The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-09

without. AS | approached my outer
door, 1 was amazed to see a key in it.
For an instant / imagined that l had
left my own there, but on feeling in
my pocket / found that it was all
right The only duplicate which ex-
listed, so far as l knew, was that which
belonged to my servant, BanniSter-a
man who has looked after my room for
ten years, and whose honesty is alb
solutely above suspicion. 1 found that
the key was indeed his that he had
entered my room to know if | wanted
tea, and that he had very carelessly
left the key in the door when he came
out. His visit to my room must have
been within a very few minutes of my
leaving it. His forgetfulness about the
key would have mattered little upon
any other occasion, but on this one
day it has produced the most deplor-
able consequences.
''The moment l looked at my table,
was aware that some one had rum
mayed among my papers. The proof
was in three long slips. l had left
them altogether. Now, / found that
one of them was lying on the floor,
one was on the side table near the
window, and the third was where 1
had left it,
Holmes stirred for the first time.
THE first page OH the floor, the
second III the WlluO.W, the tnlrd Wnefe
you left it, said he.
Exactly, Mr.. Holmes. You amaze
me. How could you possibly know
that?"'
Pray continue your very interesting
statement"
For an instant / imagined that
Bannister had taken the objectionable
liberty of examining my papers. He
denied it, however, with the utmost
arl1n ncsfFo L
he was speaking the truth. The al
tentative was that some one passing
had observed the key in the door, had
known that l was out, and had enter
ed to look at the papers. a large
sum of money is at stake, for the
scholarship is a very valuable one, and
an unscrupulous man might very well
run risk in order to gain an advant-
age over his fellows
"Bannister was very much upset by
the incident. He had nearly tainted |
when we found that the papers had |
undoubtedly been tampered with. !
gave him a little brandy and left him
collapsed in chair, while / made a
most careful examination ofithe room.
soon saw that the intruder had
left other traces of his presence be-
sides the rumpled papers. On the
table in the window were several
shreds from pencil which had been
sharpened. A broken tip of lead was
lying there also. Evidently the rascal
had copied the paper in great hurry
had broken his pencil, and had been
compelled to put fresh point to it,"
Excellent" said Holmes, who was
recovering his good-humour as his
attention became more engrossed by
the case. Fortune has been your
friend"
'"This was not all. l have new
writing-table with a fine surface of
red-leather. / am prepared to swear
and so is Bannister, that it was smooth
and unstained.n Now l found a clean
cut in it about three inches long-not
a mere scratch, but a positive cut Not
only this, but on the table 1 found
small ball of black dough or clay, with
specks of something which looks like
sawdust in it. | am convinced that
these marks were left by the man
who rifled the papers. There were
no footmarks and no other evidence
as to his identity. 1 was at my wits
end, when suddenly the happy
thought occurred to me that you were
in the town, and | came straight
round to put the matter into your
hands. Do help me, Mr.. Holmes. You
see my dilemma. Either l must
find the man or else the eXami-
nation must be postponed until fresh
papers are prepared, and since this
cannot be done without explanation,
there will ensue a hideous scandal,
which will throw cloud not only on
the college, but on the university
Above all things, I desire to settle
the matter quietly and discreetly."
II shall be happy to look into it and
to give you such advice as | can," said
Holmes rising and putting on his
overcoat. "trhe case is not entirely
devoid of interest. Had any one
visited you in your room after the pa
pers came to you?'
Yes, young Daulat Ras, an Indian
student, who lives on the same stair,
came to ask me some particulars about
the examination"
For which he was entered?"
yes"
"And the papers were on your
table?"
ITO the best of my belief, they were
rolled up"
But might be recognised as proof?"
Possibly.
mo one else in your room %
mo"
Did any one know that these proofs
would be there?"
NO one save the printer
did this man Bannister know?"
No, certainly not. No one knew.
Where is Bannister now?'
He was very ill, poor fellow. ]
left him collapsed in the chair. ]
was in such a hurry to come to YOU
You left your door open?"
II locked up the papers first.
Then it amounts to this, Mr.. |
Soames that, unless the Indian student
Recognised the roll as being proofs, the
man who tampered with them came
upon them accidentally without know |
ing that they were there"
so it seems to me-
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
''Well," said he, 'let us go round /
Not one of your cases, Watson-ment- |
al, not physical. All right come If /
you want to. Now, Mr. Soames-at |
your disposali"
The sitting-room of our client OPEN
cd by a long. low. latticed window on |