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would have equally served his turn。〃
〃Singular； no doubt……and yet he did so。〃
〃Every inquiry in this case reveals something inexplicable。 Now
there are three papers still missing。 They are； as I understand；
the vital ones。〃
〃Yes； that is so。〃
〃Do you mean to say that anyone holding these three papers； and
without the seven others； could construct a Bruce…Partington
submarine？〃
〃I reported to that effect to the Admiralty。 But to…day I have
been over the drawings again； and I am not so sure of it。 The
double valves with the automatic self…adjusting slots are drawn
in one of the papers which have been returned。 Until the
foreigners had invented that for themselves they could not make
the boat。 Of course they might soon get over the difficulty。〃
〃But the three missing drawings are the most important？〃
〃Undoubtedly。〃
〃I think； with your permission； I will now take a stroll round
the premises。 I do not recall any other question which I desired
to ask。〃
He examined the lock of the safe； the door of the room； and
finally the iron shutters of the window。 It was only when we
were on the lawn outside that his interest was strongly excited。
There was a laurel bush outside the window； and several of the
branches bore signs of having been twisted or snapped。 He
examined them carefully with his lens； and then some dim and
vague marks upon the earth beneath。 Finally he asked the chief
clerk to close the iron shutters； and he pointed out to me that
they hardly met in the centre； and that it would be possible for
anyone outside to see what was going on within the room。
〃The indications are ruined by three days' delay。 They may mean
something or nothing。 Well； Watson； I do not think that Woolwich
can help us further。 It is a small crop which we have gathered。
Let us see if we can do better in London。〃
Yet we added one more sheaf to our harvest before we left
Woolwich Station。 The clerk in the ticket office was able to say
with confidence that he saw Cadogan West……whom he knew well by
sight……upon the Monday night； and that he went to London by the
8：15 to London Bridge。 He was alone and took a single third…
class ticket。 The clerk was struck at the time by his excited
and nervous manner。 So shaky was he that he could hardly pick up
his change； and the clerk had helped him with it。 A reference to
the timetable showed that the 8：15 was the first train which it
was possible for West to take after he had left the lady about
7：30。
〃Let us reconstruct； Watson；〃 said Holmes after half an hour of
silence。 〃I am not aware that in all our joint researches we
have ever had a case which was more difficult to get at。 Every
fresh advance which we make only reveals a fresh ridge beyond。
And yet we have surely made some appreciable progress。
〃The effect of our inquiries at Woolwich has in the main been
against young Cadogan West； but the indications at the window
would lend themselves to a more favourable hypothesis。 Let us
suppose； for example； that he had been approached by some foreign
agent。 It might have been done under such pledges as would have
prevented him from speaking of it； and yet would have affected
his thoughts in the direction indicated by his remarks to his
fiancee。 Very good。 We will now suppose that as he went to the
theatre with the young lady he suddenly； in the fog； caught a
glimpse of this same agent going in the direction of the office。
He was an impetuous man； quick in his decisions。 Everything gave
way to his duty。 He followed the man； reached the window； saw
the abstraction of the documents； and pursued the thief。 In this
way we get over the objection that no one would take originals
when he could make copies。 This outsider had to take originals。
So far it holds together。〃
〃What is the next step？〃
〃Then we e into difficulties。 One would imagine that under
such circumstances the first act of young Cadogan West would be
to seize the villain and raise the alarm。 Why did he not do so？
Could it have been an official superior who took the papers？
That would explain West's conduct。 Or could the chief have given
West the slip in the fog； and West started at once to London to
head him off from his own rooms； presuming that he knew where the
rooms were？ The call must have been very pressing； since he left
his girl standing in the fog and made no effort to municate
with her。 Our scent runs cold here； and there is a vast gap
between either hypothesis and the laying of West's body； with
seven papers in his pocket； on the roof of a Metropolitan train。
My instinct now is to work form the other end。 If Mycroft has
given us the list of addresses we may be able to pick our man and
follow two tracks instead of one。〃
Surely enough； a note awaited us at Baker Street。 A government
messenger had brought it post…haste。 Holmes glanced at it and
threw it over to me。
There are numerous small fry； but few who would handle so big an
affair。 The only men worth considering are Adolph Mayer； of 13
Great George Street； Westminster； Louis La Rothiere； of Campden
Mansions； Notting Hill； and Hugo Oberstein； 13 Caulfield Gardens；
Kensington。 The latter was known to be in town on Monday and is
now reported as having left。 Glad to hear you have seen some
light。 The Cabi awaits your final report with the utmost
anxiety。 Urgent representations have arrived from the very
highest quarter。 The whole force of the State is at your back if
you should need it。
Mycroft。
〃I'm afraid；〃 said Holmes； smiling； 〃that all the queen's horses
