46T
KE t)ISEGONIAN, iPOBTIiAffP, rAPRIL 9, 1905.
No. -DC THE MYSTERY.
OF THE THREE
STUDENTS
m T was In the year '&3 that a combina
I tion of events, into which I seed not
enter, caused Mr. 'Sherlock Holmes
and myself to spend some weeks In one of
our great -university towns, and It -was
during this time that the Km all but in
structive adventure which I am about to
relate befell us. It- will be obvious that
any details which would help the reader
exactly to Identify the college or the
criminal would be injudicious and offen
sive. So painful a scandal may well be
allowed to die out. "With due discretion
the Incident Itself may, however; be de
scribed, since it serves to Illustrate some
of those qualities for which my friend
was remarkable. I will endeavor, in my
statement, to avoid such terms as would
serve to limit the vents to any particu
lar place, or give a clue as to the peo
ple concerned.
"We were residing: at the time in fur
nished lodgings close to a library where
Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some la
borious researches in early English char
tersresearches which led to results so
striking that they may bo the subject of
one of my future narratives. Here It
was that one evening' we received -a visit
from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames,
tutor and lecturer at the College of St.
Luke's Mr. Soames was a tall, spare
man, of a nervous and excitable temper
ament. I had always known him to be
restless in his manner, but on this par
ticular occasion he was In such a state
of uncontrollable agitation that it was
clear something very unusual had oc
curred. "1 trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can
npare me a few hours of your valuable
time. "We have had a very painful inci
dent at St. Luke's, and really, but for
the happy chance of your being in town,
I should have been at a loss what to do."
"I am very busy Just now, and I desire
no distractions," my .friend answered.
"I should much prefer that you called in
the aid of the police."
"No, no, my dear sir; such a course
is utterly impossible. When once the law
Js evoked If cannot be stayed again, and
this is Just one of those cases where, for
the credit ot the college, it is most es
sential to avoid scandal. Your, discretion
is as well known as your powers, and
you are the ono man in. the world who
can help me. I beg you, Mr. Holmes,
to do what you can.
My friend's temper had not Improved
since he had been deprived of the con
genial surroundings of Baker street.
Without his scrap-books, his chemicals,
and his homely untidiness, he was an
uncomfortable man. He shrugged his
shoulders In ungracious acquiescence,
while our visitor in hurried words and
with much excitable gesticulation poured
forth his story.
"I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes,
that tomorrow is the first day of the exr
amination for the Fortescue Scholarship.
I am one of the examiners. My subject
is Greek, and the first of the papers con
sists of a large passage of Greek trans
lation which the candidate baa not seen.
This passage is printed on the examina
tion paper, and it would naturally be an
immense advantage if the candidate
could prepare it in advance. For this
reason, great caro is taken to keep the
paper secret.
"Today", about S o'clock, the proofs of
this paper arrived from the printers.
The exercise consists of half a chapter
of Thucydides. I had to read it over
carefully, as the text must be absolutely
correct At 4:30 my task was not yot
completed. I had, however, promised to
take tea in a friend's rooms, so I left
the proof upon my desk. I was absent
rather more than an hour.
"You are aware, Mr. 'Holmes, that our
college doors are double a green baize
one within and a heavy oak one without.
As I approached my outer door, I was
amazed to see a key in it. For an in
stant I imagined that I had left my own
there, but on feeling in my pocket I
found that it was all right. The only
duplicate which existed, so far as I
knew, was that which belonged to my
servant. Bannister a man who has
looked after my room for ten years, and
whose honesty is absolutely above sus
picion. I found that the key was Indeed
his, that he had entered my room to
know If I wanted tea, and that ho 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 mln-.
utes 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 deplorable
consequences.
"The moment I looked at my table, I
was aware that someone had rummaged
among my papers. The proof was in
three long slips. I had left them all to
gether. Now, I found that one of them
was lying on the floor, one was on the
side table near the window, and the
third was where I had left it"
Holmes stirred for the first time.
"The first page on the floor, the sec
ond in the window, the third where 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 X imagined that Ban
nister had taken the -unpardonable liberty
of examining my papers. He denied it
however, with the utmost earnestness,
and I am convinced that he was speaking
the truth. The alternative was that some
one passing had observed the key in the
door, had known that I was out and had
entered to look at the papers. A large
sum of money is at stake, for the schol
arship is a very valuable one, and an un
scrupulous man might very well run a
risk in order to gain an advantage over
his fellows.
