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โ€œI will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the three men who inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar and athlete; plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team for the college, and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He is a fine, manly fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined himself on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, but he is hard-working and industrious. He will do well.

โ€œThe second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet, inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are. He is well up in his work, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical.

โ€œThe top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to workโ€”one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term, and he must look forward with dread to the examination.โ€

โ€œThen it is he whom you suspect?โ€

โ€œI dare not go so far as that. But of the three he is perhaps the least unlikely.โ€

โ€œExactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant, Bannister.โ€

He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow of fifty. He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life. His plump face was twitching with his nervousness, and his fingers could not keep still.

โ€œWe are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister,โ€ said his master.

โ€œYes, sir.โ€

โ€œI understand,โ€ said Holmes, โ€œthat you left your key in the door?โ€

โ€œYes, sir.โ€

โ€œWas it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very day when there were these papers inside?โ€

โ€œIt was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the same thing at other times.โ€

โ€œWhen did you enter the room?โ€

โ€œIt was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames's tea time.โ€

โ€œHow long did you stay?โ€

โ€œWhen I saw that he was absent I withdrew at once.โ€

โ€œDid you look at these papers on the table?โ€

โ€œNo, sir; certainly not.โ€

โ€œHow came you to leave the key in the door?โ€

โ€œI had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought I would come back for the key. Then I forgot.โ€

โ€œHas the outer door a spring lock?โ€

โ€œNo, sir.โ€

โ€œThen it was open all the time?โ€

โ€œYes, sir.โ€

โ€œAnyone in the room could get out?โ€

โ€œYes, sir.โ€

โ€œWhen Mr. Soames returned and called for you, you were very much disturbed?โ€

โ€œYes, sir. Such a thing has never happened during the many years that I have been here. I nearly fainted, sir.โ€

โ€œSo I understand. Where were you when you began to feel bad?โ€

โ€œWhere was I, sir? Why, here, near the door.โ€

โ€œThat is singular, because you sat down in that chair over yonder near the corner. Why did you pass these other chairs?โ€

โ€œI don't know, sir. It didn't matter to me where I sat.โ€

โ€œI really don't think he knew much about it, Mr. Holmes. He was looking very badโ€”quite ghastly.โ€

โ€œYou stayed here when your master left?โ€

โ€œOnly for a minute or so. Then I locked the door and went to my room.โ€

โ€œWhom do you suspect?โ€

โ€œOh, I would not venture to say, sir. I don't believe there is any gentleman in this University who is capable of profiting by such an action. No, sir, I'll not believe it.โ€

โ€œThank you; that will do,โ€ said Holmes. โ€œOh, one more word. You have not mentioned to any of the three gentlemen whom you attend that anything is amiss?โ€

โ€œNo, sir; not a word.โ€

โ€œYou haven't seen any of them?โ€

โ€œNo, sir.โ€

โ€œVery good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will take a walk in the quadrangle, if you please.โ€

Three yellow squares of light shone above us in the gathering gloom.

โ€œYour three birds are all in their nests,โ€ said Holmes, looking up. โ€œHalloa! What's that? One of them seems restless enough.โ€

It was the Indian, whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon his blind. He was pacing swiftly up and down his room.

โ€œI should like to have a peep at each of them,โ€ said Holmes. โ€œIs it possible?โ€

โ€œNo difficulty in the world,โ€ Soames answered. โ€œThis set of rooms is quite the oldest in the college, and it is not unusual for visitors to go over them. Come along, and I will personally conduct you.โ€

โ€œNo names, please!โ€ said Holmes, as we knocked at Gilchrist's door. A tall, flaxen-haired, slim young fellow opened it, and made us welcome when he understood our errand. There were some really curious pieces of mediaeval domestic architecture within. Holmes was so charmed with one of them that he insisted on drawing it on his note-book, broke his pencil, had to borrow one from our host, and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. The same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the Indianโ€”a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us askance and was obviously glad when Holmes's architectural studies had come to an end. I could not see that in either case Holmes had come upon the clue for which he was searching. Only at the third did our visit prove abortive. The outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing more substantial than a torrent of bad language came from behind it. โ€œI don't care who you are. You can go to blazes!โ€ roared the angry voice. โ€œTo-morrow's the exam, and I won't be drawn by anyone.โ€

โ€œA rude fellow,โ€ said our guide, flushing with anger as we withdrew down the stair. โ€œOf course, he did not realize that it was I who was knocking, but none the less his conduct was very uncourteous, and, indeed, under the circumstances rather suspicious.โ€

Holmes's response was a curious one.

โ€œCan you tell me his exact height?โ€ he asked.

โ€œReally, Mr. Holmes, I cannot undertake to say. He

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