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admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little village
called Ripley； where I had my tea at an inn； and took
the precaution of filling my flask and of putting a
paper of sandwiches in my pocket。 There I remained
until evening； when I set off for Woking again； and
found myself in the high…road outside Briarbrae just
after sunset。
〃Well； I waited until the road was clearit is never
a very frequented one at any time； I fancyand then I
clambered over the fence into the grounds。〃
〃Surely the gate was open！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃Yes； but I have a peculiar taste in these matters。 I
chose the place where the three fir…trees stand； and
behind their screen I got over without the least
chance of any one in the house being able to see me。
I crouched down among the bushes on the other side；
and crawled from one to the otherwitness the
disreputable state of my trouser kneesuntil I had
reached the clump of rhododendrons just opposite to
your bedroom window。 There I squatted down and
awaited developments。
〃The blind was not down in your room； and I could see
Miss Harrison sitting there reading by the table。 It
was quarter…past ten when she closed her book；
fastened the shutters； and retired。
〃I heard her shut the door； and felt quite sure that
she had turned the key in the lock。〃
〃The key！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃Yes； I had given Miss Harrison instructions to lock
the door on the outside and take the key with her when
she went to bed。 She carried out every one of my
injunctions to the letter； and certainly without her
cooperation you would not have that paper in you
coat…pocket。 She departed then and the lights went
out； and I was left squatting in the
rhododendron…bush。
〃The night was fine； but still it was a very weary
vigil。 Of course it has the sort of excitement about
it that the sportsman feels when he lies beside the
water…course and waits for the big game。 It was very
long； thoughalmost as long； Watson； as when you and
I waited in that deadly room when we looked into the
little problem of the Speckled Band。 There was a
church…clock down at Woking which struck the quarters；
and I thought more than once that it had stopped。 At
last however about two in the morning； I suddenly
heard the gentle sound of a bolt being pushed back and
the creaking of a key。 A moment later the servant's
door was opened； and Mr。 Joseph Harrison stepped out
into the moonlight。〃
〃Joseph！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃He was bare…headed； but he had a black coat thrown
over his shoulder so that he could conceal his face in
an instant if there were any alarm。 He walked on
tiptoe under the shadow of the wall； and when he
reached the window he worked a long…bladed knife
through the sash and pushed back the catch。 Then he
flung open the window； and putting his knife through
the crack in the shutters； he thrust the bar up and
swung them open。
〃From where I lay I had a perfect view of the inside
of the room and of every one of his movements。 He lit
the two candles which stood upon the mantelpiece； and
then he proceeded to turn back the corner of the
carpet in the neighborhood of the door。 Presently he
stopped and picked out a square piece of board； such
as is usually left to enable plumbers to get at the
joints of the gas…pipes。 This one covered； as a
matter of fact； the T joint which gives off the pipe
which supplies the kitchen underneath。 Out of this
hiding…place he drew that little cylinder of paper；
pushed down the board； rearranged the carpet； blew out
the candles； and walked straight into my arms as I
stood waiting for him outside the window。
〃Well； he has rather more viciousness than I gave him
credit for； has Master Joseph。 He flew at me with his
knife； and I had to grass him twice； and got a cut
over the knuckles； before I had the upper hand of him。
He looked murder out of the only eye he could see with
when we had finished； but he listened to reason and
gave up the papers。 Having got them I let my man go；
but I wired full particulars to Forbes this morning。
If he is quick enough to catch is bird； well and good。
But if； as I shrewdly suspect； he finds the nest empty
before he gets there； why； all the better for the
government。 I fancy that Lord Holdhurst for one； and
Mr。 Percy Phelps for another； would very much rather
that the affair never got as far as a police…court。
〃My God！〃 gasped our client。 〃Do you tell me that
during these long ten weeks of agony the stolen papers
were within the very room with me all the time？〃
〃So it was。〃
〃And Joseph！ Joseph a villain and a thief！〃
〃Hum！ I am afraid Joseph's character is a rather
deeper and more dangerous one than one might judge
from his appearance。 From what I have heard from him
this morning； I gather that he has lost heavily in
dabbling with stocks； and that he is ready to do
anything on earth to better his fortunes。 Being an
absolutely selfish man； when a chance presented itself
he did not allow either his sister's happiness or your
reputation to hold his hand。〃
Percy Phelps sank back in his chair。 〃My head
whirls；〃 said he。 〃Your words have dazed me。〃
〃The principal difficulty in your case；〃 remarked
Holmes； in his didactic fashion； 〃lay in the fact of
there being too much evidence。 What was vital was
overlaid and hidden by what was irrelevant。 Of all
the facts which were presented to us we had to pick
just those which we deemed to be essential； and then
piece them together in their order； so as to
reconstruct this very remarkable chain of events。 I
had already begun to suspect Joseph； from the fact
that you had intended to travel home with him that
night； and that therefore it was a likely enough thing
that he should call for you； knowing the Foreign
Office well； upon his way。 When I heard that some one
had been so anxious to get into the bedroom； in which
no one but Joseph could have concealed anythingyou
told us in your narrative how you had turned Joseph
out when you arrived with the doctormy suspicions
all changed to certainties； especially as the attempt
was made on the first night upon which the nurse was
absent； showing that the intruder was well acquainted
with the ways of the house。〃
〃How blind I have been！〃
〃The facts of the case； as far as I have worked them
out； are these： this Joseph Harrison entered the
office through the Charles Street door； and knowing
his way he walked straight into your room the instant
after you left it。 Finding no one there he promptly
rang the bell； and at the instant that he did so his
eyes caught the paper upon the table。 A glance showed
him that chance had put in his way a State document of
immense value； and in an instant he had thrust it into
his pocket and was gone。 A few minutes elapsed； as
you remember； before the sleepy commissionnaire drew
your attention to the bell； and those were just enough
to give the thief time to make his escape。
〃He made his way to Woking by the first train； and
having examined his booty and assured himself that it
really was of immense value； he had concealed it in
what he thought was a very safe place； with the
intention of taking it out again in a day or two； and
carrying it to the French embassy； or wherever he
thought that a long price was to be had。 Then came
your sudden return。 He； without a moment's warning；
was bundled out of his room； and from that time onward
there were always at least two of you there to prevent
him from regaining his treasure。 The situation to him
must have been a maddening one。 But at last he
thought he saw his chance。 He tried to steal in； but
was baffled by your wakefulness。 You remember that
you did not take your usual draught that night。〃
〃I remember。〃
〃I fancy that he had taken steps to make that draught
efficacious； and that he quite relied upon your being
unconscious。 Of course； I understood that he would
repeat the attempt whenever it could be done with
safety。 Your leaving the room gave him the chance he
wanted。 I kept Miss Harrison in it all day so that he
might not anticipate us。 Then； having given him the
idea that the coast was clear； I kept guard as I have
described。 I already knew that the papers were
probably in the room； but I had no desire to rip up
all the planking and skirting in search of them。 I
let him take them； therefore； from the hiding…place；
and so saved myself an infinity of trouble。 Is there
any other point which I can make clear？〃
〃Why did he try the window on the first occasion；〃 I
asked； 〃when he might have entered by the door？〃
〃In reaching the door he would have to pass seven
bedrooms。 On the other hand； he could get out on to
the lawn with ease。 Anything else？〃
〃You do not think；〃 asked Phelps； 〃that he had any
murderous intent