"Your name please?" "William Easter." "Mr. William Easter?" "Right." "Your passport please." "Do I have to go through this rigmarole every time?" "Regulations sir." "Beastly nuisance I call it." "You'll receive your American Visa in (unintelligible)." "Will there be time?" "Definitely." "We've seemed to cut our time pretty close Sir Henry." "Have you a word Sir Henry?" "Do you wish to make any comments?" "Sir Henry, what is your destination" "New York or Washington?" "I'm sorry, I have nothing to say." "Sir Henry Marchmont official business." "Oh Sir Henry Marchmont." "Sir Henry." "Thank You." "Good luck Sir Henry." "Thanks, I may need it." "Shall I take your case sir?" "Definitely not." "I say, you think the old boy carried the fate of the empire in that little black case." "Perhaps he does." "Heads up boys." "Roll it away." "Lively now." "Hey just a moment, you are shy one passenger." "Hold on." "Wait a bit." "Wait I say." "I've got passage." "Yes." "Your name sir?" "Grayson's the name, John Grayson, senior clerk Farlow Nash and Farlow, solicitor of Chancery Lane." "You've got it all there." "Everything quite regular." "Sorry to delay you, missed the bus had to take a taxi, dreadful nuisance." "Yes." "Hop aboard will you, we're late now." "Thanks." "Thanks awfully." "Sorry to delay." "I'm awfully sorry." "It's quite all right." "I've no sense of balance, none whatever." "Thanks." "clumsy of me." "No sense of balance." "That's what it is." "The effects of the inner ear I fancy." "And when I read that you were in route to Washington, Sir Henry," "I just couldn't rest until I found you." "Now dear, when can you dine with us?" "Very kind Mrs. Jellison I'll put you first on my unofficial list." "Oh I have a much better idea." "You must let me put you up during your stay." "Thanks very much but..." "Washington is so crowded." "I'll put you in the blue room." "Come in." "Thank you sir." "But if Sir Henry isn't the one who is?" "I don't know." "But Sir Henry received a cable from London tipping him off." "It's up to us to find the real British agent before this train reaches Washington." "Yeah." "Whoever's got the document will be protected there." "If Sir Henry isn't carrying it..." "I've got it." "Besides Sir Henry and myself only one man's come all the way from London." "A chap called Grayson," "John Grayson." "Well then Grayson's are man." "Grayson's carrying the document while Sir Henry's being used as a decoy." "It's so old it's new." "When Grayson leaves the club car and goes to get his luggage that's our cue." "We know what to do." "Good." "That's Grayson standing at the bar, the little fellow." "Excuse me sir." "Don't give it thought brother." "I'm in politics, I'm used to hard knocks." "I'm Henry Babcock, Senator Babcock." "How do you do?" "John Grayson." "Sit down Grayson." "Have a glass of grape juice from my home state." "Used to know a man named Grayson, mighty fine man." "He was murdered." "Two grapes George." "This book has got me all confused." "I do wish you'd set me straight on the international situation." "Rather large order I'm afraid." "Oh you're so right, Sir Henry." "One must take the broader view I always say." "Another grape juice Grayson, you can't have too many vitamins I always say." "Thank you Senator but if you don't mind" "I'll have a whiskey and soda." "Why sure." "George bring them over will you?" "Let's get a chair." "I was built for comfort." "Solid little beggars." "Kept some myself for the lad till mother got a cat." "Shhhh." "Don't say C-A-T." "Oh sorry." "Permit me." "Oh thank you, you're very kind I'm sure." "Beg your pardon sir." "Here we are." "Porter?" "Yes sir." "Are we on time?" "Yes sir." "We'll be in Washington in twenty-minutes." "By the way Grayson what's your line?" "Line?" "Yeah, what business you in?" "What's your racket?" "Oh I represent a London legal firm." "Farlow, Nash and Farlow." "Farlow?" "I used to know a man named Farlow." "No, no it was Marlow." "Couldn't have been the same fellow." "Well I suppose not." "I've been making a tour of my state getting the opinions of the home folks." "Taking a lot of their ideas back to Washington." "I'd like to hear more of your activities Senator." "Give me your address Sir and I'll have all my speeches mailed to you." "You're quite to kind sir." "Sorry I have no card." "Oh Porter?" "Yes Miss?" "Permit me." "Thank you very much." "Not at all." "I'll be at this address for the next week or so," "I hope." "Thank you." "I'll get my papers together." "Pleasant meeting you my friend." "Better look me up in Washington." "I'll just get my bag." "Thank you, thank you." "Oh I forgot to pay George." "Excuse me sir." "This is a blackout." "Keep your seats." "This is a blackout." "Keep your seats." "Mice!" "Oh dear, all gone." "Peter!" "Peter." "Nancy darling." "I didn't dream you'd be able to meet me." "I got leave." "Oh darling, that's wonderful." "Just three days." "Oh that's awful?" "We haven't a second to lose." "First thing I did..." "Was get this." "This finger?" "Well I haven't had much experience." "Look, day after tomorrow your aunt's giving us a reception until then you and I are going to be a couple of busy people." "Oh I beg your pardon." "Goodbye." "Who's your boyfriend?" "You needn't worry." "He just lit a cigarette for me." "This is the BBC News Bureau broadcasting from London." "At this time we present our regular morning summary of the news." "A British subject has disappeared under curious circumstances." "John Grayson, senior clerk in the firm of Farlow Nash and Farlow, solicitors," "Chancery Lane, has not arrived at his firm's representatives in Washington." "Foul play is suspected." "Deplorable, simply deplorable." "It's the sort of thing that shakes your faith by George." "I say, Holmes, shake your faith in everything." "You alarm me Watson." "I've never seen you affected by the news however startling." "Startling, my dear fellow, it's