case a too zealous policeman should intrude.Give me a hand, Watson, and I'll do the same for you."
A minute later we were both in the area. Hardly had we reached thedark shadows before the step of the policeman was heard in the fogabove. As its soft rhythm died away, Holmes set to work upon the lowerdoor. I saw him stoop and strain until with a sharp crash it flewopen. We sprang through into the dark passage, closing the area doorbehind us. Holmes led the way up the curving, uncarpeted stair. Hislittle fan of yellow light shone upon a low window.
"Here we are, Watson--this must be the one." He threw it open, and ashe did so there was a low, harsh murmur, growing steadily into a loudroar as a train dashed past us in the darkness. Holmes swept his lightalong the window-sill. It was thickly coated with soot from thepassing engines, but the black surface was blurred and rubbed in places.
"You can see where they rested the body. Halloa, Watson! what is this?There can be no doubt that it is a blood mark." He was pointing tofaint discolourations along the woodwork of the window. "Here it is onthe stone of the stair also. The demonstration is complete. Let usstay here until a train stops."
We had not long to wait. The very next train roared from the tunnel asbefore, but slowed in the open, and then, with a creaking of brakes,pulled up immediately beneath us. It was not four feet from thewindow-ledge to the roof of the carriages. Holmes softly closed thewindow.
"So far we are justified," said he. "What do you think of it, Watson?"
"A masterpiece. You have never risen to a greater height."
"I cannot agree with you there. From the moment that I conceived theidea of the body being upon the roof, which surely was not a veryabstruse one, all the rest was inevitable. If it were not for thegrave interests involved the affair up to this point would beinsignificant. Our difficulties are still before us. But perhaps wemay find something here which may help us."
We had ascended the kitchen stair and entered the suite of rooms uponthe first floor. One was a dining-room, severely furnished andcontaining nothing of interest. A second was a bedroom, which alsodrew blank. The remaining room appeared more promising, and mycompanion settled down to a systematic examination. It was litteredwith books and papers, and was evidently used as a study. Swiftly andmethodically Holmes turned over the contents of drawer after drawer andcupboard after cupboard, but no gleam of success came to brighten hisaustere face. At the end of an hour he was no further than when hestarted.
"The cunning dog has covered his tracks," said he. "He has leftnothing to incriminate him. His dangerous correspondence has beendestroyed or removed. This is our last chance."
It was a small tin cash-box which stood upon the writing-desk. Holmespried it open with his chisel. Several rolls of paper were within,covered with figures and calculations, without any note to show to whatthey referred. The recurring words, "water pressure" and "pressure tothe square inch" suggested some possible relation to a submarine.Holmes tossed them all impatiently aside. There only remained anenvelope with some small newspaper slips inside it. He shook them outon the table, and at once I saw by his eager face that his hopes hadbeen raised.
"What's this, Watson? Eh? What's this? Record of a series ofmessages in the advertisements of a paper. Daily Telegraph agonycolumn by the print and paper. Right-hand top corner of a page. Nodates--but messages arrange themselves. This must be the first:
"Hoped to hear sooner. Terms agreed to. Write fully to address givenon card.
"Pierrot.
"Next comes:
"Too complex for description. Must have full report, Stuff awaits youwhen goods delivered.
"Pierrot.
"Then comes:
"Matter presses. Must withdraw offer unless contract completed. Makeappointment by letter. Will confirm by advertisement.
"Pierrot.
"Finally:
"Monday night after nine. Two taps. Only ourselves. Do not be sosuspicious. Payment in hard cash when goods delivered.
"Pierrot.
"A fairly complete record, Watson! If we could only get at the man atthe other end!" He sat lost in thought, tapping his fingers on thetable. Finally he sprang to his feet.
"Well, perhaps it won't be so difficult, after all. There is nothingmore to be done here, Watson. I think we might drive round to theoffices of the Daily Telegraph, and so bring a good day's work to aconclusion."
