"Let us be practical," said he. "I understand you to say that there arethree students who use this stair and are in the habit of passing yourdoor?"
"Yes, there are."
"And they are all in for this examination?"
"Yes."
"Have you any reason to suspect any one of them more than the others?"
Soames hesitated.
"It is a very delicate question," said he. "One hardly likes to throwsuspicion where there are no proofs."
"Let us hear the suspicions. I will look after the proofs."
"I will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the three menwho inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a finescholar and athlete; plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team forthe college, and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He isa fine, manly fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist,who ruined himself on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, buthe is hard-working and industrious. He will do well.
"The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet,inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are. He is well up in hiswork, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical.
"The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow whenhe chooses to work--one of the brightest intellects of the University,but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelledover a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term,and he must look forward with dread to the examination."
"Then it is he whom you suspect?"
"I dare not go so far as that. But of the three he is perhaps the leastunlikely."
"Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant,Bannister."
He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow offifty. He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quietroutine of his life. His plump face was twitching with his nervousness,and his fingers could not keep still.
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"We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister," said hismaster.
"Yes, sir."
"I understand," said Holmes, "that you left your key in the door?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very daywhen there were these papers inside?"
"It was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the samething at other times."
"When did you enter the room?"
"It was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames's tea time."
"How long did you stay?"
"When I saw that he was absent I withdrew at once."
"Did you look at these papers on the table?"
"No, sir; certainly not."
"How came you to leave the key in the door?"
"I had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought I would come back for the key.Then I forgot."