devastating." "Seen the scores?" "The Navy got four hundred and twenty-eight for six wickets." "Against the Army at Lords." "May I draw your attention to the fact that really momentous things are happening in the world today?" "I know all about that." "I'll get to them later on." "Excuse me." "Mind my egg old boy." "Oh I'm sorry." "With your consuming interest in the game" "I'm surprised that you've changed your mind about running up to Lord's cricket grounds this afternoon." "Well it can't be helped." "I had to put it off... how did you know I'd changed my mind?" "Elementary my dear Watson." "Invariably when you go to a cricket match you fill your flask with my best whiskey." "Just now I noted in passing that the flask was empty." "A single whiff informed me that it had been recently filled, obviously after filling it, you would pour the contents back into the bottle, therefore you would have changed your mind about a cricket match." "You amaze me Holmes." "You're positively amazing." "Come in Mrs. Hudson." "Oh excuse me, Mr. Holmes, there's a gentleman and he's very insistent." "Well I do declare he followed me right up the stairs." "Didn't I ask you to wait?" "My good woman you may ask me to wait but not the British Empire." "Mr. Holmes, I must talk to you immediately." "How are you Mr. Ahren?" "That will be all now thank you Mrs. Hudson." "My good woman indeed." "Ahren?" "I seem to know that name." "Don't tell me, my dear Watson, that you don't recognize" "Mr. Ahren of the home office." "Why yes of course." "I knew you the moment you came in." "How are you Ahren?" "Did you see what the Navy did to the Army at Lords yesterday?" "All right Watson, go on with your breakfast." "Mr. Holmes, I am here on a matter of the utmost secrecy." "I assure you Mr. Ahren that Doctor Watson is the very sole of discretion." "Won't you sit down?" "By the by Watson please be so good as to keep tapping on the table with your knife." "Tapping on the table with a knife?" "It will break the wavelength if by any chance there's a dictograph in the walls." "All really." "Cigarette?" "No thank you." "You can stop now Watson." "Well Mr. Ahren" "I take it you have called on me in connection with the kidnapping of John Grayson in America last night." "Why yes." "Yes exactly." "Grayson was carrying a document of a very confidential nature." "Indeed." "It's contents were of such great international importance that I am not at liberty to reveal them but if that document falls into the hands of the enemy," "I can only say it will be absolutely disastrous for this government and our allies." "For that reason we did not wish to transport it to Washington in the usual way." "So a regular King's messenger," "Sir Henry Marchmont, was dispatched." "Not carrying the document of course?" "That's right." "Sir Henry was the sort of..." "A decoy shall we say?" "Precisely." "The document was actually entrusted to a reliable but insignificant man in our secret service." "On his arrival in Washington he was to make himself known to Sir Henry and deliver the document." "Now not even Sir Henry knew that this man, Pettibone, who traveled under the name of John Grayson, was the real messenger." "Pettibone?" "Yes." "Alfred Pettibone?" "Yes." "Good man." "None better." "I've worked with him often." "I hope you may be able to work with him again." "But he's completely disappeared, he's vanished, gone without leaving a trace." "I can see the possibility of serious ramifications in his disappearance." "Exactly." "So far we've been able to keep the knowledge of our loss from both the American and British public." "Holmes you must retrieve that document before it can be used against us." "Of course the Washington Police have been notified of Grayson's disappearance but even they don't know that he was carrying the document." "Now that's about all the detail" "I'm at liberty to give you." "Well if they've got Grayson, that is Pettibone, they must got the papers." "Not necessarily Watson." "It doesn't follow because they got man, they got the document." "What form is this document in?" "It was typed on two sheets of legal paper." "Two sheets?" "That's too bulky to swallow." "And dry Watson, cheerfully dry." "Especially legal papers." "Well whatever shape the document was in" "I trust Pettibone to get rid of it before anyone could lay hands on him." "The document must be found before it falls into the hands of our enemies." "I'm here on behalf of His Majesty's government who urges you to find it." "That means going to Washington, of course." "With all possible speed." "A bomber is waiting for you at Creighton." "Goodbye Doctor Watson." "Goodbye Sir." "Goodbye Ahren." "Goodbye Holmes, good luck." "Thanks very much." "We're relying on you." "Well Watson we're off to Washington at once." "America, I say that's exciting." "I've never seen a game of baseball." "Let's go and start packing at once." "First I'd like to take a look at the home of Alfred Pettibone." "Come along Watson." "Why Doctor Watson, what a surprise." "And Mr. Holmes, won't you come in?" "Thank you." "I'm frightfully sorry but you've won't find my son in he's gone to Washington." "Some business or other." "Poor fellow I'm afraid that he'll never... never get used to the climate over there." "Would you mind if we looked over your son's room?" "Why of course, it's upstairs." "Thank you." "Some friends tell me very, very muggy, very sticky." "You'll find his room in a dreadful pickle Mr. Holmes." "Quite a mess he is." "And I'm not allowed to put my nose inside, as if I cared anything about his silly old collection." "This fellow, Pettibone, seems a curious sort of a fellow." "Sort of a collector of collections." "Postage stamps, military buttons, butterfly, oh, bugs, snapshots, all sorts of rubbish." "Yes, I shall write a monograph some day on the noxious habit of accumulating useless trivia." "Please be so good as to stop pacing