of him, for he was gone like a flash. He was wrapped in some sort of cloak which came across the lower part of his face. Only thing I am sure of, and that is that he had some weapon in his hand. It looked to me like a long knife. I distinctly saw the gleam of it as he turned to run. This is most interesting, said Holmes. Pray, what did you do then? I should have followed him through the open window if I had been stronger. As it was, I rang the bell and roused the house. It gave me some little time, for the bell rings in the kitchen and the servants all sleep upstairs. I shouted, however, and that brought Joseph down, and he roused the others. Joseph in the groom found marks on the bed outside the window, but the weather had been so dry lately that they found it hopeless to follow the trail across the grass. There was a place, however, on the wooden fence which skirts the road which shows signs, they tell me, as if someone had got over I have said nothing to the local police yet, for I thought I had best have your opinion first. This tale of our clients appeared to have an extraordinary effect upon Sherlock Holmes. He rose from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable excitement. Miss Fortune's never-come-single, said Phelps, smiling, though it was evident that his adventure had somewhat shaken him. You have certainly had your share, said Holmes. Do you think you could walk around the house with me? Oh yes, I should like a little sunshine. Joseph will come, too. And I also, said Miss Harrison. I'm afraid not, said Holmes, shaking his head. I think I must ask you to remain sitting exactly where you are. The young lady resumed her seat with an air of displeasure. Her brother, however, had joined us and we set off all four together. We passed round the lawn to the outside of the young diplomatist's window. There were, as he had said, marks upon the bed, but they were hopelessly blurred and vague. Holmes stopped over them for an instant and then rose, shrugging his shoulders. I don't think anyone could make much of this, said he. Let us go around the house and see why this particular room was chosen by the burglar. I should have thought those larger windows of the drawing room and dining room would have had more attractions for him. They are more visible from the road, suggested Mr. Joseph Harrison. Ah, yes, of course. There is a door here which he might have attempted. What is it for? It traves people. Of course, it is locked at night. Have you ever had an alarm like this before? Never, said our client. Do you keep played in the house or anything to attract burglars? Nothing of value. Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pockets and a negligent air which was unusual with him. By the way, said he to Joseph Harrison, you found some place, I understand, where the fellow scaled the fence. Let us have a look at that. The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of one of the wooden rails had been cracked. A small fragment of the wood was hanging down. Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically. Do you think that was done last night? It looks rather old, does it not? Well, possibly so. There are no marks of anyone jumping down upon the other side. No, I fancy we shall get no help here. Let us go back to the bedroom and talk the matter over. Percy Phelps was walking very slowly, leaning upon the arm of his future brother-in-law. Holmes walked swiftly across the lawn and we were at the open window of the bedroom long before the others came up. Miss Harrison said Holmes, speaking with the utmost intensity of manner, you must stay where you are all day. Let nothing prevent you from staying where you are all day. It is of the utmost importance. Certainly, if you wish, Mr. Holmes, said the girl in astonishment, when you go back to bed, lock the door of this room on the outside and keep the key. Promise to do this. But Percy, he will come to London with us. And I am to remain here. It is for his sake. You can serve him quick, promise. She gave a quick nod of assent just as the other two came up. Why do you sit moping here, Annie, cried her brother, come out into the sunshine. No thank you, Joseph. I have a slight headache and this room is deliciously cool and soothing. What do you propose now, Mr. Holmes? Well, in investigating this minor affair, we must not lose sight of our main inquiry. It would be a very great help to me if you would come up to London with us. At once? Well, as soon as you conveniently can. Say, in an hour? I feel quite strong enough if I can really be of any help, the greatest possible. Perhaps you would like me to stay there tonight. I was just going to propose it. Then, if my friend of the night comes to revisit me, he will find the burn flowed. We are all in your hands, Mr. Holmes, and you must tell us exactly what you would like done. Perhaps you would prefer that Joseph came with us so as to look after me. Oh, no, my friend Watson is a medical man, you know, and he'll look after you. We'll have our lunch here. If you will permit us, and then we shall at three set off to town together. It was arranged as he suggested, though Miss Harrison excused herself from leaving the bedroom to Mr. Holmes' suggestion. What the object of my friend's maneuvers was I could not conceive, unless it were to keep the lady away from Phelps, who, rejoiced by his returning health and by the prospect of action, lunched with us in the dining room. Holmes had a still more startling surprise for us, however. For, after accompanying us down to the station and seeing us into our carriage, he calmly announced