"Bannister was very much upset by the
incident He had nearly fainted when we
found that the papers had undoubtedly
been tampered with. I gavo him a little
brandy and left him collapsed in a chair,
while I made a most careful examination
of the room. I soon saw that the in
truder had left other traces of his pres
ence besides the rumpled papers. On the
table in the window were several shreds
from a pencil which had been sharpened.
A broken tip of lead was lying there also.
Evidently the rascal had copied the paper
In a great hurry, had broken his pencil,
and had been compelled to put a fresh
point to it"
"Excellent!" said Holmes, who was re
covering his good-humor as his attention
became more engrossed by the case. "For
tune has been your friend."
"This was not all. I have a new writing
table with a fine surface of red
leather. I " am prepared to swear,
and so is Bannister, that it was smooth
and unstained. Now I 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 I -found a
small ball of black dough or clay, with
specks of something which looks like
sawdust in it I am convinced that
these marks were left by the man who
rifled the papers. There were no foot
marks and no other evidence as to his
identity. I was at my wits' ends, when
i3denly the happy thought occurred
i ! lgWTC32ffiW 1 you that he
' t stair as you
jmfiiFm. 7 ' "No. lean
to me that you were in the town, and I
came straight round to put the matter
into your hands. Do help me, Mr.
Holmes. You see my dilemma. Either
I must find the man or. else the exam
ination must bo postponed until fresh
papers are prepared, and since this
cannot be done without explanation,
there will ensue a hideous Bcandal,
which will throw a cloud not only on
the college, but on the university.
Above all things, I desire to settle the
matter quietly and discreetly."
T shall be happy to look into It ami
give you such advice as I can," said
Holmes, rising and putting- on his
overcoat "The case is not entirely de
void of interest Had any one visited
you in your room after the papers came
to you?"
"Yes, young Daulat Has, an Indian
student who lives on the same stair,
came in to ask me some particulars
about the examination."
"For which he was entered?"
"Yes."
"And tho papers were on your table?"
"To the be3t of my belief, they were
rolled up."
"But might be recognized as proofs?"
'Possibly."
"No one else in your room?'
. "No."
"Did any ono know that these proofs
would be there?"
Io one save the printer." ,
"Did this man Bannister know?"
"No, oertainly not No one knew."
"Where is Bannister now 7"
"He was very 111, poor fellow. I left
him collapsed in the chair. I was in
such a hurry to come to you."
"You loft your door open?"
"I locked up the papers first"
"Then it amounts to his, Mr. Soames,
that unless the Indian students recog
nized the roll as being proofs, the man
who tampered with them came upon
them accidentally without knowing
that they were there."
"So it seems to me."
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
"Well," said "he, "lot us go rounVl.
Not one of your cases, Watson mon
taL. not physical. All right; come if
you want to. Now, Mr. Soames at
your disposal!"
The sitting-room of our client
oponed by a long, low, latticed win
dow on to the ancient lichen-tinted
court of the old college. A Gothic
arched door led. to a worn stone stair
case. On the ground floor was the tu
tor's room. Above were three stu
dents, one on each story. It was al
ready twilight when we reached the
scene of our problem. Holmes halted
and looked earnestly at the window.
Then he approached it and, standing
on tip-toe with his neck craned, he
looked Into the room.
"He must have entered through tho
door. There is no opening- except the
one pane." said our learned guide.
"Dear me!" said Holmes, and he
smiled in a singular way as he glanced
at our companion. "Well, if there is
nothing to be learned here, we had
best go inside."
The lecturer unlocked tho outer door
and ushered us Into his room. We
stood at the entrance while Holmes
made an examination of the carpet
"I am afraid there are no signs here,"
said he. "One could hardly hopo for
any upon so dry a day. Your servant
seems to have quite recovered. You
left him in a chair, you sayj Which
chair?"
"By the window there."
"I see. Near this little table. You
can come in now. I have finished with
the carpet Let -us take the little table
first Of course, what has happened is
very clear. The man entered and took
tho papers, sheet by sheet from the
central table. He carried them over to
the window table, becauso from there
he could see if you came across the
courtyard, and so could effect an es
cape." "As a matter of fact he could not"
said Soames, "for I entered by the side
door."
