It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like
the one upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his
open palm in the glare of the electric light.
"Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well
as in your sitting-room, Mr. Soames."
"What could he have wanted there?"
"I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected
way, and so he had no warning until you were at the very door.
What could he do? He caught up everything which would betray
him and he rushed into your bedroom to conceal himself."
"Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that all the
time I was talking to Bannister in this room we had the man
prisoner if we had only known it?"
"So I read it."
"Surely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes. I don't know
whether you observed my bedroom window?"
"Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows,
one swinging on hinge and large enough to admit a man."
"Exactly. And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard
so as to be partly invisible. The man might have effected his
entrance there, left traces as he passed through the bedroom,
and, finally, finding the door open have escaped that way.
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