uld not," said soames, "for i

entered by the side door."

"ah, that's good! well, anyhow, that was in his mind.

let me see the three strips. no finger impressions -- no!

well, he carried over this one first and he copied it.

how long would it take him to do that, using every possible

contraction? a quarter of an hour, not less. then he

tossed it down and seized the next. he was in the midst of

that when your return caused him to make a very hurried

retreat -- _very_ hurried, since he had not time to replace

the papers which would tell you that he had been there.

you were not aware of any hurrying feet on the stair as you

entered the outer door?"

"no, i can't say i was."

"well, he wrote so furiously that he broke his pencil,

and had, as you observe, to sharpen it again. this is of

interest, watson. the pencil was not an ordinary one.

it was above the usual size, with a soft lead; the outer

colour was dark blue, the maker's name was printed in

silver lettering, and the piece remaining is only about an

inch and a half long. look for such a pencil, mr. soames,

and you have got your man. when i add that he possesses a

large and very blunt knife, you have an additional aid."

mr. soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood of

information. "i can follow the other points," said he,

"but really in this matter of the length ----"

holmes held out a small chip with the letters nn and a

space of clear wood after them.

"you see?"

"no, i fear that even now ----"

"watson, i have always done you an injustice. there are

others. what could this nn be? it is at the end of a

word. you are aware that johann faber is the most common

maker's name. is it not clear that there is just as much

of the pencil left as usually follows the johann?" he held

the small table sideways to the electric light. "i was

hoping that if the paper on which he wrote was thin some

trace of it might come through upon this polished surface.

no, i see nothing. i don't think there is anything more to

be learned here. now for the central table. this small

pellet is, i presume, the black, doughy mass you spoke of.

roughly pyramidal in shape and hollowed out, i perceive.

as you say, there appear to be grains of sawdust in it.

dear me, this is very interesting. and the cut -- a

positive tear, i see. it began with a thin scratch and

ended in a jagged hole. i am much indebted to you for

directing my attention to this case, mr. soames. where

does that door lead to?"

"to my bedroom."

"have you been in it since your adventure?"

"no; i came straight away for you."

"i should like to have a glance round. what a charming,

old-fashioned room! perhaps you will kindly wait a minute

until i have examined the floor. no, i see nothing. what

about this curtain? you hang your clothes behind it. if

anyone were forced to conceal himself in this room he must

do it there, since the bed is too low and the wardrobe too

shallow. no one there, i suppose?"

as holmes drew the curtain i was aware, from some little

rigidity and alertness of his attitude, that he was

prepared for an emergency. as a matter of fact the drawn

curtain disclosed nothing but three or four suits of

clothes hanging from a line of pegs. holmes turned away

and stooped suddenly to the floor.

"halloa! what's this?" said he.

it was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly

like the one upon the table of the study. holmes held it

out on his open palm in the glare of the electric light.

"your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as

well as in your sitting-room, mr. soames."

"what could he have wanted there?"

"i think it is clear enough. you came back by an

unexpected way, and so he had no warning until you were at

the very door. what could he do? he caught up everything

which would betray him and he rushed into your bedroom to

conceal himself."

"good gracious, mr. holmes, do you mean to tell me that all

the time i was talking to bannister in this room we had the

man prisoner if we had only known it?"

"so i read it."

"surely there is another alternative, mr. holmes. i don't

know whether you observed my bedroom window?"

"lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows,

one swinging on hinge and large enough to admit a man."

"exactly. and it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so

as to be partly invisible. the man might have effected his

entrance there, left traces as he passed through the

bedroom, and, finally, finding the door open have escaped

that way."

holmes shook his head impatiently.

"let us be practical," said he. "i understand you to say

that there are three students who use this stair and are in

the habit of passing your door?"

"yes, there are."

"and they are all in for this examination?"

"yes."

"have you any reason to su