that he had no intention of leaving Woking. There are one or two small points out before I go, said he. Your absence, Mr. Phelps, will in some ways rather assist me. Watson, when you reached London, you would oblige me by driving at once to Baker Street with your friend here, and remaining with him until I see you again. It is fortunate that you are old school fellows, as you must have much to talk over. Mr. Phelps can have the spare bedroom tonight, and I will be with you in time for breakfast, for there is a train which will take me to Waterloo at eight. But how about our investigation in London, as Phelps roofily? We can do that tomorrow. I think that just at present I can be of more immediate use here. You might tell them at Briar Bay that I hope to be back tomorrow night, cried Phelps, as we began to move from the platform. I hardly expect to go back to Briar Bay, answered Holmes, and waved his hand to us cheerily as we shot out from the station. Phelps and I talked it over on our journey, but neither of us could devise a satisfactory reason for this new development. I suppose you want to find out some clue as to the burglary last night, if a burglar it was. For myself, I don't believe it was an ordinary thief. What is your own idea then? Upon my word, you may put it down to my weak nerves or not, but I believe there is some deep political intrigue going on around me, and that for some reason that passes my understanding my life is aimed at by the conspirators. It sounds high-flown and absurd, but consider the facts. Why should a thief try to break in at a bedroom window where there could be no hope of any plunder, and why should he come with the long knife in his hand? You are sure it was not a housebreaker's Jimmy. Oh no, it was a knife. I saw the flash of the blade quite distinctly. But why on earth should you be pursued with such animosity? That is the question. Well, if Holmes takes the same view, that would account for his action, but not presuming that your theory is correct. If he can lay his hands upon the man who threatened you last night, we will have gone a long way towards finding who took the naval treaty. It is absurd to suppose that you have two enemies, one of whom robs you while the other threatens your life. But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbray. I have known him for some time, said I, but I never knew him to do anything yet without a very good reason. And with that, our conversation drifted off to another topic. But it was a weary day for me. Phelps was still weak after his long illness and his misfortune made him quarrelous and nervous. In vain, I endeavored to interest him in Afghanistan, in India, in social questions, in anything which might take his mind out of the groove. He would always come back to his lost treaty, wondering, guessing, speculating as to what Holmes was doing, what steps Lord Holdhurst was taking, what news we should have in the morning. As the evening wore on, his excitement became quite painful. You have implicit faith in Holmes, he asked. I have seen him do some remarkable things. But he never brought light into anything quite so dark as this. Oh yes, I have known him solve questions which presented fewer clues than yours. But not where such large interests are at stake. I don't know that. To my certain knowledge, he has acted on behalf of three of the reigning houses of Europe in very vital matters. But you know him well, Watson. He is such an inscrutable fellow that I never quite know what to make of him. Do you think he is hopeful? Do you think he expects to make a success of it? He has said nothing. That's a bad sign. On the contrary, I have noticed that when he is off the trail, he generally says so. It is when he is on a scent and is not quite absolutely sure yet that he is most tasked to turn. Now, my dear fellow, we can't help matters by making ourselves nervous about them, so let me implore you to go to bed and so be fresh for whatever may await us tomorrow. I was able at last to persuade my companion to take my advice, though I knew from his excited manner that there was not much hope of sleep for him. Indeed, his mood was infectious, for I lay tossing half the night myself, brooding over this strange problem and inventing a hundred theories, each of which was more impossible than the last. Why had Holmes remained at Woking? Why had he asked Ms. Harrison to remain in the sick room all day? Why had he been so careful not to inform the people at Briar Bay that he had intended to remain near them? I could jell my brains until I fell asleep in the endeavor to find some explanation which would cover all these facts. It was seven o'clock when I awoke and I set off at once for Phelps room to find him haggard and spent after a sleepless night. His first question was whether Holmes had arrived yet. He'll be here when he promises I, and not an instant sooner. And my words were true, for shortly after eight a handsome dashed up to the door and our friend got out of it. Standing in the window we saw that his left hand was swathed in a bandage and his face was very grim and pale. He entered the house, but it was some little time before he came upstairs. When man cried Phelps, I was forced to confess that he was right. After all, said I, the clue of the matter lies probably here in town. Phelps gave a groan. I don't know how it is, said he, but I had hoped for so much from his return. But surely his hand was not tied up like that yesterday. What could be the matter? You are not wounded, Holmes, I asked as my friend entered the room. Tut, it is only a scratch through my own