The Washington times., 1905-05-28
Continued from First Page.)


att 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
1.-The commissionnaire, seeing by my
pale face that something was to be
feared, had followed me upstairs. Now
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
II open and rushed out. I can distinctly
remember that as we did so there came
three chimes from neighboring clock.
IL was q quarter to 10.''
s'That is Of enormous Importance. .
said Holmes, making a note upon his
shirt cuff.
1.-The night was very dark. and a thin,
warm rain was falling. There was no
one in Charles street, but great traffic
was going on, as usual, in Whitehall. at
the extremity. We rushed along the
pavement, bare-headed as we We're. and
at the far corner we found a police
man standing.
"A robbery has been committed
gasped. "A document of immense value
has been stolen from the foreign office,
Has anyone passed this way?'
II have been standing here for q
quarter OF an hour, str said he: only
one person has passed during that
tine-a woman, tail and elderly, with
Paisley shawl
.s.Ah, that is only my Wife cried the
conmissionnaire; has no one else
passed?
mo one
Then 1t must be the other way that
the thief took cried the fellow, tugging
at my sleeve.
'sBut I was not satisfied. and the at
tonnpts which he made to draw me away
Increased my suspicious.
"a Which way did the woman go?' I
cried.
81 don't know, sir. I noticed her
pass. but I had no special reason for
watching her. She seemed to be in a
hurry
as How long ago was it?'
ss'Oh, not very many minutes
"a Within the last five2'
Well, st could Tot be more than
five.
you're only wasting your time, sir,
and every minute now is Of Importance,
cried the cornmissionnaire; take my
word for II that my old woman has
nothing to do with It. and come down
TO the other end OF tie street. Well, if
you won't, I will And with that he
rushed off IN the other direction.
'sBut I was after him in an instant
and caught him by the sleeve.
as Where do you live? said l.
.. 18 IVY Lane, Brixton,' he answered
But don't let yourself be drawn away
upon a false scent, Mr.. Phelps. Come tC
the other end CT the street and let us
see If we can hear Of anything
Nothing was TO be lost by following
his advice. With the policeman we botf
hurried down. but only TO find the street
full of traffic. many people coming anc
going, but all only too eager to get tc
q place of safety upon so wet a night
There was no lounger who could tell us
who had passed.
.sThen we returned to the office, anC
searched the stairs and the passage
without result The corridor which leo
10 the room was laid down with q kind
OF creamy linoleum which shows ar
impression very easily. We examined il
very carefully, but found no outline OF
any footmark.
..Had II been raining all evening2''
"Since about ~
..How is 1t. then. that the woman who
came into the room about left nc
traces with her muddy boots?'
''I am glad you raised the point. II
occurred to me at the time. The char
women are in the habit of taking of
their boots at the comnissionnaire's Of
fee. and putting on list slippers"
.'That is very clear. There were nc
marks, then, though the night was a wei
one? The chain Of events is certainly
one of extraordinary interest. What die
you do next?''
I'VE examined the room also. There
is no possibility OF Il secret door. and
the windows are quite thirty feet from
the ground Both Of them were fasten.
ed on the inside. The carpet prevents
any possibility of trap-door. and the
ceiling is OF the ordinary whitewashed
kind I VIII pledge my life that who