Watson, you distract me." "All right, all right." "Unless I'm greatly mistaken, our friend Pettibone, did not carry two pages of legal paper when he left this room." "I wouldn't be too sure Holmes." "Ashes are deceptive you know?" "On the contrary my dear Watson." "The rag used on artificial documents leads an ash that is unmistakable." "Oh do stop pacing!" "I'm not pacing." "I haven't moved an inch." "I'm sorry old fellow, my error." "Must be Mrs. Pettibone, heavy woman light on her feet." "Doesn't follow." "Our friend seems to be quite a camera enthusiast." "What's this?" "Cook F15, that's a very fast lens" "F35, and a (unintelligible)." "Copying set up." "American match folders." "That's right, U.S.A." "Now why would Pettibone want American match folders in his work?" "And a microscope, most interesting." "What's this?" "Watson this microscope was last used for examining microfilm." "I'm beginning to see the pattern." "It stopped now." "Did you know that the letters of our soldiers overseas are being photographed on microfilm so that one carrier pigeon can carry the equivalent of 18,000 letters?" "Oh really?" "We had a carrier pigeon in the last war." "Back in 1915 belonging to the Brigade Signal Corp." "Did you?" "Yeah, the poor bird kept flying round and round in circles all day long." "Found out later on that it was cross-eyed." "Tragic thing." "Where are you going, huh?" "Oh dark room huh?" "This is what I was looking for." "This projector magnifies tremendously anything placed on the slide like this piece of microfilm." "Understand?" "Can't say I do exactly, no." "Wait a minute." "I'll show you one of his photographs." "Well it's that match folder." "Why did he want to photograph that for?" "Probably to line up his equipment before he photographed the document." "We got him Watson." "Oh have we?" "Yes." "Come along." "All is clear as mud to me." "Just as I thought, this document has been reduced to microfilm to make its concealment possible." "Alfred Pettibone is a most ingenious fellow." "A bulky document is obviously difficult to conceal but two pages of a state paper, photographed on microfilm, would be reduced to a size no larger than a stamp." "Slitting a match folder with this... with this razor blade..." "Pettibone placed the now minute document inside, stuck it together again and there he had it." "An American match folder, rare in London but completely inconspicuous in the United States." "Do you mean to say were off to America just to look for a match folder?" "It's a big country." "A big country Watson and a small match folder." "Come along." "Did you find what you were looking for Mr. Holmes?" "Yes thank you Mrs. Pettibone." "By the by you haven't been up on the roof in the last twenty minutes have you?" "Why no." "What made you think that..." "Well we distinctly heard footsteps..." "Nonsense Watson, it was the house settling." "Gracious yes." "Such popping and groaning, we're quite used to it." "Thank you." "Goodbye Mr. Holmes." "Goodbye Mrs. Pettibone." "Goodbye Doctor Watson." "Goodbye." "So sorry you missed Alfred." "I'll tell him the minute he gets back." "Gets back?" "Oh yes, yes, yes of course." "Goodbye again Mrs. Pettibone." "Just a minute Watson." "That was no accident I assure you Watson." "Well aren't you going to find out who did it?" "Time's too precious now." "At least I know they've learned of my entry into the case." "They, who are they?" "The same group that took Alfred Pettibone off the train on his way to Washington." "A group that will stop at nothing to get their hands on the document he carried." "Their leader is a clever, resourceful criminal who seems to have sources of information from everywhere." "That means a worldwide organization who'll stop at nothing you say." "Quite." "That's why we must get our bags and ourselves aboard that bomber without delay." "We're opposed by an adversary worthy of our best efforts" "At present he has all the advantages." "Even that of being only a merciless, nameless shadow." "Think of it Watson, in a few hours we'll be flying out over the Atlantic." "We're flying over New York sir." "New York hey?" "Yes sir." "We've been cleared by radio, nonstop Washington." "What is that book that so engrosses your attention Watson?" "A book on the quaint customs and manners of America." "We must be half way across and I've only got to page thirty-seven." "For your information, my dear fellow, we are now flying over New York." "Flying over New York?" "Good gracious me." "Extraordinary." "This is the embassy car Mr. Holmes." "You're being very helpful Mr. Lang." "Detective Lieutenant Grogan of the Washington Police." "How do you do?" "Welcome to Washington." "Thank you." "This is my associate Doctor Watson." "How do you do sir?" "How are you?" "I suppose I should say, how are you buddy?" "What's... what's cooking?" "Oh come along Watson." "Oh it says it here in the book." "Oh what's cooking?" "Grogan's in charge of investigating the Grayson case for the Washington Police." "Any new developments Grogan?" "None Mr. Holmes." "I'd be glad let you have our complete file and of course we'll cooperate in every way." "Thank you." "I shall appreciate your help, especially as I'm unfamiliar with your country." "Oh yes, of course, this is your first visit." "Oh there's the Lincoln Memorial." "Most impressive." "Oh by the by Mr. Lang, thank you for your cablegram." "I received it just before I left London." "Cable?" "I sent no cable." "About our reservations at the Hotel Metropolitan." "Why no we thought you'd stay at the Embassy of course." "Look at that." "Well since some strange person has taken such an extraordinary interest in my welfare" "I think I shall stay at the Hotel Metropolitan." "Oh Mr. Holmes, there's the Washington Monument." "There's the Capitol, Mr. Holmes." "Magnificent." "We're expecting you Mr. Holmes." "Thank you." "I've questioned everybody known to have been in that