clumsiness. He answered, nodding his good mornings to us. This case of yours, Mr. Phelps, is certainly one of the darkest which I have ever investigated. I fear that you would find it beyond you. It has been a most remarkable experience. That bandage tells of adventure, said I. Won't you tell us what had happened? After breakfast, my dear Watson, remember that I have breathed 30 miles of surrey air this morning. I suppose that there has been no answer for my cabin advertisement. Well, we cannot expect to score every time. The table was all laid, and just as I was about to ring, Mrs. Hudson entered with tea and coffee. A few minutes later, she brought in three covers, and we all drew up to the table. Holmes' ravenous eye-curious and Phelps in the gloomy estate of depression. Mrs. Hudson had risen to the occasion, said Holmes, uncovering a dish of curry chicken. Her cuisine is a little limited, but she has a good idea of breakfast as a Scotch woman. Mr. Watson? Ham and eggs, I answered. Good. Where are you going to take, Mr. Phelps? Curry, foul, or eggs? Or will you help yourself? Thank you, I can eat nothing, said Phelps. Oh, come, try the dish before you. Thank you, I would really rather not. Well then, said Holmes, with the mischievous twinkle, I suppose that you have no objection to helping me. Phelps raised a cover, and as he did so, he uttered a scream and sat there by which he looked. Across the center of it was lying a little cylinder of blue-gray paper. He caught it up, devoured it with his eyes, and then danced madly about the room, pressing it to his bosom, and shrieking out in his delight. Then he fell back into an armchair so limp and exhausted with his own emotions that we had to pour brandy down his throat to keep him from fainting. There, there, said Holmes, soothing, patting him upon the shoulder. Phelps said to Holmes, I have no objection to helping you, that I never can resist a touch of the dramatic. Phelps seized his hand and kissed it. God bless you, he cried. You have saved my honor. Well, my own was at stake, you know, said Holmes. I assure you, it is just as hateful to me to fail in a case as it can be to you to blunder over a commission. Phelps thrust away the precious document into the innermost pocket of his coat. I have not the heart to interrupt how you got it and where it was. Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee and turned his attention to the ham and eggs. Then he rose, lit his pipe, and settled himself down into his chair. I'll tell you what I did first and how I came to do it afterwards, said he. After leaving you at the station, I went for a charming walk through some admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little village called Ripley, where I had my tea at an inn and took the precaution of filling my flask and of putting a paper of sandwiches in my pocket. There I remained until evening when I set off for Woking again and found myself in the high road outside Briar Bay just after sunset. Well, I waited until the road was clear. It is never a very frequent in one at any time, my fancy, and then I clamored over the fence into the grounds. Surely the gate was open, ejaculated Phelps. Yes, but I have a peculiar taste in these matters. I chose the place where the three fir trees stand behind their screen. I got over without the least chance of anyone in the house being able to see me. I crouched down among the bushes on the other side and crawled from one to the other, witnessed the disreputable state of my trouser knees until I had reached the clump of rhododendrons just opposite to your bedroom window. There I squatted down in awaited developments. The blind was not down in your room and I could see Miss Harrison sitting there reading by the table. It was quarter past ten when she closed her book. Fastened the shutters and retired. I heard her shut the door and felt quite sure that she had turned the key in the lock. The key, ejaculated Phelps. Yes, I had given Miss Harrison instructions to lock the door on the outside and take the key with her when she went to bed. She carried out every one of my instructions to the letter. And certainly without her cooperation you would not have that paper in your coat pocket. She departed then and the lights went out and I was left squatting in the rhododendron bush. The night was fine but still it was very weary, vigil. Of course it was the sort of excitement about it that the sportsman feels when he lies beside the water course and waits for the big game. It was very long though, almost as long Watson as when you and I waited in that deadly room when we looked into the little problem of the speckled band. There was a church clock down at Woking which struck the quarters and I thought more than once that it had stopped. Last however, about two in the morning I suddenly heard the gentle sound of a bolt being pushed back and the creaking of a key. A moment later the servant's door was opened and Mr. Joseph Harrison stepped out into the moonlight. Joseph ejaculated Phelps. He was bare headed but he had a black coat thrown over his shoulder so that he could conceal his face in an instant if there were any alarm. He walked on tiptoe under the shadow of the wall and when he reached the window he worked a long bladed knife through the sash and pushed back the catch. Then he flung open the window and putting his knife through the crack and the shutters he thrust the bar up and swung them open. From where I lay I had a perfect view of the inside of the room and of every one of his movements. He lit two candles which stood upon the mantelpiece and then he