"Ah. that's good! Well, anyhow,
that was in his mind. Let me see tho
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 usinir every nos-
slblo contraction? A quarter of an7
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
renlacr- the papers which vould tdl
Miles McLaren.
t
Tinns unr mix r
JIW IVIiml .
had been there. You were
of any hurrying feet on the
entered the outer door
t say I was."
'Well, he wrote so furiously that he
broke his pencil, and had, as you ob
serve, to sharpen it again. This is of
Interest Watson. The pencil was not
ordinary one. It was above the
usual Else, with a soft lead, the outer
color 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 suoh a pen
cil, 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 over
wh elmcd 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
tho 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 tho most common maker's
name. Is it not clear that there is
Just as much of the pencil left as usu
ally follows the Johann?" He held tho
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,
tho black, doughy mass you spoke of.
Roughly pyramidal in shape and hol
lowed out I perceive. As you say, there
appear o be grains of sawdust in it
Dear mo, this is very Interesting. And
the cut a positive tear, I see. It be
gan with a thin scratch and ended in
a Jagged hole. I am much indebted to
you for directing" my attontion to this
case, Mr. Soames. Where does that
door lead to?"
"To my bedroom."
"Have you been in it since your ad
venture?" "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 clothos" be
hind it If any one wore 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'Sh emorgency. As a mat
ter af fact the drawn curtain disclosed
nothing but three or four suits of
clothes hanging from a line of, pegs.
Holmes turned away, and stooped sud
denly 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 tho olectrjc light
"Your visitor seems to have left
traces in your bedroom as ,well as in
your sitting-room, Mr. Soames."
'What could ho have wanted there?''
"I think it is clear enough. You
came back by an unexpected way, and
so ho had no warning until you were
at the very door. What could ho 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,
wo had the man prisoner If we had
only known It?'
"So I read it"
"Suroly there Is another alternative,
Mr. Holmes. I don't know whether
you observed my bedroom window?"
"Lattlce-paned, lead framework,
three separate windows, one swinging
on hinge, and largo 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, loft tracos
as ho passed through the bedroom, and
finally, finding the door open, have es
caped that way."
Holmes shook his head Impatiently.
"Let us bo 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 suspect
any one of them more than the others?"
Soames hesitated.
"It is a very delicate question," said
he. "Ono hardly likes to throw sus
picion where there are no proofs."
"Let us hear tho suspicions. I will
look after the proofs."
T will tell you. then, in a few words
the character of the three men who in
habit tb.es o rooms. The lower of the
three is Gilchrist a fine scholar and
athlete, plays in the rugby team and
the cricket team for the college, and
got his blue for the hurdles and the
long Jump. He is a fine, manly fellow.
His father was the notorious Sir Jabez
Gilchrist who ruined himself on the
turf. My scholar has been left very
poor, but he is hard-working and ln
dustrlons. He will do welL
"The second floor Is inhabited by
Daulat Has, the Indian. He is a quiet,
inscrutable fellow, as most of those
Indians are. He is well up in his work,
though his Greek Is his weak subject
He is steady and methodical.
"The top floor belongs to Miles Mc
Laren. He is a brilliant fellow when
he chooses to work one of the bright
est intellects of the university; but he
.iswayward, dissipated, and unprinci
pled. He was nearly expelled over a
card scandal In his first year. He has
been idling all this term, and he must
look forward with dread to tho exam
ination." "Then it is he whom you suspect?"
"I dare not go so far as thatBut
of the three, he is perhaps the least
unlikely."
"Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us
have a look at your servant. Bannis
ter." He was a little, ,whlte-faced. clean
shaven, grizzly-haired fellow of 50. He
was still suffering from this sudden
disturbance of the quiet routine of his
life. His plump face was twitching
with his nervousness, and his fingers
could not keep still.
"We are Inveslgalng this unhappy
business. Bannister," said his master.
"Yes, sir."
"I understand," said Holmes, "that
you left your key In the door?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was It not very extraordinary that
you should do this on the very day
when there were these pap'ers Inside?"
'It was most unfortunate, sir. But I
have occasionally done the same thing
at other times."
"When did you enter the room?"
"It was about half-past four. That
Is Mr. Soames' tea time."
"How lone: did vou stav?"
When I saw-thrt taVas absent. 1a
"Did you look at these papers on the
table T'
"No, sir certainly not" .
"How came you to leavo the key In
the doorT" f
"I had the tea tray In my hand. I
thought I would come back for the
key. Then I forgot"
"Has the outer door a spring: lock?"
