must be the office from which the papers were taken。
〃It was black enough before against this young man； but our
inquiries make it blacker；〃 he remarked as the cab lumbered off。
〃His coming marriage gives a motive for the crime。 He naturally wanted
money。 The idea was in his head； since he spoke about it。 He nearly
made the girl an accomplice in the treason by telling her his plans。
It is all very bad。〃
〃But surely； Holmes； character goes for something？ Then； again；
why should he leave the girl in the street and dart away to commit a
felony？〃
〃Exactly！ There are certainly objections。 But it is a formidable
case which they have to meet。〃
Mr。 Sidney Johnson； the senior clerk； met us at the office and
received us with that respect which my companion's card always
commanded。 He was a thin； gruff； bespectacled man of middle age； his
cheeks haggard； and his hands twitching from the nervous strain to
which he had been subjected。
〃It is bad； Mr。 Holmes； very bad！ Have you heard of the death of the
chief？〃
〃We have just come from his house。〃
〃The place is disorganized。 The chief dead； Cadogan West dead； our
papers stolen。 And yet； when we closed our door on Monday evening；
we were as efficient an office as any in the government service。
Good God； it's dreadful to think off That West； of all men； should
have done such a thing！〃
〃You are sure of his guilt； then？〃
〃I can see no other way out of it。 And yet I would have trusted
him as I trust myself。〃
〃At what hour was the office closed on Monday？〃
〃At five。〃
〃Did you close it？〃
〃I am always the last man out。〃
〃Where were the plans？〃
〃In that safe。 I put them there myself。〃
〃Is there no watchman to the building？〃
〃There is； but he has other departments to look after as well。 He is
an old soldier and a most trustworthy man。 He saw nothing that
evening。 Of course the fog was very thick。〃
〃Suppose that Cadogan West wished to make his way into the
building after hours； he would need three keys； would he not； before
he could reach the papers？〃
〃Yes； he would。 The key of the outer door； the key of the office；
and the key of the safe。〃
〃Only Sir James Walter and you had those keys？〃
〃I had no keys of the doors… only of the safe。〃
〃Was Sir James a man who was orderly in his habits？〃
〃Yes； I think he was。 I know that so far as those three keys are
concerned he kept them on the same ring。 I have often seen them
there。〃
〃And that ring went with him to London？〃
〃He said so。〃
〃And your key never left your possession？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Then West； if he is the culprit； must have had a duplicate。 And yet
none were found upon his body。 One other point： if a clerk in this
office desired to sell the plans； would it not be simpler to copy
the plans for himself than to take the originals； as was actually
done？〃
〃It would take considerable technical knowledge to copy the plans in
an effective way。〃
〃But I suppose either Sir James； or you； or West had that
technical knowledge？〃
〃No doubt we had； but I beg you won't try to drag me into the
matter； Mr。 Holmes。 What is the use of our speculating in this way
when the original plans were actually found on West？〃
〃Well； it is certainly singular that he should run the risk of
taking originals if he could safely have taken copies； which 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 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