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〃'Which way did the woman go？' I cried。
〃'I don't know； sir。 I noticed her pass； but I had no
special reason for watching her。 She seemed to be in
a hurry。'
〃'How long ago was it？'
〃'Oh； not very many minutes。'
〃'Within the last vie？'
〃'Well； it could not be more than five。'
〃'You're only wasting your time； sir； and every minute
now is of importance；' cried the commissionnaire；
'take my word for it that my old woman has nothing to
do with it； and come down to the other end of the
street。 Well； if you won't； I will。' And with that
he rushed off in the other direction。
〃But I was after him in an instant and caught him by
the sleeve。
〃'Where do you live？' said I。
〃'16 Ivy Lane； Brixton；' he answered。 'But don't let
yourself be drawn away upon a false scent； Mr。 Phelps。
Come to the other end of the street and let us see if
we can hear of anything。'
〃Nothing was to be lost by following his advice。 With
the policeman we both hurried down； but only to find
the street full of traffic； many people coming and
going； but all only too eager to get to a place of
safety upon so wet a night。 There was no lounger who
could tell us who had passed。
〃Then we returned to the office； and searched the
stairs and the passage without result。 The corridor
which led to the room was laid down with a kind of
creamy linoleum which shows an impression very easily。
We examined it very carefully； but found no outline of
any footmark。〃
〃Had it been raining all evening？〃
〃Since about seven。〃
〃How is it； then； that the woman who came into the
room about nine left no traces with her muddy boots？〃
〃I am glad you raised the point。 It occurred to me at
the time。 The charwomen are in the habit of taking
off their boots at the commissionnaire's office； and
putting on list slippers。〃
〃That is very clear。 There were no marks； then；
though the night was a wet one？ The chain of events
is certainly one of extraordinary interest。 What did
you do next？
〃We examined the room also。 There is no possibility
of a secret door； and the windows are quite thirty
feet from the ground。 Both of them were fastened on
the inside。 The carpet prevents any possibility of a
trap…door； and the ceiling is of the ordinary
whitewashed kind。 I will pledge my life that whoever
stole my papers could only have come through the
door。〃
〃How about the fireplace？〃
〃They use none。 There is a stove。 The bell…rope
hangs from the wire just to the right of my desk。
Whoever rang it must have come right up to the desk to
do it。 But why should any criminal wish to ring the
bell？ It is a most insoluble mystery。〃
〃〃Certainly the incident was unusual。 What were your
next steps？ You examined the room； I presume； to see
if the intruder had left any tracesany cigar…end or
dropped glove or hairpin or other trifle？〃
〃There was nothing of the sort。〃
〃No smell？〃
〃Well； we never thought of that。〃
〃Ah； a scent of tobacco would have been worth a great
deal to us in such an investigation。〃
〃I never smoke myself； so I think I should have
observed it if there had been any smell of tobacco。
There was absolutely no clue of any kind。 The only
tangible fact was that the commissionnaire's wife…Mrs。
Tangey was the namehad hurried our of the place。 He
could give no explanation save that it was about the
time when the woman always went home。 The policeman
and I agreed that our best plan would be to seize the
woman before she could get rid of the papers；
presuming that she had them。
〃The alarm had reached Scotland Yard by this time； and
Mr。 Forbes； the detective； came round at once and took
up the case with a great deal of energy。 We hire a
hansom； and in half an hour we were at the address
which had been given to us。 A young woman opened the
door； who proved to be Mrs。 Tangey's eldest daughter。
Her mother had not come back yet； and we were shown
into the front room to wait。
〃About ten minutes later a knock came at the door； and
here we made the one serious mistake for which I blame
myself。 Instead of opening the door ourselves； we
allowed the girl to do so。 We heard her say； 'Mother；
there are two men in the house waiting to see you；'
and an instant afterwards we heard the patter of feet
rushing down the passage。 Forbes flung open the door；
and we both ran into the back room or kitchen； but the
woman had got there before us。 She stared at us with
defiant eyes； and then； suddenly recognizing me； an
expression of absolute astonishment came over her
face。
〃'Why； if it isn't Mr。 Phelps； of the office！' she
cried。
〃'Come； come； who did you think we were when you ran
away from us？' asked my companion。
〃'I thought you were the brokers；' said she； 'we have
had some trouble with a tradesman。'
〃'That's not quite good enough；' answered Forbes。 'We
have reason to believe that you have taken a paper of
importance fro the Foreign Office； and that you ran in
here to dispose of it。 You must come back with us to
Scotland Yard to be searched。'
〃It was in vain that she protested and resisted。 A
four…wheeler was brought； and we all three drove back
in it。 We had first made an examination of the
kitchen； and especially of the kitchen fire； to see
whether she might have made away with the papers
during the instant that she was alone。 There were no
signs； however； of any ashes or scraps。 When we
reached Scotland Yard she was handed over at once to
the female searcher。 I waited in an agony of suspense
until she came back with her report。 There were no
signs of the papers。
〃Then for the first time the horror of my situation
came in its full force。 Hitherto I had been acting；
and action had numbed thought。 I had been so
confident of regaining the treaty at once that I had
not dared to think of what would be the consequence if
I failed to do so。 But now there was nothing more to
be done； and I had leisure to realize my position。 It
was horrible。 Watson there would tell you that I was
a nervous； sensitive boy at school。 It is my nature。
I thought of my uncle and of his colleagues in the
Cabinet； of the shame which I had brought upon him；
upon myself； upon every one connected with me。 What
though I was the victim of an extraordinary accident？
No allowance is made for accidents where diplomatic
interests are at stake。 I was ruined； shamefully；
hopelessly ruined。 I don't know what I did。 I fancy
I must have made a scene。 I have a dim recollection
of a group of officials who crowded round me；
endeavoring to soothe me。 One of them drove down with
me to Waterloo； and saw me into the Woking train。 I
believe that he would have come all the way had it not
been that Dr。 Ferrier； who lives near me； was going
down by that very train。 The doctor most kindly took
charge of me； and it was well he did so； for I had a
fit in the station； and before we reached home I was
practically a raving maniac。
〃You can imagine the state of things here when they
were roused from their beds by the doctor's ringing
and found me in this condition。 Poor Annie here and
my mother were broken…hearted。 Dr。 Ferrier had just
heard enough from the detective at the station to be
able to give an idea of what had happened； and his
story did not mend matters。 It was evident to all
that I was in for a long illness； so Joseph was
bundled out of this cheery bedroom； and it was turned
into a sick…room for me。 Here I have lain； Mr。
Holmes； for over nine weeks； unconscious； and raving
with brain…fever。 If it had not been for Miss
Harrison here and for the doctor's care I should not
be speaking to you now。 She has nursed me by day and
a hired nurse has looked after me by night； for in my
mad fits I was capable of anything。 Slowly my reason
has cleared； but it is only during the last three days
that my memory has quite returned。 Sometimes I wish
that it never had。 The first thing that I did was to
wire to Mr。 Forbes； who had the case in hand。 He came
out； and assures me that； though everything has been
done； no trace of a clue has been discovered。 The
commissionnaire and his wife have been examined in
every way without any light being thrown upon the
matter。 The suspicions of the police then rested upon
young Gorot； who； as you may remember； stayed over
time in the office that night。 His remaining behind
and is French name were really the only two points
which could suggest suspicion； but； as a matter of
fact； I did not begin work until he had gone； and his
people are of Huguenot extraction； but as English in
sympathy and tradition as you and I are。 Nothing was
found to implicate him in any way； and there the
matter dropped。 I turn to you； Mr。 Holmes； as
absolutely my last hope。 I