"No, sir."
"Then it was open all tho time 7"
"Yes, sir."
"Any one In the room could got out?"
"Yes, sir."
"When Mr. Soames returned and
called for you, you were very much
disturbed?"
"Yes, sir: Such a thing has never
happened during the many years that
I have been here. I nearly fainted,
sir."
"So I understand. Where were you
when you began to feel bad?"
"Where was L sir? Why, here, near
the door."
"That is singular, because you sat
'
Doulat Has.
down in that chair over yonder near
the corner. Why did you pass these
other chairs?"
"I don't know, sir. It didn't matter
to me where I sat"
"I really don't think he know much
about It Mr. Holmes. He was looking
very bad quite ghastly."
"You stayed here when your mas
tor left?"
"Only for a minute or so. Then . I
locked the door and wont to my room."
"Whom do you suspect?"
"Oh, I would not venture to say, sir.
I don't believe there is any gentleman
in this university who Is capable of
profiting by such an action. No, sir,
I'll not believe it"
"Thank yob, that will do," said Holmes.
"Oh, one more word. You have not men
tioned to any of the three gentlemen
whom you attend that anything is amiss?"
"No, sir; not a word."
"You haven't seen any of them?"
"No, sir.'
"Very' good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will
take a walk in the quadrangle. If you
please."
Three yellow) squares of light shone
above us In the gathering gloom.
"Your three birds are alt In their nests,"
said Holmes, looking up. "Halloa!
What's that? One of them seems restless
enough."
BANNISTER
mw m I i
It was the Indian, whose dark silhouette
appeared suddenly upon his blind. He was
pacing swiftly up and down his room.
"I should like to have a peep at each of
them," said Holmes. "Is It possible?"
"No difficulty in the world," Soames an
swered. "This set of rooms is quite the
oldest In the college, and it Is not unusual
for visitors to go over them. Come along,
and I will personally conduct you."
"No names, please!" said Holmes, as we
knocked at Gilchrist's door. A tall, flaxen-haired,
slim young fellow opened it
and made us welcome when he understood
our errand. There were some really curi
ous pieces of mediaeval domestic architec
ture within. Holmes was so charmed with
one of them that he Insisted on drawing
it in his notebook, bro - his pencil, had
to borrow one from our host, and finally
borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. The
same curious accident happened to him in
the rooms of the Indian a silent, little,
hooknosed fellow, who eyed usaskance.
and was obviously, glad when Holmes'
architectural studies had come to an end.
I could not seo that in either case Holmes
had come upon the clew for which he was
searching. Only at the third did our visit
prove abortive. The outer door would not
open to our knock, and nothing more sub
stantial than a torrent of bad language
came from behind it "I don't care who
you are. You can go to blazes!" roated
the angry voice. "Tomorrow's the exam,
and I won't be drawn by anyone."
"A rude fellow," said our guide, flushing
with anger as we withdrew down the
stair. "Of course, he did not realize that
it was I who was knocking, but none tho
less" his conduct was very uncourteous,
and, indeed, under the circumstances,
rather suspicious."
Holmes' response was a curious one.
"Can you tell me his exact height?" he
asked.
"Really, Mr. Holmes. I cannot under
take to say. He is taller than the Indian,
not so tall as Gilchrist I suppose five
foot six would be about It"
"That la very Important," said Holmes.
"And now, Mr. Soames. I wish you good
night" Our guide, cried aloud in his astonish
ment and dismay.
"Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, your are
surely not going to leave me In this ab
rupt fashion! You don't seem to realize
the position. Tomorrow Is tho examina
tion. I must take some definite action to
night I cannot allow the examination
to be held If one of the papers has been
tampered with. The situation must be
"You must leave it as it Is. I shall drop
round early tomorrow morning, and chat
the matter over. It Is possible that I may
be In a position then to Indicate some
course of action. Meanwhile, you change
nothing nothing at all."
"Very good, Mr. Holmes."
"You can be perfectly easy in your mind.
We shall certainly find some way out of
your dimcultles. I will take the black
clay with me. also the pencil cuttings.
Good-bye."
When we were out in the darkness of
the quadrangle, we again looked up at the
windows. The Indian still paced his room.
The others were Invisible.
"Well. Watson, what do you think of
it?" Holmes asked, as we came out Into
.th main street "Quite a little parlor
game sort of three-card trick. Is It not?
