Both friends were going to spend a quiet³ evening alone in their rooms when they were visited by a man.

"Excuse my coming so late," he began, "but I hope you won't object to giving me your help if you know what happened at our college."

"Excuse me," said Holmes dryly, "I am very busy just now and can't spare you much time. Sit down in that chair and try to speak slowly and quietly. Who are you? What do you want of me?"

"My name is Soames," said our visitor, "I am a lecturer of one of the colleges of the University. I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes, that tomorrow is the first day of the examination for a very valuable scholarship⁴. I am one of the examiners. My subject is Greek and an examination paper consists of a large text in Greek to be translated without a dictionary.

Today about 3 o'clock the papers were brought from the printer⁵. I was going to read them over carefully, as the text must be absolutely correct. It happened that I had to put them off as I had an appointment⁶ with the head of the college just at that hour. I left the papers upon my writing-table without reading them, locked the door and went out.

On coming back, I saw with surprise a key in the door of my room. It was not mine, for my own was in my pocket. The only duplicate belonged to my servant. It was his indeed. At my tea time he came to my room, but as I was away, he left it immediately and carelessly forgot the key in the door.

The moment I looked at my table I saw that the papers were in disorder: only one of them was lying on the writing-table the other was on the floor and the third — on the table near the window.

I called for my servant at once and made the most careful examination of my room. I must tell you that my- servant keeps my rooms in perfect order by cleaning them carefully every day.

But this time I noticed something quite unusual. There was a hard piece of black clay⁷ on my writing-table and the point of a pencil⁸ on the floor. To my surprise I found a second piece of clay at the door of my bedroom. Look at that", and he handed Holmes both the piece of clay and the pencil point.