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here； and remaining with him until I see you again。
It is fortunate that you are old school…fellows； as
you must have much to talk over。 Mr。 Phelps can have
the spare bedroom to…night； and I will be with you in
time for breakfast； for there is a train which will
take me into Waterloo at eight。〃
〃But how about our investigation in London？〃 asked
Phelps； ruefully。
〃We can do that to…morrow。 I think that just at
present I can be of more immediate use here。〃
〃You might tell them at Briarbrae that I hope to be
back to…morrow night；〃 cried Phelps； as we began to
move from the platform。
〃I hardly expect to go back to Briarbrae；〃 answered
Holmes； and waved his hand to us cheerily as we shot
out from the station。
Phelps and I talked it over on our journey； but
neither of us could devise a satisfactory reason for
this new development。
〃I suppose he wants to find out some clue as to the
burglary last night； if a burglar it was。 For myself；
I don't believe it was an ordinary thief。〃
〃What is your own idea； then？〃
〃Upon my word； you may put it down to my weak nerves
or not； but I believe there is some deep political
intrigue going on around me； and that for some reason
that passes my understanding my life is aimed at by
the conspirators。 It sounds high…flown and absurd；
but consider the fats！ Why should a thief try to
break in at a bedroom window； where there could be no
hope of any plunder； and why should he come with a
long knife in his hand？〃
〃You are sure it was not a house…breaker's jimmy？〃
〃Oh； no； it was a knife。 I saw the flash of the blade
quite distinctly。〃
〃But why on earth should you be pursued with such
animosity？〃
〃Ah； that is the question。〃
〃Well； if Holmes takes the same view； that would
account for his action； would it not？ Presuming that
your theory is correct； if he can lay his hands upon
the man who threatened you last night he will have
gone a long way towards finding who took the naval
treaty。 It is absurd to suppose that you have two
enemies； one of whom robs you； while the other
threatens your life。〃
〃But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbrae。〃
〃I have known him for some time；〃 said I； 〃but I never
knew him do anything yet without a very good reason；〃
and with that our conversation drifted off on to other
topics。
But it was a weary day for me。 Phelps was still weak
after his long illness； and his misfortune made him
querulous and nervous。 In vain I endeavored to
interest him in Afghanistan； in India； in social
questions； in anything which might take his mind out
of the groove。 He would always come back to his lost
treaty； wondering； guessing； speculating； as to what
Holmes was doing； what steps Lord Holdhurst was
taking； what news we should have in the morning。 As
the evening wore on his excitement became quite
painful。
〃You have implicit faith in Holmes？〃 he asked。
〃I have seen him do some remarkable things。〃
〃But he never brought light into anything quite so
dark as this？〃
〃Oh； yes； I have known him solve questions which
presented fewer clues than yours。〃
〃But not where such large interests are at stake？〃
〃I don't know that。 To my certain knowledge he has
acted on behalf of three of the reigning houses of
Europe in very vital matters。〃
〃But you know him well； Watson。 He is such an
inscrutable fellow that I never quite know what to
make of him。 Do you think he is hopeful？ Do you
think he expects to make a success of it？〃
〃He has said nothing。〃
〃That is a bad sign。〃
〃On the contrary； I have noticed that when he is off
the trail he generally says so。 It is when he is on a
scent and is not quite absolutely sure yet that it is
the right one that he is most taciturn。 Now； my dear
fellow； we can't help matter by making ourselves
nervous about them； so let me implore you to go to bed
and so be fresh for whatever may await us to…morrow。〃
I was able at last to persuade my companion to take my
advice； though I knew from his excited manner that
there was not much hope of sleep for him。 Indeed； his
mood was infectious； for I lay tossing half the night
myself； brooding over this strange problem； and
inventing a hundred theories； each of which was more
impossible than the last。 Why had Holmes remained at
Woking？ Why had he asked Miss Harrison to remain in