club car, as a matter of course." "Sir Henry Marchmont confirms that Grayson had contact only with the people on this list." "Now he had a drink with Senator Babcock and he chatted with a Miss Pringle about some mice she had in a cage and then he picked up a book dropped by a Mrs. Jellison." "Not very much to go on." "How many of these people have been attacked already?" "I've heard about your deductions Mr. Holmes." "Well Senator Babcock was held up on his way from the station but nothing taken." "Mrs. Jellison's home was ransacked that night." "And she found the book that she carried from the train literally torn to bits." "That's right." "Miss Pringle?" "Miss Pringle said someone released the mice from the cage that during the night sometime and she found the cage torn apart." "What happened to the mice I wonder?" "An intriguing line of thought, Watson, but not essential to the case." "Apparently, Grogan, they're still looking for the document." "I'd very much like to have a look at that club car." "Well that will be easy," "I had the car held on the side in the railroad yards." "Good." "But we searched the car thoroughly Mr. Holmes." "We couldn't find a thing." "What are you doing?" "What's this?" "Mr. Holmes your trunk." "Trunk?" "I have no trunk." "It says right there." "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Hotel Metropolitan." "How was this trunk delivered?" "An express man brought it sir." "What's the name of the company?" "Do you remember the license number?" "Well naturally I didn't notice that," "I just signed for it." "All right, thank you, that'll do." "Well this trunk's not locked." "Great Scott!" "Poor chap." "You recognize him Mr. Holmes?" "Yes." "Who was he?" "The man were looking for, John Grayson." "His real name is Alfred Pettibone," "British Secret Service." "Why should they send the body here?" "Obviously to frighten us." "Or to tell us they know that" "Sherlock Holmes is on the case." "Gentlemen they knew we are on the case as early as their attempt on our lives in London." "They're much too intelligent to believe that a corpse would frighten a trained detective." "No, I rather think they intended this as a message and they wanted to be sure that I'd be here at the Hotel Metropolitan to receive it." "Message?" "What do you mean?" "They want us to believe that they found the document and therefore have no further use for Grayson." "Well if that's true then we're done for." "I'm not so sure that it is true Watson." "If they have the document why they wasting time sending me this?" "No." "It's an attempt to throw me off the track." "Grogan, you have a police laboratory of course?" "Certainly." "I'll see what I can find out about the body." "Yes, whatever marks it reveals and the trunk." "A microscopic examination, everything about it, the lining, the blanket in which the body is wrapped, everything." "Let nothing escape." "We have the best police laboratories in the world, Mr. Holmes." "I beg your pardon, Lieutenant Grogan, you see I'm so accustomed to working quite alone at my lodgings on Baker Street that I sometimes forget the more modern scientific methods so particularly effective here in America." "Well if there's anything there they'll find it Mr. Holmes." "While you're doing that I'll take a look at the club car." "Coming Watson?" "Here we are Mr. Holmes." "I have the porter as you asked and the railroad company's sent Mr. Moore to unlock cars." "Delighted, how do you do?" "Very good let's go in." "This way gentlemen." "Well." "It looks as if the police have made a thorough search." "Whoever did it, it wasn't the police." "There have been visitors here since our friend Grogan." "My goodness look at our car." "Talk about a blitz." "I say Holmes, if Grayson hid anything in this car it certainly isn't here now." "Not necessarily Watson." "If you will help me put this place in some kind of order." "Yes sir, boss." "This would go about here I imagine." "Yeah." "That's it boss." "And, wait a minute." "Yes that's certainly more like it, yes sir." "Thank you that will be all." "Watson will you be Mr. Grayson for a moment?" "Grayson?" "If you want me to old man." "What do you want me to do?" "You're having a drink at the bar." "Oh drink, not a bad idea." "Drink at the bar." "Bring me a whiskey and soda will you Stewart?" "Stewart?" "Sorry Doctor Watson but the bar's closed." "He says the bar's closed." "According to Grogan's reconstruction of the scene, let me see, yes," "Grayson pauses at the bar while Senator Babcock moves across and sits down here." "Do you mind being Senator Babcock for the moment Watson?" "Going up in the world." "Sit down please." "Now Miss Pringle is seated there." "Over here Watson." "Huh?" "Now I'm Miss Pringle?" "That's right, the mouse woman." "Oh the mouse woman." "Watson over here please." "No not there, not there, that's Senator Babcock." "Oh pardon me Senator." "Sit down please." "Now you're Mrs. Jellison." "Oh excuse me Mr. Holmes, he ain't Mrs. Jellison." "He's the young lady." "What?" "Sir Henry Marchmont was sitting right here and Mrs. Jellison was right here." "She is sort of a big, fat lady." "What did Grayson do with her that attracted your attention so particularly to Mrs. Jellison?" "The little man he retrieved her book." "And the young lady sitting here?" "Didn't she converse with the little man?" "No sir." "That young lady didn't have no converse with no one." "When the little man lit her cigarette she sat back and said," ""Thank you very much."" "But you have matches here for your customers." "Oh yes, she called me and I saw her cigarette and I knew she wanted a match." "And Grayson used one of his own matches?" "Well uh... oh yes, he took a folder from his coat pocket." "Did he put the match folder back in his pocket or did he give it to the young lady?" "Why I don't remember, I was fairly busy." "Try to remember!" "Oh if I should try till doomsday" "I couldn't