iolent
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 fiancee 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?
Once 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,