uct you."

"No names, please!" 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 Indian--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. "I
don't care who you are. You can go to blazes!" roared the angry voice.
"To-morrow's the exam, and I won't be drawn by anyone."

"A rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we withdrew
down the stair. "Of 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."

Holmes's response was a curious one.

"Can you tell me his exact height?" he asked.

"Really, Mr. Holmes, I cannot undertake to say. He is taller than the
Indian, not so tall as Gilchrist. I suppose five foot six would be about
it."

"That is very important," said Holmes. "And now, Mr. Soames, I wish you
good-night."

Our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay. "Good gracious,
Mr. Holmes, you are surely not going to leave me in this abrupt fashion!
You don't seem to realize the position. To-morrow is the examination. I
must take some definite action to-night. I cannot allow the examination
to be held if one of the papers has been tampered with. The situation
must be faced."

"You must leave it as it is. I shall drop round early to-morrow morning
and chat the matter over. It is possible that I may be in a position
then to indicate some course of action. Meanwhile you change
nothing--nothing at all."

"Very good, Mr. Holmes."

"You can be perfectly easy in your mind. We shall certainly find some
way out of your difficulties. I will take the black clay with me, also
the pencil cuttings. Good-bye."

When we were