Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus Read Online Free PDF Page A

to his country. Holmes, who could be most ingratiating with the female sex when he chose, spent long minutes attempting to soothe her, mostly by vociferously agreeing with every statement she uttered, in order that we might gain some useful data. He asked her trivial questions about her son's boyhood and received in reply a torrential discourse on the delightfulness of her late lad's filial disposition. In vain, however, did he attempt to extract any bit of information that might assist us in our investigation. At length, the tearful interview came to a close, and Holmes and I left, exhausted and ruffled in the nerves.
    “My word, Holmes,” said I, mopping my brow, “if nothing else, we have at least been given bountiful evidence from a creditable source that this fellow Cadbury is the saintliest of all angels currently residing in Heaven's highest quarters. I pray that we shall not be the ones to disprove that woman's illusions, for it seems likely that she will be sorely disappointed.”
    “Possibly. On the other hand, Watson, though at present the young man seems cast in the blackest shades, I am not quite convinced that he was the base scoundrel he appears to have been. It is just possible that he, being as innocent as the day, was framed as the perpetrator of this wicked deed. ”
    “Shall we go now to the offices of the Arsenal?” I queried, spying a cab parked at leisure down the street.
    “Yes, and by Jove, let us pray that we find no disconsolate women there.”
    I vigorously nodded my head in agreement.
    * * *
    Mr. Sidney Johnson met us at the Woolwich Arsenal offices with the respect that my companion's card usually commanded. His wrinkled cheeks were haggard, his face gruff and deeply lined.
    “It is deplorable, Mr. Holmes. Our chief dead, Cadbury dead, the cards stolen. The place is thrown into confusion. And yet, yesterday we were as efficient an office as any in the government service. To think that Cadbury—Cadbury! Whom I trusted as I trust myself—could do such a thing.”
    “You have no doubt that it was he who took the cards?”
    “Well...” Mr. Johnson sputtered, surprised at the question, “the cards were found on him, were they not? Who else could have taken them?”
    “That is exactly what we are set to find out. Tell me, Mr Johnson, what time was the office closed yesterday?”
    “At five. I always stay on after the others leave, and see that all is properly locked up. I personally secured the cards within the strong-room, where they are always kept except when they are in use. This morning I did not notice that anything was amiss, until the police questioned me about my clerk, and we discovered that the cards were missing from the strong-room.”
    “Quite so,” said Holmes. “Tell me, did Cadbury possess, or have access to, keys to the office and strong-room?”
    “Only to the office itself. He did not, to my surest knowledge, have a key either to the outer door of the building, or to the strong-room. I have one set, and the other was in Sir James' possession. My set never leaves my watch-chain,” Mr. Johnson pulled a ring of keys from his waistcoat pocket as he spoke. “And Sir James was known for his meticulous carefulness in all security matters. His caution was a byword among his employees and associates.”
    “I see,” said Holmes, briefly inspecting the keys in the clerk's upturned palm. “Well, well, if Cadbury is the culprit, must have obtained a duplicate set somehow. And yet none was found upon his body, nor in his rooms. How very singular. One other point: if Cadbury had desired to sell the plans, would it not be far easier simply to copy the plans for himself than to take the originals, as was actually done?”
    “It would have been difficult,” said Mr Johnson. “The cards are complex and highly technical, and are not easily copied.”
    “But I suppose either Sir James, or you, or Cadbury had that technical knowledge?”
    “No doubt we had, but I beg you