The young lady resumed her seat with an air of displeasure. Herbrother, however, had joined us and we set off all four together. Wepassed round the lawn to the outside of the young diplomatist'swindow. There were, as he had said, marks upon the bed, but theywere hopelessly blurred and vague. Holmes stooped over them for aninstant, and then rose shrugging his shoulders.

　　"I don't think anyone could make much of this," said he. "Let usgo round the house and see why this particular room was chosen bythe burglar. I should have thought those larger windows of thedrawing-room and dining-room would have had more attractions for him.""They are more visible from the road," suggested Mr. JosephHarrison.

　　"Ah, yes, of course. There is a door here which he might haveattempted. What is it for?"

　　"It is the side entrance for trades-people. Of course it is lockedat night."

　　"Have you ever had an alarm like this before?"

　　"Never," said our client.

　　"Do you keep plate in the house, or anything to attract burglars?""Nothing of value."

　　Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pockets anda negligent air which was unusual with him.

　　"By the way," said he to Joseph Harrison, "you found some place, Iunderstand, where the fellow scaled the fence. Let us have a look atthat!"

　　The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of one of thewooden rails had been cracked. A small fragment of the wood washanging down. Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically."Do you think that was done last night? It looks rather old, does itnot?"

　　"Well, possibly so."

　　"There are no marks of anyone jumping down upon the other side.No, I fancy we shall get no help here. Let us go back to the bedroomand talk the matter over."