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"Come, come," said Holmes, kindly; "it is human to err, and at least no one can accuse you of being a callous criminal.

Perhaps it would be easier for you if I were to tell Mr. Soames what occurred, and you can check me where I am wrong.

Shall I do so? Well, well, don't trouble to answer.

Listen, and see that I do you no injustice.

"From the moment, Mr. Soames, that you said to me that no one, not even Bannister, could have told that the papers were in your room, the case began to take a definite shape in my mind.

The printer one could, of course, dismiss.

He could examine the papers in his own office.

The Indian I also thought nothing of.

If the proofs were in a roll he could not possibly know what they were.

On the other hand, it seemed an unthinkable coincidence that a man should dare to enter the room, and that by chance on that very day the papers were on the table.

I dismissed that.

The man who entered knew that the papers were there.

How did he know?

"When I approached your room I examined the window.

You amused me by supposing that I was contemplating the possibility of someone having in broad daylight, under the eyes of all these opposite rooms, forced himself through it.

Such an idea was absurd.

I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order to see as he passed what papers were on the central table.

I am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort.

No one less than that would have a chance.

Already you see I had reason to think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual height he was the most worth watching of the three.

"I entered and I took you into my confidence as to the suggestions of the side table.

Of the centre table I could make nothing, until in your description of Gilchrist you mentioned that he was a long-distance jumper.

Then the whole thing came to me in an instant, and I only needed certain corroborative proofs, which I speedily obtained.

"What happened was this.

This young fellow had employed his afternoon at the athletic grounds, where he had been practising the jump.

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