with　the　thief　who　did　it　in　order　to　prevent　the
  crime？　　Or　was　it　an　accident？　　Or　was　it？〃　　He　sank
  back　into　the　state　of　intense　and　silent　thought　from
  which　he　had　emerged；　but　it　seemed　to　me；　accustomed
  as　I　was　to　his　every　mood；　that　some　new　possibility
  had　dawned　suddenly　upon　him。
  It　was　twenty　past　three　when　we　reached　our　terminus；
  and　after　a　hasty　luncheon　at　the　buffet　we　pushed　on
  at　once　to　Scotland　Yard。　　Holmes　had　already　wired　to
  Forbes；　and　we　found　him　waiting　to　receive　usa
  small；　foxy　man　with　a　sharp　but　by　no　means　amiable
  expression。　　He　was　decidedly　frigid　in　his　manner　to
  us；　especially　when　he　heard　the　errand　upon　which　we
  had　come。
  〃I've　heard　of　your　methods　before　now；　Mr。　Holmes；〃
  said　he；　tartly。　　〃You　are　ready　enough　to　use　all　the
  information　that　the　police　can　lay　at　your　disposal；
  and　then　you　try　to　finish　the　case　yourself　and　bring
  discredit　on　them。〃
  〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Holmes；　〃out　of　my　last
  fifty…three　cases　my　name　has　only　appeared　in　four；
  and　the　police　have　had　all　the　credit　in　forty…nine。
  I　don't　blame　you　for　not　knowing　this；　for　you　are
  young　and　inexperienced；　but　if　you　wish　to　get　on　in
  your　new　duties　you　will　work　with　me　and　not　against
  me。〃
  〃I'd　be　very　glad　of　a　hint　or　two；〃　said　the
  detective；　changing　his　manner。　　〃I've　certainly　had
  no　credit　from　the　case　so　far。〃
  〃What　steps　have　you　taken？〃
  〃Tangey；　the　commissionnaire；　has　been　shadowed。　　He
  left　the　Guards　with　a　good　character　and　we　can　find
  nothing　against　him。　　His　wife　is　a　bad　lot；　though。
  I　fancy　she　knows　more　about　this　than　appears。〃
  〃Have　you　shadowed　her？〃
  〃We　have　set　one　of　our　women　on　to　her。　　Mrs。　Tangey
  drinks；　and　our　woman　has　been　with　her　twice　when　she
  was　well　on；　but　she　could　get　nothing　out　of　her。〃
  〃I　understand　that　they　have　had　brokers　in　the
  house？〃
  〃Yes；　but　they　were　paid　off。〃
  〃Where　did　the　money　come　from？〃
  〃That　was　all　right。　　His　pension　was　due。　　They　have
  not　shown　any　sign　of　being　in　funds。〃
  〃What　explanation　did　she　give　of　having　answered　the
  bell　when　Mr。　Phelps　rang　for　the　coffee？〃
  〃She　said　that　he　husband　was　very　tired　and　she
  wished　to　relieve　him。〃
  〃Well；　certainly　that　would　agree　with　his　being　found
  a　little　later　asleep　in　his　chair。　　There　is　nothing
  against　them　then　but　the　woman's　character。　　Did　you
  ask　her　why　she　hurried　away　that　night？　　Her　haste
  attracted　the　attention　of　the　police　constable。〃
  〃She　was　later　than　usual　and　wanted　to　get　home。〃
  〃Did　you　point　out　to　her　that　you　and　Mr。　Phelps；　who
  started　at　least　twenty　minutes　after　he；　got　home
  before　her？〃
  〃She　explains　that　by　the　difference　between　a　'bus
  and　a　hansom。〃
  〃Did　she　make　it　clear　why；　on　reaching　her　house；　she
  ran　into　the　back　kitchen？〃
  〃Because　she　had　the　money　there　with　which　to　pay　off
  the　brokers。〃