remember just what happened to that match folder." "Oh yes, I remember just one important thing." "What?" "When the little man lit her cigarette he said something very peculiar." "What was it?" "He said, "Permit me."" "Oh." "Well... well gentlemen" "I'm extremely grateful to all of you." "It's all we can do for the present I think." "Since the place was torn to bits, after the murder of Grayson, the attacks on Senator Babcock, Mrs. Jellison," "Miss Pringle," "I'm convinced that the document left the club car long before these events but how?" "By whom?" "And who was the mysterious young lady whose cigarette Grayson lighted?" "Did anyone meet the young lady?" "He sure did." "He, who's he?" "Tall, handsome and in uniform." "I see." "I suppose you wouldn't remember what kind of uniform?" "I certainly would." "Lieutenant, Navy flyer." "My boy's in the Army, he's going to be a flyer too." "Splendid." "Did you happen to hear them say anything." "Oh I didn't happen I just couldn't help hearing it." "Well what did they say?" "Oh yes, they said they had three day leave, they had to move fast before the big party her Aunt was given them." "And then too he put a ring on her finger and they both looked mighty happy." "Just the way you're looking right now." "And the way I'm looking myself." "Come on Watson." "That's the girl." "I could swear to it." "Is the address there?" "All there, right in our laps." "Also right into the lap of Sherlock Holmes." "That's the least of our worries." "The head could handle ten like Holmes." "I hope so." "But don't underrate that Englishman." "I have several friends who did." "They now grace some of the best prisons in England." "Yes sir?" "I talked to the catering company it's quite all right." "They could hardly refuse me." "It's the Acton Company." "The Acton Catering Company." "Yes sir," "I know what to do." "Pop over there." "You're going to work for the catering company?" "Right." "When you get in the house find out all you can." "Cady?" "Yes." "You're to go as a guest." "Will it be safe?" "It will have to be." "I'll try and get in the girl's room." "Unless you hear from me carry on as we planned." "Oh." "Flash Gordon." "Seems a very capable fellow." "Sports pages." "These Brooklyn fellows seem to be arguing with the Umpire." "Sorted thing." "What are you eating Watson?" "Gum." "Oh put it away." "Never seen you take an interest in the society columns before." "It's a concern I'll drop at once" "I assure you Watson." "Huh?" "You find what you're looking for?" "Well how'd you know this is the girl?" "It would be an extraordinary coincidence wouldn't it if more than one Naval lieutenant in Washington were to become engaged in the last few days to a girl from New York who's aunt was giving them the reception?" "By Jove, you must be right." "She's a pretty girl." "Yes." "She's walking around with dynamite in her handbag." "635 Waldorf Place." "Who is it?" "It's me Pete." "You can't come up here." "I did though." "One gets you two." "Awe that party's going to be awfully dull after this." "Let's not go." "Let's go away and get married." "You've only got one more day." "That's an idea." "Nah, we can't do that to Anne." "I'll tell you, let's sneak a look at the new apartment." "It was awful sweet of Anne to give us the whole floor of this house for our apartment." "The least we can do is let her have the fun of showing it to us." "Okay." "Let's face the party." "I'll get my bag." "Thank you." "Oh no you don't." "That's the way I got them." "Oh how do you do?" "So glad you come." "This is Mrs... oh dear what is your name?" "Muxton." "Of course I know it as well as my own." "And this is Mrs. Vail." "How do you do?" "Isn't it?" "Quite." "Any luck?" "Not yet." "That must be Lieutenant Merriam and Miss Pattridge over there." "Certainly glad to hear the news Pete, congratulations." "Well thank you Major, thank you." "You're a lucky guy Pete." "I'll see you later." "Third floor, first door." "Right." "I'll wait there you bring him up." "Thank you sir." "A toast to the happy couple." "A toast." "Here." "Here." "Very good." "Happy landings." "Thank you." "Lieutenant Merriam?" "Telephone sir." "Navy department calling." "Oh yes, be right back." "Lead on McDuff." "This way sir." "Matches, match me darling." "Pick them up." "Thank you." "Oh Pete hold it." "You can keep them Major." "Oh thank you." "Thank you." "Not for me thank you." "No thank you." "Why up here?" "They said it was private." "There's a phone in here sir." "Hey it's my new apartment." "Miss Pattridge didn't want me to see it till after it was finished." "Here you are sir." "Quite a smell of paint sir." "In here sir." "Thank you." "Okay now." "We should get some action, Sir Henry, with Sherlock Holmes in Washington." "Yes." "I don't mind telling you" "I'd give anything to get my hands on that document." "Yes I know." "Or at least know that it's in safe hands." "Thank you." "Engaged today and married tomorrow." "No thanks." "Have you a match?" "Miss Pattridge?" "Yes?" "Lieutenant Merriam asked if you would come to the new apartment." "But he's not supposed to see it yet." "The new apartment?" "He must think you're already married." "Yes." "I don't dare let that man out of my sight." "Excuse me will you please?" "Surely." "Oh I'm so sorry." "May I?" "Thank you." "This way please." "Oh I know the way thank you." "Peter!" "Where are you?" "Well here we are Grogan." "Awe, good connections." "We'd better go into the party." "Well I think you'd better go in first Mr. Holmes," "I'm not very good at this sort of thing." "I think you do all right." "It's the only possible explanation." "Mrs. Pattridge, forgive my intruding, but is your niece the kind of girl who would just disappear in this manner of her own free will?" "Ordinarily, of course not." "But the girl's in love." "In love?" "Well of course if they're in love that's..." "Even so, they'd naturally tell you of their