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the house of Admiral Sinclair at Barclay Square during the whole of
the evening when this incident occurred。〃
〃Has the fact been verified？〃
〃Yes； his brother； Colonel Valentine Walter； has testified to his
departure from Woolwich； and Admiral Sinclair to his arrival in
London； so Sir James is no longer a direct factor in the problem。〃
〃Who was the other man with a key？〃
〃The senior clerk and draughtsman； Mr。 Sidney Johnson。 He is a man
of forty； married； with five children。 He is a silent； morose man； but
he has； on the whole； an excellent record in the public service。 He is
unpopular with his colleagues； but a hard worker。 According to his own
account； corroborated only by the word of his wife； he was at home the
whole of Monday evening after office hours； and his key has never left
the watch…chain upon which it hangs。〃
〃Tell us about Cadogan West。〃
〃He has been ten years in the service and has done good work。 He has
the reputation of being hot…headed and impetuous； but a straight；
honest man。 We have nothing against him。 He was next Sidney Johnson in
the office。 His duties brought him into daily； personal contact with
the plans。 No one else had the handling of them。〃
〃Who locked the plans up that night？〃
〃Mr。 Sidney Johnson； the senior clerk。〃
〃Well； it is surely perfectly clear who took them away。 They are
actually found upon the person of this junior clerk； Cadogan West。
That seems final； does it not？〃
〃It does； Sherlock； and yet it leaves so much unexplained。 In the
first place； why did he take them？〃
〃I presume they were of value？〃
〃He could have got several thousands for them very easily。〃
〃Can you suggest any possible motive for taking the papers to London
except to sell them？〃
〃No； I cannot。〃
〃Then we must take that as our working hypothesis。 Young West took
the papers。 Now this could only be done by having a false key…〃
〃Several false keys。 He had to open the building and the room。〃
〃He had； then； several false keys。 He took the papers to London to
sell the secret； intending； no doubt； to have the plans themselves
back in the safe next morning before they were missed。 While in London
on this treasonable mission he met his end。〃
〃How？〃
〃We will suppose that he was travelling back to Woolwich when he was
killed and thrown out of the compartment。〃
〃Aldgate； where the body was found； is considerably past the station
for London Bridge； which would be his route to Woolwich。〃
〃Many circumstances could be imagined under which he would pass
London Bridge。 There was someone in the carriage； for example； with
whom he was having an absorbing interview。 This interview led to a
violent scene in which he lost his life。 Possibly he tried to leave
the carriage； fell out on the line； and so met his end。 The other
closed the door。 There was a thick fog； and nothing could be seen。〃
〃No better explanation can be given with our present knowledge；
and yet consider； Sherlock； how much you leave untouched。 We will
suppose； for argument's sake； that young Cadogan West had determined
to convey these papers to London。 He would naturally have made an
appointment with the foreign agent and kept his evening clear。 Instead
of that he took two tickets for the theatre； escorted his fiance
halfway there； and then suddenly disappeared。〃
〃A blind；〃 said Lestrade； who had sat listening with some impatience
to the conversation。
〃A very singular one。 That is objection No。 1。 Objection No。 2。：
We will suppose that he reaches London and sees the foreign agent。
He must bring back the papers before morning or the loss will be
discovered。 He took away ten。 Only seven were in his pocket。 What
had become of the other three？ He certainly would not leave them of
his own free will。 Then； again； where is the price of his treason？ One
would have expected to find a large sum of money in his pocket。〃
〃It seems to me perfectly clear；〃 said Lestrade。 〃I have no doubt at
all as to what occurred。 He took the papers to sell them。 He saw the
agent。 They could not agree as to price。 He started home again； but
the agent went with him。 In the train the agent murdered him； took the
more essential papers； and threw his body from； the carriage。 That
would account for everything； would it not？〃
〃Why had he no ticket？〃
〃The ticket would have shown which station was nearest the agent's
house。 Therefore he took it from the murdered man's pocket。〃
〃Good； Lestrade； very good；〃 said Holmes。 〃Your theory holds
together。 But if this is true； then the case is at an end。 On the
one hand； the traitor is dead。 On the other； the plans of the
Bruce…Partington submarine are presumably already on the Continent。
What is there for us to do？〃
〃To act； Sherlock… to act！〃 cried Mycroft； springing to his feet。
〃All my instincts are against this explanation。 Use your powers！ Go to
the scene of the crime！ See the people concerned！ Leave no stone
unturned！ In all your career you have never had so great a chance of
serving your country。〃
〃Well； well！〃 said Holmes； shrugging his shoulders。 〃Come； Watson！
And you； Lestrade； could you favour us with your company for an hour
or two？ We will begin our investigation by a visit to Aldgate Station。
Good…bye； Mycroft。 I shall let you have a report before evening； but I
warn you in advance that you have little to expect。〃
An hour later Holmes； Lestrade and I stood upon the Underground
railroad at the point where it emerges from the tunnel immediately
before Aldgate Station。 A courteous red…faced old gentleman
represented the railway company。
〃This is where the young man's body lay；〃 said he； indicating a spot
about three feet from the metals。 〃It could not have fallen from
above； for these； as you see； are all blank walls。 Therefore； it could
only have come from a train； and that train； so far as we can trace
it； must have passed about midnight on Monday。〃
〃Have the carriages been examined for any sign of violence？〃
〃There are no such signs； and no ticket has been found。〃
〃No record of a door being found open？〃
〃None。〃
〃We have had some fresh evidence this morning；〃 said Lestrade。 〃A
passenger who passed Aldgate in an ordinary Metropolitan train about
11：40 on Monday night declares that he heard a heavy thud； as of a
body striking the line； just before the train reached the station。
There was dense fog； however； and nothing could be seen。 He made no
report of it at the time。 Why； whatever is the matter with Mr。
Holmes？〃
My friend was standing with an expression of strained intensity upon
his face； staring at the railway metals where they curved out of the
tunnel。 Aldgate is a junction； and there was a network of points。 On
these his eager； questioning eyes were fixed； and I saw on his keen；
alert face that tightening of the lips； that quiver of the nostrils；
and concentration of the heavy； tufted brows which I knew so well。
〃Points；〃 he muttered； 〃the points。〃
〃What of it？ What do you mean？〃
〃I suppose there are no great number of points on a system such as