  〃She　has　at　least　an　answer　for　everything。　　Did　you
  ask　her　whether　in　leaving　she　met　any　one　or　saw　any
  one　loitering　about　Charles　Street？〃
  〃She　saw　no　one　but　the　constable。〃
  〃Well；　you　seem　to　have　cross…examined　her　pretty
  thoroughly。　　What　else　have　you　done？〃
  〃The　clerk　Gorot　has　been　shadowed　all　these　nine
  weeks；　but　without　result。　　We　can　show　nothing
  against　him。〃
  〃Anything　else？〃
  〃Well；　we　have　nothing　else　to　go　uponno　evidence　of
  any　kind。〃
  〃Have　you　formed　a　theory　about　how　that　bell　rang？〃
  〃Well；　I　must　confess　that　it　beats　me。　　It　was　a　cool
  hand；　whoever　it　was；　to　go　and　give　the　alarm　like
  that。〃
  〃Yes；　it　was　queer　thing　to　do。　　Many　thanks　to　you
  for　what　you　have　told　me。　　If　I　can　put　the　man　into
  your　hands　you　shall　hear　from　me。　　Come　along；
  Watson。〃
  〃Where　are　we　going　to　now？〃　I　asked；　as　we　left　the
  office。
  〃We　are　now　going　to　interview　Lord　Holdhurst；　the
  cabinet　minister　and　future　premier　of　England。〃
  We　were　fortunate　in　finding　that　Lord　Holdhurst　was
  still　in　his　chambers　in　Downing　Street；　and　on　Holmes
  sending　in　his　card　we　were　instantly　shown　up。　　The
  statesman　received　us　with　that　old…fashioned　courtesy
  for　which　he　is　remarkable；　and　seated　us　on　the　two
  luxuriant　lounges　on　either　side　of　the　fireplace。
  Standing　on　the　run　between　us；　with　his　slight；　tall
  figure；　his　sharp　features；　thoughtful　face；　and
  curling　hair　prematurely　tinged　with　gray；　he　seemed
  to　represent　that　not　to　common　type；　a　nobleman　who
  is　in　truth　noble。
  〃You　name　is　very　familiar　to　me；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said
  he；　smiling。　　〃And；　of　course；　I　cannot　pretend　to　be
  ignorant　of　the　object　of　your　visit。　　There　has　only
  been　once　occurrence　in　these　offices　which　could　call
  for　your　attention。　　In　whose　interest　are　you　acting；
  may　I　ask？〃
  〃In　that　of　Mr。　Percy　Phelps；〃　answered　Holmes。
  〃Ah；　my　unfortunate　nephew！　　You　can　understand　that
  our　kinship　makes　it　the　more　impossible　for　me　to
  screen　him　in　any　way。　　I　fear　that　the　incident　must
  have　a　very　prejudicial　effect　upon　his　career。〃
  〃But　if　the　document　if　found？〃
  〃Ah；　that；　of　course；　would　be　different。〃
  〃I　had　one　or　two　questions　which　I　wished　to　ask　you；
  Lord　Holdhurst。〃
  〃I　shall　be　happy　to　give　you　any　information　in　my
  power。〃
  〃Was　it　in　this　room　that　you　gave　your　instructions
  as　to　the　copying　of　the　document？〃
  〃It　was。〃
  〃Then　you　could　hardly　have　been　overheard？〃
  〃It　is　out　of　the　question。〃
  〃Did　you　ever　mention　to　any　one　that　it　was　your
  intention　to　give　any　one　the　treaty　to　be　copied？〃
  〃Never。〃
  〃You　are　certain　of　that？〃
  〃Absolutely。〃
  〃Well；　since　you　never　said　so；　and　Mr。　Phelps　never
  said　so；　and　nobody　else　knew　anything　of　the　matter；
  then　the　thief's　presence　in　the　room　was　purely
  accidental。　　He　saw　his　chance　and　he　took　it。〃
  The　statesman　smiled。　　〃You　take　me　out　of　my　province