destination." "Really, I've no idea." "Oh but they'll be back here again tomorrow." "You see I prepared an apartment for them an entire floor in this house." "By the by Mrs. Pattridge," "I gather the rug you ordered for the apartment was not entirely satisfactory?" "Oh those tiresome workmen." "I told them not to come in here this afternoon but they did." "And walked out with the rug, which they no doubt informed you had been sent by mistake and would be replaced tomorrow." "Yes but however did you know that?" "Quick, show me the apartment!" "Yes there were two rugs there." "One for the living room and one for the dining room." "Well you're workman wear rubber sole shoes do they not?" "Oh yes, always, the company requires them to." "Nevertheless, there have been leather heels on this floor and a woman's heels, very recently I should say." "They're not yours Mrs. Pattridge but recently enough so that no dust has had time to settle on the imprints." "Stay over there please." "There seems to have been a struggle over there." "A woman's footprints disappear and a man's leather heels come round, and stop there." "Either she was carried out in the carpet or else... where's that door lead to?" "Why it's a dressing room." "Perhaps an ordinary skeleton key." "Try it." "Watson this is a matter for you I'm afraid." "Excuse me." "Who is it?" "Is it Merriam?" "Peter." "Take it easy Mrs. Partridge." "Let the doctor examine him." "How is he Watson?" "Nasty crack on the head." "Nothing serious, thank heavens." "Is there somewhere where he can lie down?" "Of course." "Poor Peter." "Take him to my room." "Here, put your arm around my neck." "That's it old chap." "Mr. Holmes you must find Nancy." "Quite." "Poor Peter." "That girl disappeared right from under our noses." "It's unbelievable." "I better try to trace that truck." "That won't lead us anywhere." "Our antagonist is too clever for that but the girl must be found immediately." "You're sure the police chemist found nothing definite in their examination of the trunk?" "Not one thing pertinent to the case." "What about Grayson's body and the blanket it was wrapped in?" "Nothing." "Every object connected with this case has some kind of story to tell." "Do you think they'd mind if..." "The laboratory is completely at your disposal Mr. Holmes." "Thank you." "Doctor Watson and I will go there at once." "The usual findings on the trunk Mr. Holmes." "Bought in Washington, been banged about a good deal, all labels removed." "And the body?" "No marks of any kind." "Very well." "If you need me call." "Thank you." "Watson please." "Just tidying up a bit." "This blanket is beginning to tell me many things." "Oh really, you don't say so." "It only remains to translate them properly." "Yes, just as I thought." "This blanket has had a most varied history." "It's been on a many a sea voyage." "The latest not six months ago." "Since then it has been used to wrap a multiplicity of objects." "Carvings of teak wood, candle snuffs made of pewter... and furniture." "Furniture?" "Yes." "Teak wood leaves an unmistakable stain." "Pewter rubs off easily and there is evidence of wax drippings but what particularly concerns us Watson is the furniture." "Most likely a chair." "Louis the XV, in yellow and maroon satin." "What do all these things suggest to you Watson?" "Well I would say an aunt of mine, Matilda, who lives in Brighton." "Very old fashioned." "Very aged." "Exactly." "Antiques." "We've a lot of ground to cover before nightfall." "Ground?" "What ground?" "If necessary every antique shop in Washington." "A-A-N-T-I, here we are antiques." "Antiques?" "Well what connection is there," "Louis the XV's chair with this Pattridge girl?" "This sliver of wood came from a Louis the XV chair that had once been wrapped in that blanket." "From other evidences the blanket supplies" "I deduced that it's been used in an antique shop and whoever controls those antiques murdered Grayson and kidnapped the girl." "What?" "That's it Watson." "Come along before the girl's kidnapper becomes her murderer." "Holmes I'm fed up with all this shopping for antiques." "We must keep searching Watson, the girl's in grave danger." "Hello." "Hello." "Oh sorry, what is it Holmes?" "This isn't the place it seems to be." "Look Watson." "Those cabinets, obviously imitation and yet there priced as if they were authentic." "Buyer be aware and all that aye Holmes." "Watson I feel certain this is it." "This is my purse." "May I?" "Thank you." "What kind of a joke is this?" "Oh don't bother to answer you can tell the police all about it." "And you shall I promise you." "There are no police here haven't you noticed we are quite alone." "I sent for you to ask you a few questions." "You always send a rug for your guests?" "That's a very nice rug, Miss Pattridge." "It's not my idea of a method of transportation." "Oh I'm sorry about that but I'm afraid it was unavoidable." "But why?" "You've no right to bring me here like this." "I've always found it wise to take what rights I can get." "Miss Pattridge you have a document, which I must have." "Document?" "I have no document." "It won't do you any good to deny it." "But I do deny it." "I don't know what you're talking about." "You'll remain a prisoner until you produce it." "How can I produce it when I haven't got it?" "But you have." "You'll observe that on the train you had contact with a little British agent named Grayson." "He gave you something, where is it?" "But I hardly even noticed the man." "I wouldn't even had remembered him if I hadn't seen his picture in the paper." "He disappeared or something." "He's dead Miss Pattridge." "Now will you tell me what I want to know?" "But I can't." "You won't." "I can't I tell you." "Let me out of here." "He gave me nothing." "That's strange because" "I know he spoke to you." "There's something very curious about that door up there." "To open it you'll have to know