from me that naval warfare bees impossible withing the radius
of a Bruce…Partington's operation。 Two years ago a very large
sum was smuggled through the Estimates and was expended in
acquiring a monopoly of the invention。 Every effort has been
made to keep the secret。 The plans； which are exceedingly
intricate； prising some thirty separate patents； each
essential to the working of the whole； are kept in an elaborate
safe in a confidential office adjoining the arsenal； with
burglar…proof doors and windows。 Under no conceivable
circumstances were the plans to be taken from the office。 If the
chief constructor of the Navy desired to consult them； even he
was forced to go to the Woolwich office for the purpose。 And yet
here we find them in the pocket of a dead junior clerk in the
heart of London。 From an official point of view it's simply
awful。〃
〃But you have recovered them？〃
〃No； Sherlock； no！ That's the pinch。 We have not。 Ten papers
were taken from Woolwich。 There were seven in the pocket of
Cadogan West。 The three most essential are gone……stolen；
vanished。 You must drop everything； Sherlock。 Never mind your
usual petty puzzles of the police…court。 It's a vital
international problem that you have to solve。 Why did Cadogan
West take the papers； where are the missing ones； how did he die；
how came his body where it was found； how can the evil be set
right？ Find an answer to all these questions； and you will have
done good service for your country。〃
〃Why do you not solve it yourself； Mycroft？ You can see as far
as I。〃
〃Possibly； Sherlock。 But it is a question of getting details。
Give me your details； and from an armchair I will return you an
excellent expert opinion。 But to run here and run there； to
cross…question railway guards； and lie on my face with a lens to
my eye……it is not my metier。 No； you are the one man who can
clear the matter up。 If you have a fancy to see your name in the
next honours list……〃
My friend smiled and shook his head。
〃I play the game for the game's own sake；〃 said he。 〃But the
problem certainly presents some points of interest； and I shall
be very pleased to look into it。 Some more facts； please。〃
〃I have jotted down the more essential ones upon this sheet of
paper； together with a few addresses which you will find of
service。 The actual official guardian of the papers is the
famous government expert； Sir James Walter； whose decorations and
sub…titles fill two lines of a book of reference。 He has grown
gray in the service； is a gentleman； a favoured guest in the most
exalted houses； and； above all； a man whose patriotism is beyond
suspicion。 He is one of two who have a key of the safe。 I may
add that the papers were undoubtedly in the office during working
hours on Monday； and that Sir James left for London about three
o'clock taking his key with him。 He was at the house of Admiral
Sinclair at Barclay Square during the whole of the evening when
this incident occurred。〃
〃Has the fact been verified？〃
〃Yes； his brother； Colonel Valentine Walter； has testified to his
departure from Woolwich； and Admiral Sinclair to his arrival in
London； so Sir James is no longer a direct factor in the
problem。〃
〃Who was the other man with a key？〃
〃The senior clerk and draughtsman； Mr。 Sidney Johnson。 He is a
man of forty； married； with five children。 He is a silent；
morose man； but he has； on the whole； an excellent record in the
public service。 He is unpopular with his colleagues； but a hard
worker。 According to his own account； corroborated only by the
word of his wife； he was at home the whole of Monday evening
after office hours； and his key has never left the watch…chain
upon which it hangs。〃
〃Tell us about Cadogan West。〃
〃He has been ten years in the service and has done good work。 He
has the reputation of being hot…headed and imperious； but a
straight； honest man。 We have nothing against him。 He was next
Sidney Johnson in the office。 His duties brought him into daily；
personal contact with the plans。 No one else had the handling of
them。〃
〃Who locked up the plans that night？〃
〃Mr。 Sidney Johnson； the senior clerk。〃
〃Well； it is surely perfectly clear who took them away。 They are
actually found upon the person of this junior clerk； Cadogan
West。 That seems final； does it not？〃
〃It does； Sherlock； and yet it leaves so much unexplained。 In
the first place； why did he take them？〃
〃I presume they were of value？〃
〃He could have got several thousands for them very easily。〃
〃Can you suggest any possible motive for taking the papers to
London except to sell them？〃
〃No； I cannot。〃
〃Then we must take that as our working hypothesis。 Young West
took the papers。 Now this could only be done by having a false
key……〃
〃Several false keys。 He had to open the building and the room。〃
〃He had； then； several false keys。 He took the papers to London
to sell the secret； intending； no doubt； to have the plans
themselves back in the safe next morning before they were missed。
While in London on this treasonable mission he met his end。〃
〃How？〃
〃We will suppose that he was travelling back to Woolwich when he
was killed and thrown out of the partment。〃
〃Aldgate； where the body was found； is considerably past the
station London Bridge； which would be his route to Woolwich。〃
〃Many circumstances could be imagined under which he would pass
London Bridge。 There was someone in the carriage； for example；
with whom he was having an absorbing interview。 This interview
led to a violent scene in which he lost his life。 Possibly he