the sick…room all day？ Why had he been so careful not
to inform the people at Briarbrae that he intended to
remain near them？ I cudgelled my brains until I fell
asleep in the endeavor to find some explanation which
would cover all these facts。
It was seven o'clock when I awoke； and I set off at
once for Phelps's room； to find him haggard and spent
after a sleepless night。 His first question was
whether Holmes had arrived yet。
〃He'll be here when he promised；〃 said I； 〃and not an
instant sooner or later。〃
And my words were true； for shortly after eight a
hansom dashed up to the door and our friend got out of
it。 Standing in the window we saw that his left hand
was swathed in a bandage and that his face was very
grim and pale。 He entered the house； but it was some
little time before he came upstairs。
〃He looks like a beaten man；〃 cried Phelps。
I was forced to confess that he was right。 〃After
all；〃 said I； 〃the clue of the matter lies probably
here in town。〃
Phelps gave a groan。
〃I don't know how it is；〃 said he； 〃but I had hoped
for so much from his return。 But surely his hand was
not tied up like that yesterday。 What can be the
matter？〃
〃You are not wounded； Holmes？〃 I asked； as my friend
entered the room。
〃Tut； it is only a scratch through my own clumsiness；〃
he answered； nodding his good…mornings to us。 〃This
case of yours； Mr。 Phelps； is certainly one of the
darkest which I have ever investigated。〃
〃I feared that you would find it beyond you。〃
〃It has been a most remarkable experience。〃
〃That bandage tells of adventures；〃 said I。 〃Won't
you tell us what has happened？〃
〃After breakfast； my dear Watson。 Remember that I
have breathed thirty mile of Surrey air this morning。
I suppose that there has been no answer from my cabman
advertisement？ Well； well； we cannot expect to score
every time。〃
The table was all laid； and just as I was about to
ring Mrs。 Hudson entered wit the tea and coffee。 A
few minutes later she brought in three covers； and we
all drew up to the table； Holmes ravenous； I curious；
and Phelps in the gloomiest state of depression。
〃Mrs。 Hudson has risen to the occasion；〃 said Holmes；
uncovering a dish of curried chicken。 〃Her cuisine is
a little limited； but she has as good an idea of
breakfast as a Scotch…woman。 What have you here；
Watson？〃
〃Ham and eggs；〃 I answered。
〃Good！ What are you going to take； Mr。
Phelpscurried fowl or eggs； or will you help
yourself？〃
〃Thank you。 I can eat nothing；〃 said Phelps。
〃Oh； come！ Try the dish before you。〃
〃Thank you； I would really rather not。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Holmes； with a mischievous twinkle；
〃I suppose that you have no objection to helping me？〃
Phelps raised the cover； and as hi did so he uttered a
scream； and sat there staring with a face as white as
the plate upon which he looked。 Across the centre of
it was lying a little cylinder of blue…gray paper。 He
caught it up； devoured it with his eyes； and then
danced madly about the room； passing it to his bosom
and shrieking out in his delight。 Then he fell back
into an arm…chair so limp and exhausted with his own
emotions that we had to pour brandy down his throat to
keep him from fainting。
〃There！ there！〃 said Holmes； soothing； patting him
upon the shoulder。 〃It was too bad to spring it on
you like this； but Watson here will tell you that I
never can resist a touch of the dramatic。〃
Phelps seized his hand and kissed it。 〃God bless
you！〃 he cried。 〃You have saved my honor。〃
〃Well； my own was at stake； you know；〃 said Holmes。
〃I assure you it is just as hateful to me to fail in a
case as it can be to you to blunder over a
commission。〃
Phelps thrust away the precious document into the
innermost pocket of his coat。
〃I have not the heart to interrupt your breakfast any
further； and yet I am dying to know how you got it and
where it was。〃
Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee； and turned
his attention to the ham and eggs。 Then he rose； lit
his pipe； and settled himself down into his chair。
〃I'll tell you what I did first； and how I came to do
it afterwards；〃 said he。 〃After leaving you at the
station I went for a charming walk through some
admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little village
called Ripley； where I had my tea at an inn； and took
the precautio