  there；〃　said　he。
  Holmes　considered　for　a　moment。　　〃There　is　another
  very　important　point　which　I　wish　to　discuss　with
  you；〃　said　he。　　〃You　feared；　as　I　understand；　that
  very　grave　results　might　follow　from　the　details　of
  this　treaty　becoming　known。〃
  A　shadow　passed　over　the　expressive　face　of　the
  statesman。　　〃Very　grave　results　indeed。〃
  〃Any　have　they　occurred？〃
  〃Not　yet。〃
  〃If　the　treaty　had　reached；　let　us　say；　the　French　or
  Russian　Foreign　Office；　you　would　expect　to　hear　of
  it？〃
  〃I　should；〃　said　Lord　Holdhurst；　with　a　wry　face。
  〃Since　nearly　ten　weeks　have　elapsed；　then；　and
  nothing　has　been　heard；　it　is　not　unfair　to　suppose
  that　for　some　reason　the　treaty　has　not　reached　them。〃
  Lord　Holdhurst　shrugged　his　shoulders。
  〃We　can　hardly　suppose；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　the　thief
  took　the　treaty　in　order　to　frame　it　and　hang　it　up。〃
  〃Perhaps　he　is　waiting　for　a　better　price。〃
  〃If　he　waits　a　little　longer　he　will　get　no　price　at
  all。　　The　treaty　will　cease　to　be　secret　in　a　few
  months。〃
  〃That　is　most　important；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Of　course；　it
  is　a　possible　supposition　that　the　thief　has　had　a
  sudden　illness〃
  〃An　attack　of　brain…fever；　for　example？〃　asked　the
  statesman；　flashing　a　swift　glance　at　him。
  〃I　did　not　say　so；〃　said　Holmes；　imperturbably。　　〃And
  now；　Lord　Holdhurst；　we　have　already　taken　up　too　much
  of　your　valuable　time；　and　we　shall　wish　you
  good…day。〃
  〃Every　success　to　your　investigation；　be　the　criminal
  who　it　may；〃　answered　the　nobleman；　as　he　bowed　us　out
  the　door。
  〃He's　a　fine　fellow；〃　said　Holmes；　as　we　came　out　into
  Whitehall。　　〃But　he　has　a　struggle　to　keep　up　his
  position。　　He　is　far　from　rich　and　has　many　calls。
  You　noticed；　of　course；　that　his　boots　had　been
  resoled。　　Now；　Watson；　I　won't　detain　you　from　your
  legitimate　work　any　longer。　　I　shall　do　nothing　more
  to…day；　unless　I　have　an　answer　to　my　cab
  advertisement。　　But　I　should　be　extremely　obliged　to
  you　if　you　would　come　down　with　me　to　Woking
  to…morrow；　by　the　same　train　which　we　took　yesterday。〃
  I　met　him　accordingly　next　morning　and　we　traveled
  down　to　Woking　together。　　He　had　had　no　answer　to　his
  advertisement；　he　said；　and　no　fresh　light　had　been
  thrown　upon　the　case。　　He　had；　when　he　so　willed　it；
  the　utter　immobility　of　countenance　of　a　red　Indian；
  and　I　could　not　gather　from　his　appearance　whether　he
  was　satisfied　or　not　with　the　position　of　the　case。
  His　conversation；　I　remember；　was　about　the　Bertillon
  system　of　measurements；　and　he　expressed　his
  enthusiastic　admiration　of　the　French　savant。
  We　found　our　client　still　under　the　charge　of　his
  devoted　nurse；　but　looking　considerably　better　than
  before。　　He　rose　from　the　sofa　and　greeted　us　without
  difficulty　when　we　entered。
  〃Any　news？〃　he　asked；　eagerly。
  〃My　report；　as　I　expected；　is　a　negative　one；〃　said
  Holmes。　　〃I　have　s