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the room。
〃The indications are ruined by the 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 come 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 communicate 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 from 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 Meyer； 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 Cabinet 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 comrade 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 come at once and join me there。 Bring with you a jemmy； a
dark lantern； a chisel； and a revolver。
S。 H。
It was a nice equipment 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
th