Mycroft Holmes and Lestrade had come round by appointment afterbreakfast next day and Sherlock Holmes had recounted to them ourproceedings of the day before. The professional shook his head overour confessed burglary.
"We can't do these things in the force, Mr. Holmes," said he. "Nowonder you get results that are beyond us. But some of these daysyou'll go too far, and you'll find yourself and your friend in trouble."
"For England, home and beauty--eh, Watson? Martyrs on the altar of ourcountry. But what do you think of it, Mycroft?"
"Excellent, Sherlock! Admirable! But what use will you make of it?"
Holmes picked up the Daily Telegraph which lay upon the table.
"Have you seen Pierrot's advertisement to-day?"
"What? Another one?"
"Yes, here it is:
"To-night. Same hour. Same place. Two taps. Most vitally important.Your own safety at stake.
"Pierrot.
"By George!" cried Lestrade. "If he answers that we've got him!"
"That was my idea when I put it in. I think if you could both make itconvenient to come with us about eight o'clock to Caulfield Gardens wemight possibly get a little nearer to a solution."
One of the most remarkable characteristics of Sherlock Holmes was hispower of throwing his brain out of action and switching all histhoughts on to lighter things whenever he had convinced himself that hecould no longer work to advantage. I remember that during the whole ofthat memorable day he lost himself in a monograph which he hadundertaken upon the Polyphonic Motets of Lassus. For my own part I hadnone of this power of detachment, and the day, in consequence, appearedto be interminable. The great national importance of the issue, thesuspense in high quarters, the direct nature of the experiment which wewere trying--all combined to work upon my nerve. It was a relief to mewhen at last, after a light dinner, we set out upon our expedition.Lestrade and Mycroft met us by appointment at the outside of GloucesterRoad Station. The area door of Oberstein's house had been left openthe night before, and it was necessary for me, as Mycroft Holmesabsolutely and indignantly declined to climb the railings, to pass inand open the hall door. By nine o'clock we were all seated in thestudy, waiting patiently for our man.
An hour passed and yet another. When eleven struck, the measured beatof the great church clock seemed to sound the dirge of our hopes.Lestrade and Mycroft were fidgeting in their seats and looking twice aminute at their watches. Holmes sat silent and composed, his eyelidshalf shut, but every sense on the alert. He raised his head with asudden jerk.
"He is coming," said he.
There had been a furtive step past the door. Now it returned. We hearda shuffling sound outside, and then two sharp taps with the knocker.Holmes rose, motioning us to remain seated. The gas in the hall was amere point of light. He opened the outer door, and then as a darkfigure slipped past him he closed and fastened it. "This way!" weheard him say, and a moment later our man stood before us. Holmes hadfollowed him closely, and as the man turned with a cry of surprise andalarm he caught him by the collar and threw him back into the room.Before our prisoner had recovered his balance the door was shut andHolmes standing with his back against it. The man glared round him,staggered, and fell senseless upon the floor. With the shock, hisbroad-brimmed hat flew from his head, his cravat slipped down from hislips, and there were the long light beard and the soft, handsomedelicate features of Colonel Valentine Walter.
Holmes gave a whistle of surprise.
"You can write me down an ass this time, Watson," said he. "This wasnot the bird that I was looking for."
"Who is he?" asked Mycroft eagerly.
"The younger brother of the late Sir James Walter, the head of theSubmarine Department. Yes, yes; I see the fall of the cards. He iscoming to. I think that you had best leave his examination to me."
We had carried the prostrate body to the sofa. Now our prisoner satup, looked round him with a horror-stricken face, and passed his handover his forehead, like one who cannot believe his own senses.
"What is this?" he asked. "I came here to visit Mr. Oberstein."
"Everything is known, Colonel Walter," said Holmes. "How an Englishgentleman could behave in such a manner is beyond my comprehension.But your whole correspondence and relations with Oberstein are withinour knowledge. So
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans Page 6