and all the queen's men cannot avail in this matter。〃 He had
spread out his big map of London and leaned eagerly over it。
〃Well； well；〃 said he presently with an exclamation of
satisfaction； 〃things are turning a little in our direction at
last。 Why； Watson； I do honestly believe that we are going to
pull it off； after all。〃 He slapped me on the shoulder with a
sudden burst of hilarity。 〃I am going out now。 It is only a
reconnaissance。 I will do nothing serious without my trusted
rade and biographer at my elbow。 Do you stay here； and the
odds are that you will see me again in an hour or two。 If time
hangs heavy get foolscap and a pen； and begin your narrative of
how we saved the State。〃
I felt some reflection of his elation in my own mind； for I knew
well that he would not depart so far from his usual austerity of
demeanour unless there was good cause for exultation。 All the
long November evening I waited； filled with impatience for his
return。 At last； shortly after nine o'clock； there arrived a
messenger with a note：
Am dining at Goldini's Restaurant； Gloucester Road； Kensington。
Please e at once and join me there。 Bring with you a jemmy； a
dark lantern； a chisel； and a revolver。
S。H。
It ent for a respectable citizen to carry
through the dim； fog…draped streets。 I stowed them all
discreetly away in my overcoat and drove straight to the address
given。 There sat my friend at a little round table near the door
of the garish Italian restaurant。
〃Have you had something to eat？ Then join me in a coffee and
curacao。 Try one of the proprietor's cigars。 They are less
poisonous than one would expect。 Have you the tools？〃
〃They are here； in my overcoat。〃
〃Excellent。 Let me give you a short sketch of what I have done；
with some indication of what we are about to do。 Now it must be
evident to you； Watson； that this young man's body was PLACED on
the roof of the train。 That was clear from the instant that I
determined the fact that it was from the roof； and not from a
carriage； that he had fallen。〃
〃Could it not have been dropped from a bridge？〃
〃I should say it was impossible。 If you examine the roofs you
will find that they are slightly rounded； and there is no railing
round them。 Therefore； we can say for certain that young Cadogan
West was placed on it。〃
〃How could he be placed there？〃
〃That was the question which we had to answer。 There is only one
possible way。 You are aware that the Underground runs clear of
tunnels at some points in the West End。 I had a vague memory
that as I have travelled by it I have occasionally seen windows
just above my head。 Now； suppose that a train halted under such
a window； would there be any difficulty in laying a body upon the
roof？〃
〃It seems most improbable。〃
〃We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other
contingencies fail； whatever remains； however improbable； must be
the truth。 Here all other contingencies HAVE failed。 When I
found that the leading international agent； who had just left
London； lived in a row of houses which abutted upon the
Underground； I was so pleased that you were a little astonished
at my sudden frivolity。〃
〃Oh； that was it； was it？〃
〃Yes； that was it。 Mr。 Hugo Oberstein； of 13 Caulfield Gardens；
had bee my objective。 I began my operations at Gloucester
Road Station； where a very helpful official walked with me along
the track and allowed me to satisfy myself not only that the
back…stair windows of Caulfield Gardens open on the line but the
even more essential fact that； owing to the intersection of one
of the larger railways； the Underground trains are frequently
held motionless for some minutes at that very spot。〃
〃Splendid； Holmes！ You have got it！〃
〃So far……so far； Watson。 We advance； but the goal is afar。
Well； having seen the back of Caulfield Gardens； I visited the
front and satisfied myself that the bird was indeed flown。 It is
a considerable house； unfurnished； so far as I could judge； in
the upper rooms。 Oberstein lived there with a single valet； who
was probably a confederate entirely in his confidence。 We must
bear in mind that Oberstein has gone to the Continent to dispose
of his booty； but not with any idea of flight； for he had no
reason to fear a warrant； and the idea of an amateur domiciliary
visit would certainly never occur to him。 Yet that is precisely
what we are about to make。〃
〃Could we not get a warrant and legalize it？〃
〃Hardly on the evidence。〃
〃What can we hope to do？〃
〃We cannot tell what correspondence may be there。〃
〃I don't like it； Holmes。〃
〃My dear fellow； you shall keep watch in the street。 I'll do the
criminal part。 It's not a time to stick at trifles。 Think of
Mycroft's note； of the Admiralty； the Cabi； the exalted person
who waits for news。 We are bound to go。〃
My answer was to rise from the table。
〃You are right； Holmes。 We are bound to go。〃
He sprang up and shook me by the hand。
〃I knew you would not shrink at the last；〃 said he； and for a
moment I saw something in his eyes which was nearer to tenderness
than I had ever seen。 The next instant he was his masterful；
practical self once more。
〃It is nearly half a mile； but there is no hurry。 Let us walk；〃
said he。 〃Don't drop the instruments； I beg。 Your arrest as a
suspicious character would be a most unfortunate plication。〃
Caulfield Gardens was one of those lines of flat…faced pillared；
and porticoed houses which are so prominent a product of the
middle Victorian epoch in the West End of London。 Next door
there appeared to be a children's party； f