8:15
He was alone and took a single third-class ticket . The clerk was struck at the time by his excited and nervous manner . So shaky was he that he could hardly pick up his change , and the clerk had helped him with it . A reference to the timetable showed that the 8:15 was the first train which it was possible for West to take after he had left the lady about 7:30 . `` Let us reconstruct , Watson , '' said Holmes after half an hour of silence . `` I am not aware that in all our joint researches we have ever had a case which was more difficult to get at . Every fresh advance which we make only reveals a fresh ridge beyond .