"
"For which he was entered?"
"Yes."
"And the papers were on your table?"
"To the best of my belief they were rolled up."
"But might be recognised as proofs?"
"Possibly."
"No one else in your room?"
"No."
"Did anyone know that these proofs would be there?"
"No one save the printer."
"Did this man Bannister know?"
"No, certainly not. No one knew."
"Where is Bannister now?"
"He was very ill, poor fellow. I left him collapsed
in the chair. I was in such a hurry to come to you."
"You left your door open?"
"I locked up the papers first."
"Then it amounts to this, Mr. Soames, that unless the Indian
student recognised the roll as being proofs, the man who tampered
with them came upon them accidentally without knowing that they
were there."
"So it seems to me."
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
"Well," said he, "let us go round. Not one of your cases,
Watson -- mental, not physical. All right; come if you want to.
Now, Mr. Soames -- at your disposal!"
The sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low, latticed
window on to the ancient lichen-tinted court of the old college.
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