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 gave 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
intruder had left other traces of his presence 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 recovering his
good-humour as his attention became more engrossed by the
case. "fortune 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 footmarks and no other evidence
as to his identity. i was at my wits' ends, when suddenly
the happy thought occurred 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 examination must be
postponed until fresh papers are prepared, and since this
cannot be done without explanation there will ensue a
hideous scandal, 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."
"i shall be happy to look into it and to give you such
advice as i can," said holmes, rising and putting on his
overcoat. "the case is not entirely devoid of interest.
had anyone visited you in your room after the papers came
to you?"
"yes; young daulat ras, 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 the papers were on your table?"
"to the best of my belief they were rolled up."
"but might be recognised as proofs?"
"possibly."
"no one else in your room?"
"no."
"did anyone know that these proofs would be there?"
"no one save the printer."
"did this man bannister know?"
"no, certainly not. no one knew."
"where is bannister now?"
"he was very ill, poor fellow. i left him collapsed in the
chair. i was in such a hurry to come to you."
"you left your door open?"
"i locked up the papers first."
"then it amounts to this, mr. soames, that unless the
indian student recognised 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, "let us go round. not one of your cases,
watson -- mental, not physical. all right; come if you
want to. now, mr. soames -- at your disposal!"
the sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low,
latticed window on to the ancient lichen-tinted court of
the old college. a gothic arched door led to a worn stone
staircase. on the ground floor was the tutor's room.
above were three students, one on each story. it was
already twilight when we reached the scene of our problem.
holmes halted and looked earnestly at the window. then he
approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his neck
craned, he looked into the room.
"he must have entered through the 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 the 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 hope for any upon so dry a day. your servant seems
to have quite recovered. you left him in a chair, you say;
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 the papers, sheet by sheet, from
the central table. he carried them over to the window
table, because from there he could see if you came across
the courtyard, and so could effect an escape."
"as a matter of fact he co
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