tried to leave the carriage； fell out on the line； and so met his
end。 The other closed the door。 There was a thick fog； and
nothing could be seen。〃
〃No better explanation can be given with our present knowledge；
and yet consider； Sherlock； how much you leave untouched。 We
will suppose； for argument's sake； that young Cadogan West HAD
determined to convey these papers to London。 He would naturally
have made an appointment with the foreign agent and kept his
evening clear。 Instead of that he took two tickets for the
theatre； escorted his fiancee halfway there； and then suddenly
disappeared。〃
〃A blind；〃 said Lestrade； who had sat listening with some
impatience to the conversation。
〃A very singular one。 That is objection No。 1。 Objection No。 2：
We will suppose that he reaches London and sees the foreign
agent。 He must bring back the papers before morning or the loss
will be discovered。 He took away ten。 Only seven were in his
pocket。 What had bee of the other three？ He certainly would
not leave them of his own free will。 Then； again； where is the
price of his treason？ Once would have expected to find a large
sum of money in his pocket。〃
〃It seems to me perfectly clear；〃 said Lestrade。 〃I have no
doubt at all as to what occurred。 He took the papers to sell
them。 He saw the agent。 They could not agree as to price。 He
started home again； but the agent went with him。 In the train
the agent murdered him； took the more essential papers； and threw
his body from the carriage。 That would account for everything；
would it not？〃
〃Why had he no ticket？〃
〃The ticket would have shown which station was nearest the
agent's house。 Therefore he took it from the murdered man's
pocket。〃
〃Good； Lestrade； very good；〃 said Holmes。 〃Your theory holds
together。 But if this is true； then the case is at an end。 On
the one hand； the traitor is dead。 On the other； the plans of
the Bruce…Partington submarine are presumably already on the
Continent。 What is there for us to do？〃
〃To act； Sherlock……to act！〃 cried Mycroft； springing to his feet。
〃All my instincts are against this explanation。 Use your powers！
Go to the scene of the crime！ See the people concerned！ Leave
no stone unturned！ In all your career you have never had so
great a chance of serving your country。〃
〃Well； well！〃 said Holmes； shrugging his shoulders。 〃e；
Watson！ And you； Lestrade； could you favour us with your pany
for an hour or two？ We will begin our investigation by a visit
to Aldgate Station。 Good…bye； Mycroft。 I shall let you have a
report before evening； but I warn you in advance that you have
little to expect。〃
An hour later Holmes； Lestrade and I stood upon the Underground
railroad at the point where it emerges from the tunnel
immediately before Aldgate Station。 A courteous red…faced old
gentleman represented the railway pany。
〃This is where the young man's body lay；〃 said he； indicating a
spot about three feet from the metals。 〃It could not have fallen
from above； for these； as you see； are all blank walls。
Therefore； it could only have e from a train； and that train；
so far as we can trace it； must have passed about midnight on
Monday。〃
〃Have the carriages been examined for any sign of violence？〃
〃There are no such signs； and no ticket has been found。〃
〃No record of a door being found open？〃
〃None。〃
〃We have had some fresh evidence this morning；〃 said Lestrade。
〃A passenger who passed Aldgate in an ordinary Metropolitan train
about 11：40 on Monday night declares that he heard a heavy thud；
as of a body striking the line； just before the train reached the
station。 There was dense fog； however； and nothing could be
seen。 He made no report of it at the time。 Why； whatever is the
matter with Mr。 Holmes？〃
My friend was standing with an expression of strained intensity
upon his face； staring at the railway metals where they curved
out of the tunnel。 Aldgate is a junction； and there was a
work of points。 On these his eager； questioning eyes were
fixed； and I saw on his keen； alert face that tightening of the
lips； that quiver of the nostrils； and concentration of the
heavy； tufted brows which I knew so well。
〃Points；〃 he muttered； 〃the points。〃
〃What of it？ What do you mean？〃
〃I suppose there are no great number of points on a system such
as this？〃
〃No； they are very few。〃
〃And a curve； too。 Points； and a curve。 By Jove！ if it were
only so。〃
〃What is it； Mr。 Holmes？ Have you a clue？〃
〃An idea……an indication； no more。 But the case certainly grows
in interest。 Unique； perfectly unique； and yet why not？ I do
not see any indications of bleeding on the line。〃
〃There were hardly any。〃
〃But I understand that there was a considerable wound。〃
〃The bone was crushed； but there was no great external injury。〃
〃And yet one would have expected some bleeding。 Would it be
possible for me to inspect the train which contained the
passenger who heard the thud of a fall in the fog？〃
〃I fear not； Mr。 Holmes。 The train has been broken up before
now； and the carriages redistributed。〃
〃I can assure you； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said Lestrade； 〃that every
carriage has been carefully examined。 I saw to it myself。〃
It was one of my friend's most obvious weaknesses that he was
impatient with less alert intelligences than his own。
〃Very likely；〃 said he； turning away。 〃As it happens； it was not
the carriages which I desired to examine。 Watson； we have done
all we can here。 We need not trouble you any further； Mr。
Lestrade。 I think our