the combination." "But I tell you I spoke to no one on that train." "Well didn't that little man try to be attentive to you?" "Oh he, he may have offered the usual courtesies" "I don't even remember." "I see." "I'm sorry." "Wont you smoke one of these?" "Thank you." "And you're quite sure he said nothing at all to you?" "Of course I'm sure." "Permit me." "And your certain that nothing passed between you?" "I'm certain." "Mr. Howell please." "I must ask you to trust me with your bag a little longer." "I have an eccentric interest in the linings of purses, it's (unintelligible)." "Awe, you know Mr. Howe I believe." "Mr. Howe is a gentleman of unusual accomplishments." "Under his influence" "I've known people to talk fluently who never talked before." "But I don't know anything I tell you, nothing!" "Nothing I swear it!" "I don't know anything!" "You stay out here." "I'll go inside." "I'll assume the character of an eccentric art collector." "As soon as I'm convinced that this is the place were looking for" "I'll signal to you and you get Grogan and bring him here on the run but don't take any time, an extra second may cost a life." "No madam, I don't know who she is but notice the modeling." "It has good symmetry, good lines." "Oh I'll be right with you sir." "Thank you, I'll just take a look around." "What an extraordinary cabinet." "Spanish." "Moorish influence." "Imitation of course." "It is not an imitation, it's authentic." "Oh come now my dear man." "Awe, may I see some of these ceramics?" "Those aren't for sale." "They're Ming vases mostly and they haven't been marked yet." "Well naturally that's of very little consequence, you see, if they're genuine" "I can tell it with it's initialing what the international price might be." "If you please sir, there are other customers." "Oh yes, yes of course." "Well I'll just look around." "Awe, what a very interesting collection of pewter." "That will be five hundred dollars." "Now would you just give me the address where you want it sent?" "Mrs. J. Wellington, Junior," "Duponte Circle." "Good night." "Good night." "I'll have it sent out in the morning." "Oh dear, oh dear." "I'm most terribly sorry." "You've broken one of our best pieces sir." "Ming Dynasty." "Tang dynasty not Ming." "Definitely not Ming." "It is my business to know sir, the pottery is Ming and worth twenty-three hundred dollars." "As were closing for the evening" "I must ask you to settle at once." "Nonsense my good man." "Tang pottery is worth six hundred dollars at best." "Just a moment please." "Yes of course." "Hello." "What's going on out there?" "A customer dropped a valuable piece of pottery." "I'll finish with him immediately." "How could you say that it's Ming?" "Twenty-three hundred fiddlesticks." "You ask twenty-three hundred dollars for something that's worth no more than six hundred" "I demand to see the proprietor." "Now wait a minute." "There are bureaus for the protection of innocent customers." "Show me to the owner of this establishment or I'll turn the entire matter to my legal representative." "Ming indeed." "Just a minute." "What skullduggery." "I mean to put an end to it this very night." "Ming for Tang indeed and I won't be put off." "Call the proprietor immediately!" "Very well, just a minute." "Yes?" "This man's mad." "An eccentric collector." "I can't get rid of him." "Insists on seeing you in person." "All right." "Stall him for a half-minute then send him into my office." "I'll get rid of him and quickly." "No screams till the customer's gone." "You get downstairs." "Yes sir." "I'm most frightfully sorry..." "I'm most frightfully sorry about the vase but, but really sir you're clerk is guilty of attempting the most obvious fraud." "You see he tried to convince me that I'd broken a Ming pottery." "And anyone could see that it belonged to Tang era." "Its value is no more than six hundred dollars." "All right, you pay him the six hundred we'll call the matter settled." "Oh." "Oh thank you very much sir." "Thank you." "I'll send you my check in the morning." "I..." "I see you know the London value of these pieces." "It's my business." "Exactly." "Yes." "Exactly." "You know I think you're just the man to help me find some furniture" "I'm anxious to get." "I'm most frightfully bored with the usual conglomeration of pieces that we can pick up on the other side." "What do you really want Mr. Sherlock Holmes?" "You're Henry Kinkle or as you now call yourself" "Mr. Richard Stanley." "In 1914, secret agent of the German Kaiser." "Since then, head of the most insidious international spy ring that ever existed." "You're wrong." "A case of mistaken identity." "I've been a respected member of this community for a great many years." "I deal in antiques because of their rarity and beauty." "Merely a device to cover up your real business of transporting secret information to the enemies of this country." "Very interesting but just a figment of your imagination." "I am a very busy man Mr. Sherlock Holmes." "Where is Nancy Pattridge?" "You're not looking for that girl you're looking for a certain document." "Dear me no." "The document's perfectly safe." "You see the man who has it doesn't know he has it." "That's a very pretty tale but quite untrue." "The only man who had any contact with Grayson on the train was Senator Babcock." "The Senator doesn't have the document we took the trouble to find out." "Permit me." "Thank you." "Perhaps you've been mislead by the common notion regarding the shape and bulk of state papers." "They might easily been reduced to a, to a convenient size you know?" "Say a document no larger than a, than a postage stamp." "A postage stamp huh?" "That's a very interesting theory but not supported by the facts and quite beside the point." "Where's the girl?" "She's not here of course but you're quite at liberty to look around if you care too." "Thank you." "I shall do so." "Interesting