" , as Watson told you, Foreign Office, and influences uncle, Lord Holdhurst, I rose rapidly to responsible position When my uncle became foreign minister administration he several missions of trust, and as I always brought them to successful conclusion, at last the utmost confidence in my ability and tact

"Nearly ten -- more accurate, 23d of May-- me into his private room, and, after complimenting me good work which I had done, he informed me that he had new commission of trust to execute

"'This,' said he, taking grey roll of paper bureau, ' original secret treaty between England and Italy , , some rumours have already got public press of enormous importance that nothing further should leak out The French or the Russian embassy would pay an immense sum to learn the contents papers They leave my bureau were it not absolutely necessary them copied desk in your office ? "

"'Yes, sir '

"'Then treaty and lock it up there give directions that remain behind others go, copy it at your leisure without fear of being overlooked have finished, relock both the original draft desk, and hand them over personally to-morrow morning '

" the papers and--"

"Excuse me an instant," said Holmes "Were you alone during this conversation ? "

"Absolutely "

"In large room ? "

"Thirty feet each way "

" centre ? "

"Yes, "

"And speaking low ? "

"My uncle's voice is always remarkably low I hardly spoke at all "

" ," said Holmes, shutting his eyes; "pray go on "

" exactly what he indicated, and waited until the other clerks had departed in my room, Charles Gorot, had some arrears of work up, so I left him there and went out to dine When I returned gone anxious to hurry my work, for that Joseph--the Mr Harrison whom you saw just now--was in town, travel down to Woking eleven-o'clock train, and if possible to catch it

"When to examine the treaty at once importance that my uncle guilty of no exaggeration in what he had said Without going into details, say defined the position of Great Britain towards the Triple Alliance, and fore-shadowed the policy which this country would pursue event French fleet gaining complete ascendancy over that of Italy Mediterranean The questions treated were purely naval end were the signatures high dignitaries who had signed it I glanced my eyes over it, and then settled down to my task of copying

" long document, written French language, and containing twenty-six separate articles I copied as quickly as , but at nine o'clock I had only done nine articles, and it seemed hopeless to attempt to catch my train feeling drowsy and stupid, partly from my dinner and also effects of long day's work cup of coffee would clear my brain commissionnaire remains all night in little lodge foot stairs, habit of making coffee at his spirit-lamp for any officials working over time I rang the bell, therefore, to summon him

"To my surprise, woman who answered the summons, large, coarse-faced, elderly woman, in an apron She explained that she commissionnaire's wife, who did the charing, and her the order coffee

" two more articles and then, feeling more drowsy than ever, I rose and walked up and down the room to stretch my legs My coffee yet come, and I wondered the cause delay Opening the door, I started down the corridor out straight passage, dimly lighted, which led room I working, and only exit It ended in curving staircase, commissionnaire's lodge passage bottom Half way down this staircase is small landing, with another passage running at right angles This second one leads of second small stair to side door, used by servants, and also as short cut by clerks when coming from Charles Street rough chart place "

" that I quite follow you," said Sherlock Holmes

" utmost importance that notice this point I went down the stairs and hall, where the commissionnaire fast asleep box, kettle boiling furiously spirit-lamp off the kettle and blew out the lamp, water was spurting over the floor Then I put out my hand and was about to shake the man, who was still sleeping soundly, when bell over his head rang loudly, and he woke with start

"' Mr Phelps, sir ! ' said he, looking at me in bewilderment

"' down coffee was ready '

"' boiling the kettle when I fell asleep, sir ' He looked at me and then up still quivering bell with an ever-growing astonishment upon his face

"' was here, sir, then who rang the bell ? ' he asked

"'The bell ! ' I cried 'What bell ? '

"'It's the bell room you were working in '

"A cold hand seemed to close round my heart Some one, then, was room where my precious treaty lay table I ran frantically up the stair and along the passage no one corridors, Mr Holmes no one room All was exactly as I left it, save only papers which committed to my care taken desk they lay The copy was there, original was gone "

Holmes sat up chair and rubbed his hands I problem was entirely heart "Pray, what did then ? " he murmured

"I recognised in an instant thief come up the stairs side door met him if he had come the other way "

"You were satisfied that concealed room all the time, or corridor which just described as dimly lighted ? "

" absolutely impossible rat conceal himself either room or the corridor no cover at all "

" Pray proceed "

"The commissionnaire, seeing by my pale face that something was feared, had followed me upstairs Now we both rushed along the corridor and down the steep steps which led to Charles Street The door bottom was closed, but unlocked We flung it open and rushed out distinctly remember that as so there came three chines from neighbouring clock quarter to ten "

" of enormous importance," said Holmes, making note upon his shirt-cuff

"The night was very dark, and thin, warm rain was falling no one in Charles Street, but great traffic was going on, as usual, in Whitehall, extremity We rushed along the pavement, bare-headed were, and far corner policeman standing

"'A robbery committed,' I gasped 'A document of immense value stolen Foreign Office Has passed ? '

"' standing here for quarter of an hour, sir,' said he; ' person has passed during --a woman, tall and elderly, with Paisley shawl '

"'Ah, only my wife,' cried the commissionnaire; 'has no one else passed ? '

"'No one '

"'Then it the other way thief took,' cried the fellow, tugging at my sleeve

"'But not satisfied, attempts which to draw me away increased my suspicions

"' did the woman go ? ' I cried

"'I don't know, sir I noticed her pass, but I had no special reason for watching her She seemed in hurry '

"'How ? '