He held out his hand. On the palm were three little pyramids of black,doughy clay.
"Why, Holmes, you had only two yesterday!"
"And one more this morning. It is a fair argument that wherever No. 3came from is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2. Eh, Watson? Well, comealong and put friend Soames out of his pain."
The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiable agitationwhen we found him in his chambers. In a few hours the examination wouldcommence, and he was still in the dilemma between making the factspublic and allowing the culprit to compete for the valuable scholarship.He could hardly stand still, so great was his mental agitation, and heran towards Holmes with two eager hands outstretched.
"Thank Heaven that you have come! I feared that you had given it up indespair. What am I to do? Shall the examination proceed?"
"Yes; let it proceed by all means."
"But this rascal----?"
"He shall not compete."
"You know him?"
"I think so. If this matter is not to become public we must giveourselves certain powers, and resolve ourselves into a small privatecourt-martial. You there, if you please, Soames! Watson, you here! I'lltake the arm-chair in the middle. I think that we are now sufficientlyimposing to strike terror into a guilty breast. Kindly ring the bell!"
Bannister entered, and shrunk back in evident surprise and fear at ourjudicial appearance.
"You will kindly close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Bannister, will youplease tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?"
The man turned white to the roots of his hair.
"I have told you everything, sir."
"Nothing to add?"
"Nothing at all, sir."
"Well, then, I must make some suggestions to you. When you sat downon that chair yesterday, did you do so in order to conceal some objectwhich would have shown who had been in the room?"
Bannister's face was ghastly.
"No, sir; certainly not."
"It is only a suggestion," said Holmes, suavely. "I frankly admit thatI am unable to prove it. But it seems probable enough, since the momentthat Mr. Soames's back was turned you released the man who was hiding inthat bedroom."
Bannister licked his dry lips.
"There was no man, sir."
"Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up to now you may have spoken the truth,but now I know that you have lied."
The man's face set in sullen defiance.
"There was no man, sir."
"Come, come, Bannister!"
"No, sir; there was no one."
"In that case you can give us no further information. Would you pleaseremain in the room? Stand over there near the bedroom door. Now, Soames,I am going to ask you to have the great kindness to go up to the room ofyoung Gilchrist, and to ask him to step down into yours."
An instant later the tutor returned, bringing with him the student. Hewas a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe, and agile, with a springy stepand a pleasant, open face. His troubled blue eyes glanced at each of us,and finally rested with an expression of blank dismay upon Bannister inthe farther corner.
"Just close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are allquite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what passesbetween us. We can be perfectly frank with each other. We want to know,Mr. Gilchrist, how you, an honourable man, ever came to commit such anaction as that of yesterday?"