piece." "Spanish isn't it?" "Moorish." "Oh, my error." "It's an amazing specimen but I assure you won't find what you're looking for there." "You stimulate my curiosity." "This might be interesting." "The Moors were an incredibly inventive people weren't they?" "Yes it was in shocking condition when I got hold of it but I had it restored." "Very lively now but old fashioned." "If that's the best you can do, Mr. Stanley," "I think I may safely examine the rest of the room." "Help yourself." "Thank you." "Take your hand away from that drawer." "Why Mr. Holmes, you didn't think" "I was going to draw a weapon." "I never touch the things." "How odd to find you squeamish." "That connects only with the shop." "You're very quick to say so and yet a short while ago" "I saw two other men in this room and they didn't go back into the shop so there must be another exit and perhaps another room." "Yes Mr. Stanley what is it?" "Bring Miss Pattridge here at once." "Excellent Holmes." "I see your voice hasn't lost its flexibility." "And my hand hasn't lost it's cunning either." "When they come here tell them to leave the girl with you and to clear out." "You think I'll do that?" "Yes you will." "You're playing with lives now Stanley." "Not just the girl's but thousands, millions perhaps and we don't intend to let one man have that much power." "Not now, not at any time in the future." "I'd prefer you alive to face the retribution that's coming to you but if I have to do it." "All right, Mr. Holmes," "I suppose we all must meet our match sooner or later." "That's enough boys, take your hands off him." "Well Mr. Holmes?" "Tell the clerk to go home and see that the front door is locked." "Well Mr. Stanley?" "It's the last strike that counts hey Holmes?" "I'll remind you of that later." "Miss Pattridge allow me to present Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the world famous detective." "He's come to rescue you." "I don't believe you." "Oddly enough he's telling you the truth." "My name is Sherlock Holmes and I did come here to help you but I've seemed rather to have missed it." "I'm sorry." "I'm afraid you've had a bad time." "Well that doesn't matter its Peter, they say they'll do something to him if I don't tell them." "They say they've got him." "Cheer up, he's quite safe." "A tough customer like Peter isn't disabled very long by a clunk on the head." "He's all right." "All okay Mr. Stanley." "Look here Stanley this girl knows nothing." "I promise she won't even identify you." "Well unfortunately she knows enough to hang us, so do you." "I'm surprised that you're walking into a trap like this but you see the position I'm in and what has to be done." "Cady, Howe?" "It will give me great pleasure to attend to Mr. Holmes personally." "Easter the girl's yours." "It's the police." "Open up, this is the police." "Holmes where are you?" "You all right?" "Holmes!" "Where are you?" "Darling." "Thank heavens your safe." "Quick, Stanley's escaped." "All right boys bring'em along." "Come on Lieutenant." "The Senate office building double quick." "Come in." "I'm glad your safe Senator." "Safe?" "No man is safe." "Look at the way my constituents snipe at me." "I don't recall seeing your face before stranger." "I don't think we've met." "Well that explains it." "My name is Sherlock Holmes." "Glad to know you Holmes." "What's on your mind?" "Senator Babcock, I'm here to inform you of great peril to your life." "Richard Stanley, a dangerous criminal, is now on his way here." "Richard Stanley?" "Why he's the most respectable citizen in Washington has been for years." "What could Stanley possibly want from me?" "A document and under the stamps of a letter given to you by chap named Grayson." "Grayson?" "Grayson?" "Used to know a man name..." "Grayson!" "Well that's the fellow that disappeared." "Say I got that envelope right here in my wallet." "Now what does Stanley think could be under these stamps?" "A secret document of grave importance." "Reduced to microfilm and concealed under these very stamps." "Thank you very much, Mr. Holmes." "That's just what I wanted to know." "I might have missed this microfilm if you hadn't lead me to it." "I've seemed to have underestimated your capabilities, Mr. Stanley." "Yes, Mr. Holmes, you're famous powers of deduction and observation made of very well in Limehouse or Soho but here in America" "I believe you're out of your depth." "If so, the verdict of history will be severe indeed." "You nervous, Sherlock Holmes." "I must confess to a mark irritation." "Do you mind if I smoke?" "Thank you." "The whole course of the world might be changed by your acquisition of the microfilm." "It will be and for the better." "Have you a match?" "You can keep those." "Thank you." "And now if you'll pardon me, Mr. Holmes." "Why don't you do something Holmes if that thing so important?" "The English senator." "Cricket old boy, always cool in the crisis." "The last trick hey Holmes?" "Yes, the last trick." "Say you're a smart fellow Holmes." "Here's the microfilm Holmes." "Thank you Senator." "I say Holmes." "This is the microfilm with the document on it." "It'll be in the proper hands within the hour." "As I told you Mr. Stanley, the man who had it didn't know he had it." "Well come on let's go." "Well it'll be nice to get home to Baker Street, hey Holmes?" "Yes but this is a great country Watson." "It certainly is my dear fellow." "Look up there ahead, the Capitol, the very heart of this democracy." "Democracy, the only hope for the future, hey Holmes?" "It's not given to us to peer into the mysteries of the future but in the days to come the British and American people will, for their own safety and for the good of all, walk together in majesty," "and justice, and in peace." "That's magnificent." "I quite agree with you." "Not with me, but Mr. Winston Churchill." "I was quoting from the speech he made not so long ago in that very building."