proceeded to turn back the corner of the carpet in the neighborhood of the door. Presently he stopped and picked out a square piece of board such as little plumbers to get at the joints of the gas pipes. This one covered, as a matter of fact, the T-joint which gives off the pipe which supplies the kitchen underneath. Out of this hiding place he drew that little cylinder of paper, pushed down the board, rearranged the carpet, blew up the candles and walked straight into my arms as I stood waiting for him outside the window. Well, he was rather more ambitious than I gave him credit for. He flew at me with his knife and grasped me twice and got a cut over the knuckles before I had the upper hand of him. He looked murderous out of the only eye he could see with when we had finished, but he listened to reason and gave up the papers. Having got them I let my man go, but I wired full particulars to Forbes this morning. If he is quick enough to catch his bird, well and good. But if, as I truly suspect, he finds the nest empty before he gets there, I fancy that Lord holds hers for one and Mr. Percy Phelps for another would very much rather be fair never got as far as a police court. My God, Gaspar client, do you tell me that during these long ten weeks of agony the stolen papers were within the very room with me all the time? So it was. And Joseph, Joseph a villain and a thief. I'm afraid Joseph the character is a rather deeper and more dangerous one than one might judge from his appearance. For what I have heard from him this morning I gather that he has lost heavily in dabbling with stocks and that he is ready to do anything on earth to better his fortunes. Being an absolutely selfish man when a chance presented itself he did not allow either his sister's happiness or your reputation to hold his hand. Percy Phelps sank back into his chair my head whirls at he your words have dazed me the principal difficulty in your case remarked Holmes in his didactic fashion lay in the fact of there being too much evidence. What was vital was overlaid and hidden by what was irrelevant. Of all the facts which were presented to us we had to pick just those which we deemed to be essential and then piece them together in their order so as to reconstruct this very remarkable chain of events. I had already begun to suspect Joseph from the fact that you had intended to travel home with him that night and that therefore it was a likely enough thing that he should call for you to perform office well upon his way. When I heard that someone had been so anxious to get into the bedroom in which no one but Joseph could have concealed anything you told us in your narrative how you had turned Joseph out when you arrived with the doctor. My suspicions all changed to certainties especially as the attempt was made on the first night upon which the nurse was absent showing that the intruder was well acquainted with the ways of the house. How blind I have been. The facts of the case as far as I have worked them are known to be true. This Joseph Harrison entered the office through the Charles Street door and knowing his way he walked straight into your room the instant after you left it. Finding no one there he promptly rang the bell and at the instant he did so his eyes caught the paper upon the table. A glance showed him that chance had put in his way a state document of immense value and in an instant he had thrust it into his pocket and was gone. A few minutes elapsed as you remember when the engineer drew your attention to the bell and those were just enough to give the thief time to make his escape. He made his way to Woking by the first train and having examined his booty and assured himself that it really was of immense value he had concealed it in what he thought was a very safe place with the intention of taking it out again in a day or two and carrying it to the French Embassy or wherever he thought that a long price was to be had. Then came your sudden return and he without a moment's warning was bundled out of his room and from that tame onward there were always at least two of you there to prevent him from regaining his treasure. The situation to him must have been a maddening one but alas he thought he saw his chance. He tried to steal in but was baffled by your wakefulness. You remember that you did not take your usual draft that night. I remember. I fancy that he had taken steps to make that draft efficacious upon your being unconscious. Of course I understood that he would repeat the attempt whenever it could be done with safety. You're leaving the room gave him the chance you wanted. I kept Miss Harrison in it all day so that he might not anticipate us. Then having given him the idea that the coast was clear I kept guard as I had described. I already knew that the papers were probably in the room but I had no desire to rip up all the planking and scurning and search of them. I made them, therefore, from the hiding place and so saved myself an infinity of trouble. Is there any other point which I can make clear? Why did he try the window on the first occasion I asked when he might have entered by the door? In reaching the door he would have to pass seven bedrooms. On the other hand he could get out onto the lawn with ease. Anything else? You do not think, as Phelps, that he had any murderous intention the night was only meant as a tool? Maybe so answered Holmes shrugging his shoulders. I can only say for certain that Mr. Joseph Harrison is a gentleman to whose mercy I should be extremely unwilling to trust. End of Adventure 10 Recording by Roland Maggard Orlando, Florida