“What steps have you taken?”
“Tangey, the commissionnaire, has been shadowed. He left theGuards with a good character, and we can find nothing againsthim. His wife is a bad lot, though. I fancy she knows more aboutthis than appears.”
“Have you shadowed her?”
“We have set one of our women on to her. Mrs. Tangey drinks,and our woman has been with her twice when she was well on, butshe could get nothing out of her.”
“I understand that they have had brokers in the house?”
“Yes, but they were paid off.”
“Where did the money come from?”
“That was all right. His pension was due. They have not shownany sign of being in funds.”
“What explanation did she give of having answered the bellwhen Mr. Phelps rang for the coffee?”
“She said that he husband was very tired and she wished torelieve him.”
“Well, certainly that would agree with his being found a littlelater asleep in his chair. There is nothing against them then butthe woman’s character. Did you ask her why she hurried away thatnight? Her haste attracted the attention of the police constable.”
“She was later than usual and wanted to get home.”
“Did you point out to her that you and Mr. Phelps, who startedat least twenty minutes after her, got home before her?”
“She explains that by the difference between a ’bus and ahansom.”
“Did she make it clear why, on reaching her house, she ran intothe back kitchen?”
“Because she had the money there with which to pay off thebrokers.”
“She has at least an answer for everything. Did you ask herwhether in leaving she met any one or saw any one loitering aboutCharles Street?”
“She saw no one but the constable.”
“Well, you seem to have cross-examined her pretty thoroughly.
What else have you done?”
“The clerk Gorot has been shadowed all these nine weeks, butwithout result. We can show nothing against him.”
“Anything else?”
“Well, we have nothing else to go upon—no evidence of anykind.”
“Have you formed a theory about how that bell rang?”
“Well, I must confess that it beats me. It was a cool hand,whoever it was, to go and give the alarm like that.”
“Yes, it was queer thing to do. Many thanks to you for what youhave told me. If I can put the man into your hands you shall hearfrom me. Come along, Watson.”
“Where are we going to now?” I asked, as we left the office.
“We are now going to interview Lord Holdhurst, the cabinetminister and future premier of England.”
We were fortunate in finding that Lord Holdhurst was still inhis chambers in Downing Street, and on Holmes sending in hiscard we were instantly shown up. The statesman received us withthat old-fashioned courtesy for which he is remarkable, and seatedus on the two luxuriant lounges on either side of the fireplace.
Standing on the rug between us, with his slight, tall figure, hissharp features, thoughtful face, and curling hair prematurelytinged with gray, he seemed to represent that not too commontype, a nobleman who is in truth noble.
“Your name is very familiar to me, Mr. Holmes,” said he,smiling. “And, of course, I cannot pretend to be ignorant of theobject of your visit. There has only been one occurrence in theseoffices which could call for your attention. In whose interest areyou acting, may I ask?”
“In that of Mr. Percy Phelps,” answered Holmes.
“Ah, my unfortunate nephew! You can understand that ourkinship makes it the more impossible for me to screen him in anyway. I fear that the incident must have a very prejudicial effectupon his career.”
“But if the document is found?”
“Ah, that, of course, would be different.”
“I had one or two questions which I wished to ask you, LordHoldhurst.”
“I shall be happy to give you any information in my power.”
“Was it in this room that you gave your instructions as to thecopying of the document?”
“It was.”
“Then you could hardly have been overheard?”
“It is out of the question.”
“Did you ever mention to any one that it was your intention togive any one the treaty to be copied?”
“Never.”
“You are certain of that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, since you never said so, and Mr. Phelps never said so, andnobody else knew anything of the matter, then the thief’s presencein the room was purely accidental. He saw his chance and he tookit.”
The statesman smiled. “You take me out of my province there,”
said he.
Holmes considered for a moment. “There is another veryimportant point which I wish to discuss with you,” said he. “Youfeared, as I understand, that very grave results might follow fromthe details of this treaty becoming known.”
A shadow passed over the expressive face of the statesman. “Verygrave results indeed.”
“Any have they occurred?”
“Not yet.”
“If the treaty had reached, let us say, the French or RussianForeign Office, you would expect to hear of it?”
“I should,” said Lord Holdhurst, with a wry face.
“Since nearly ten weeks have elapsed, then, and nothing hasbeen heard, it is not unfair to suppose that for some reason thetreaty has not reached them.”
Lord Holdhurst shrugged his shoulders.
“We can hardly suppose, Mr. Holmes, that the thief took thetreaty in order to frame it and hang it up.”
“Perhaps he is waiting for a better price.”
“If he waits a little longer he will get no price at all. The treatywill cease to be secret in a few months.”
“That is most important,” said Holmes. “Of course, it is apossible supposition that the thief has had a sudden illness——”
“An attack of brain-fever, for example?” asked the statesman,flashing a swift glance at him.
“I did not say so,” said Holmes, imperturbably. “And now, LordHoldhurst, we have already taken up too much of your valuabletime, and we shall wish you good-day.”
“Every success to your investigation, be the criminal who itmay,” answered the nobleman, as he bowed us out the door.
“He’s a fine fellow,” said Holmes as we came out into Whitehall.