There are your three men. It must be one
of them. You take your choice. Which
Is yours?"
"The foul-mouthed fellow at the top.
He Is the one with the worst record. And
yet that Indian was a sly fellow also.
Why should he be pacing his room all the
time?"
"There Is nothing in that. Many men
EXTLA1NS.
do It when they are trying to learn any
thing by heart"
"He looked at us in a queer way."
'So woultyou. If a flock of strangers
came in on you when you were preparing
for an examination next day, and every
moment was of value. No, I see nothing
in that.. Pencils, too, and knives all was
satisfactory. But that fellow does puzzle
me."
"Who?"
"Why, Bannister, the servant What's
his game In the matter?" t
. "He Impressed me as being a perfectly
honest man."
"So he did me. That'3 the puzzling part
Why should a perfectly honest man well,
well, here's a large stationer's. We shall
begin our researches here.p
There were only four stationers ofvany
consequence In the town, and at each
Holmes produced his pencil chips, and
bid high for a duplicate. All were agreed
that one could be ordered, but that It was
not a usual size of pencil, and that it was
seldom kept in stock. My friend did not
appear to be depressed by his failure, but
shrugged his shoulders In half-humorous
resignation.
"No good, my dearWatson. This, the
best and only final clew, has run to noth
ing. But, Indeed, I have little doubt that
we canibulld up a sufficient case without
it By U"ove! my dear fellow, it is nearly
9, and the landlady babbled of green peas
at 7:30. What with your eternal tobacco,
Watson, and your Irregularity at meals,
I expect that you will get notice to quit,
and that I shall share your downfall not,
however, before "we have solved the prob
lem of the nervous tutor, the careless
servant and the three enterprising stu
dents." Holmes made no further allusion to" tho
Gilchrist
I
matter that day, tnough he sat l03t in
thought for a long time after our belated
dinner. At 8 in the morning, he came Into
my room just as I finished my toilet.
"Well. Watson." said he. "It is time we
went down to St Luke's. Can you do
without breakfast?"
"Certainly."
"Soames will be In a dreadful fidget
until we are able to tell him something
positive."
"Have you anything positive to tell
him?"
"I think so."
"You have formed a conclusion?"
"Yes. my dear Watson, I have solved
the mystery."
"But what fresh evidence could you
have got?"
"Aha! It is not for nothing that I have
turned myself out of bed at the untimely
hour of 6. I have put in two hours'
hard work and covered at least five miles,
with something to show for it. Look at
that!"
He held out his hand. On the palm were
three little pyramidsv of black, doughy
clay.
"Why. Holmes, you had only two yes
terday." "And one more this morning. It is a
fair argument that wherever No. 3 came
from Is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2.
Eh, Watson? Well, come along and put
friend Soames out of his pain."
The unfortunate tutor was certainly In
a state of pitiable agitation when we
found him In his chambers. In a few
hours the examination would commence,
and he was still In the dilemma between
making the facts public and allowing the
culprit to compete for the valuable schol
arship. He could hardly stand still, so
great was his mental agitation, and he
ran toward Holmes with two eager hands
outstretched.
"Thank Heaven that you have come! I
feared that you had given it up in de
spair. What am I to do? Shall the exam
ination proceed?"
"Yes, let it proceed, by all means."
"But this rascal?"
"He shall not compete."
"You know him?"
"I think so. If this matter Is not to
become public, wo must give ourselves
certain powers, and resolve ourselves Into
a small private court-martial. You there,
If you please, Soames! Watson, you
here! I'll take the armchair in tho mid
dle. I think that we are now sufflclently
imposlng to strike terror into a guilty
breast Kindly ring the bell!"
Bannister entered, and shrank back in
evident surprise and fear at our judicial
appearance.
"You will kindly close the door," said
Holmes. "Now, Bannister, will you please
tell us the truth about yesterday's inci
dent?" The man turned white to tho roots ot
his hair.
"I have told you everything, sir."
"Nothing to add?"
"Nothing at all, sir." 't
"Well, then, I must make some sugges
tions to you. When you sat down on
that chair yesterday, did you do so In
order to conceal some object which would
have shown who had been In the room?"
Bannister's face was ghastly.
"No, sir, certainly not"
"It Is only a suggestion," said Holmes,
suavely. "I frankly admit that I am un
able to prove It But it stems probablo
enough, since the moment that Mr.
