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This outsider had to take originals.

So far it holds together."

"What is the next step?"

"Then we come into difficulties.

One would imagine that under such circumstances the first act of young Cadogan West would be to seize the villain and raise the alarm.

Why did he not do so? Could it have been an official superior who took the papers? That would explain West's conduct.

Or could the chief have given West the slip in the fog, and West started at once to London to head him off from his own rooms, presuming that he knew where the rooms were? The call must have been very pressing, since he left his girl standing in the fog and made no effort to communicate with her.

Our scent runs cold here, and there is a vast gap between either hypothesis and the laying of West's body, with seven papers in his pocket, on the roof of a Metropolitan train.

My instinct now is to work from the other end.

If Mycroft has given us the list of addresses we may be able to pick our man and follow two tracks instead of one."

Surely enough, a note awaited us at Baker Street. A government messenger had brought it post-haste. Holmes glanced at it and threw it over to me.

There are numerous small fry, but few who would handle

so big an affair. The only men worth considering are Adolph

Meyer, of 13 Great George Street, Westminster; Louis La

Rothiere, of Campden Mansions, Notting Hill; and Hugo

Oberstein, 13 Caulfield Gardens, Kensington. The latter

was known to be in town on Monday and is now reported as

having left. Glad to hear you have seen some light. The

Cabinet awaits your final report with the utmost anxiety.

Urgent representations have arrived from the very highest

quarter. The whole force of the State is at your back if you

should need it.

MYCROFT.

"I'm afraid," said Holmes, smiling, "that all the queen's horses and all the queen's men cannot avail in this matter." He had spread out his big map of London and leaned eagerly over it.

"Well, well," said he presently with an exclamation of satisfaction, "things are turning a little in our direction at last.

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