Soames back, was turned you released
the man, who wa9 hiding in that bed
room." Bannister licked his dry Hps.
"There was no man, sir."
"Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up to now
you may have spoken the truth, but now
I know that you have lied."
The' man's face set In sullen defiance.
"There was no man, sir."
"Come, come. Bannister!"
"No, sir, there was no one." '
"In that case, you can give us no fur
thor information. Would you please re
main In the room. Stand over there near
the bedroom door. Now, Soames, I am
going to ask you to have the great kind
ness to go up to the room of young Gil
christ, and to aBkhIm to step down Into
yours."
An Instant later the tutor returned,
bringing with him the student. He was
a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe and
agile, with a springy step and' a pleasant
open face. H!? troubled blue eyes glanced
at each of us, and finally rested with an
expression of blank dismay upon Bannis
ter In the farther corner.
"Just close the door," said Holmes.
"Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are all quite
along here, and no one need ever know
one word of what passes between uo. We
can be perfectly frank with each other.
We want to know, Mr. Gilchrist how
you. an honorable man.' ever came to
commit such an action as that of yester
dajf" The unfortunate young man staggered
back, and cast a look full of horror and
reproach at Bannister.
"No, no. Mr: Gilchrist sir, I never said
a word never one word!" cried the serv
ant "No, but you have now," said Holmes.
"Now, sir, you must see that after Ban
nister's words your position Is hopeless,
and that your only chance lies In a frank
confession."
" For a moment Gilchrist, with upraised
hand, tried to control his writhing fea
tures. The next he had thrown himself
nn Vita Vnppq ttAsMp. fhn tfliilft nnA Curv
ing his face in his hands, he had burst
mio a siorcn- ot pasaiynaie soooing.
"Come, come," said Holmes, kindly, "It
Is human to err, and at least no one can
accuse you of being a callous criminal.
Perhaps It would be easier for you If I
were to tell Mr. Soames what occurred,
and you can check me where I am wrong.
Shall I do so? Well. well, don't trouble
to answer. Listen, and see that I do you
no injustice."
"From the moment, Mr. Soames, that
you said to me that no one, not even .
Bannister, could have told that the pa
pers were In your room, the case began
to take a definite shape In my mind. The
printer one could, of course, dlsmls?. Ha
could examine the papers In his own of
fice. The Indian I also thought nothing
of. If the proofs were In roll, he could
not possibly know what they were. On
the other hand. It seemed an unthinkable
coincidence that h man should dare to
enter the room, and that by chance on
that very day the papers were on the
table. I dismissed that. The man who
entered knew that the papers were there.
How did he know?
"When I approached your room I exam
ined the window. You amused me by
supposing that I was contemplating the
possibility of someone having in broad
daylight under the eyes of all these op
posite rooms, forced himself through it
Such an Idea was absurd. I was measur
ing how tall a man would need to be in
order to see, as he passed, what papers
were on the central table. I am six feet
high, and I could do it with an effort
No one less than that would have a
chance. Already you see I had reason to
think that, if ono of your three student
was a man of unusuil height he was the
most worth watching of the three.
"I entered, and I took you into my con
fidence as to the suggestions of the side
table. Of the center table I could make
nothing, until In your description of Gil
christ you mentioned that he was a long
distance Jumpet-. Then the whole thing
came to me in an instant, and I only
needed certain corroborative proofs, which
I speedily obtained.
"What happened was this. This young
fellow had employed his afternoon at the
athletic grounds, where he had been prac
ticing tho Jump. He returned carrying
his jumping Bhoes. which are provided,
as you are aware, with several sharp
spikes. As he passed your window h
saw. by means of his great height these
pxoofs upon your table, and conjectured
what they were. No harm wmiM
been done had It not been that, as h
passed your door, he perceived the key
Whlch had been left by the carelessness;
of your servant. A sudden impulse came
over him to enter, and see if they were
indeed the proofs. It was not a danger
ous exploit for he could always pretend
that he had simply looked in to ask a
question.
"Well, when he saw that they were In
deed tho proofs, it was then that he yield
ed to temptation. He put his shoes on the
table. What was it you put on that chair
near the window?"
"Gloves," said the young man.
Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannis
ter. "He put his gloves on tho chair and
he took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to copy
them. He thought the tutor must return
by the main gate, and that he would see
him. As we know, he came back by the
side gate. Suddenly ho heard him at the
very door. There was no possible escape
He forgot his gloves, but ho caught up his
shoes and darted into the bedroom. You
observe that the scratch on that table i$
slight at one side, but deepens in the di
rection of the bedroom door. That in it
self la enough to show us that the shoe
had been drawn in that direction, and
that the culprit had taken refuge there.
The earth round the spike had been left
on tho table, and a second sample was
loosened and fell in tho bedroom. I may
add that I walked out to the athletic
grounds this morning, saw that tenacious
black clay is used in tho jumping-plt and
carried away a specimen of it together
with some of the fine tan or sawdust
which is strewn over it to prevent the
athlete from slipping. Have I told the
truth. Mr. Gilchrist?"
The student had drawn himself erect
"Yes, sir, it is true," said he.
"Good Heavons! have you nothing to
add?" cried Soames.
"Yes, sir. I have, but tho shock of this
disgraceful exposure has- bewildered me.
I have a letter here, Mr. Soames, which
I wrote to you early this morning,' in the
middle of a restless night It was beforo
I knew" that my sin had found me out
Here it Is. sir. You will see that I have
Bald, 1 have determined not to go In for
the examination. I have been offered a
commission in the Rhodoslan police, and
I am going out to South Africa at once. "
"I am indeed pleased to hear that you
did not intend to profit by your unfair ad
vantage," said Soames. "But why did
you change your purpose?"
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
"There is the man who set me in the
right path," said he.
"Come now. Bannister," said Holmes.
"It will be clear to you. from what I have
said. that,only you could have lot this
young man out, since you were left in the
room, and must havo locked the door
when you went out. A3 to his escaping
by that window, it was incredible. Can
you not clear up tho last point In this
mystery, and tell us tho reasons for your
action?"
"It was simple enough, eir. if y0U only
had known, but, with all your cleverness.
It was impossible that ycu could know'
Time was, sir. when I was butler to old
Sir Jabez Gilchrist this young gentle
man's father. When ho was ruined I
came to the collego as servant but I never
forgot my old employer because he was
down In the world. I watched hl3 son all I
could for tho sake of tho old days. Well,
sir, when I came into this room yester
day, when the alarm was given, the very
first thing I saw was Mr. Gilchrist's tan
gloves a-lylng In that chair. I know those
gloves well, and I understood their mes
sage. If Mr. Soames saw them, the game
was up. I flopped down Into that chair,
and nothing would budge me until Mr
Soames ho went for you. Then out came
my poor young master, whom I had dan
dled on my knee, and confessed it all t'i
me. Wasn't it natural, sir. that I should
save him, and wasn't It natural, also, that
I should try to speak to him as his dead
father would have done, and make him
understand that ho could not profit by
such a deed? Could you blame me. sir?"
"No, indeed." said Holmes, springing to
hi3 feet 'Well. Soames. I think we have
cleared your little problem up. and our
breakfast awaits us at home. Come, Wat
sdn! As to you, sir. I trust that a bright
future awaits you In Rhodesia. For once
you have fallen low. Let us see. In thf
future, how high you can rise." (Copy
right, 1004,. by A. Conan Doyle and Col
lier's Weekly. Copyright, 1905. by Mc
Clure. Phillips & Co.)
Automobiles In Madagascar.
L. Perisse, in Engineering Magazine.
The road followed between Mahatsara
and Tananarivo is 155 miles long and runs
through mountainous country, with manv
curves, but with maximum grades of D
per cent only. The "rolling stock" con
sists of six automobile trucks of 15-horse-power,
and two 12-horsepower brakes, all
of Panhard-Levassor make. Ordlnar "
malls weigh from 1200 to 1S00 pounds, but
the French mall attains a weight of K00
to 650O pounds and the eight automobiles
are sometimes overloaded and require
thorough Inspection after each trip.
The automobile drivers are colonial sol
diers, almost all mechanics by trade, and
their apprenticeship on the road has been
so carefully directed that each vehk
can be safely trusted to the one operator
aided by a single Malagassy assistant Re
pair shops and stores of repair parts are
distributed along the road. as. well a3
gasoline-charging stations. The 15-horsc-power
vehicles are arranged to carry four
passengers, and in addition to officers and
officials, many persons apply for passage
on the automobiles, although the two-day
trip to Tananarivo costs 102 francs, while
the same journey may be made In native
Vehicle (pousse-pousse) in five days at a
cost of only 150 franca; ,