V.--The Adventure of the Priory School.
WE have had some dramatic entrances and exits upon our small stage atBaker Street, but I cannot recollect anything more sudden and startlingthan the first appearance of Thorneycroft Huxtable, M.A., Ph.D., etc.His card, which seemed too small to carry the weight of his academicdistinctions, preceded him by a few seconds, and then he enteredhimself--so large, so pompous, and so dignified that he was the veryembodiment of self-possession and solidity. And yet his first actionwhen the door had closed behind him was to stagger against the table,whence he slipped down upon the floor, and there was that majesticfigure prostrate and insensible upon our bearskin hearthrug.
We had sprung to our feet, and for a few moments we stared in silentamazement at this ponderous piece of wreckage, which told of some suddenand fatal storm far out on the ocean of life. Then Holmes hurried witha cushion for his head and I with brandy for his lips. The heavy whiteface was seamed with lines of trouble, the hanging pouches under theclosed eyes were leaden in colour, the loose mouth drooped dolorously atthe corners, the rolling chins were unshaven. Collar and shirt borethe grime of a long journey, and the hair bristled unkempt from thewell-shaped head. It was a sorely-stricken man who lay before us.
"What is it, Watson?" asked Holmes.
"Absolute exhaustion--possibly mere hunger and fatigue," said I, with myfinger on the thready pulse, where the stream of life trickled thin andsmall.
"Return ticket from Mackleton, in the North of England," said Holmes,drawing it from the watch-pocket. "It is not twelve o'clock yet. He hascertainly been an early starter."
The puckered eyelids had begun to quiver, and now a pair of vacant, greyeyes looked up at us. An instant later the man had scrambled on to hisfeet, his face crimson with shame.
"Forgive this weakness, Mr. Holmes; I have been a little overwrought.Thank you, if I might have a glass of milk and a biscuit I have no doubtthat I should be better. I came personally, Mr. Holmes, in order toensure that you would return with me. I feared that no telegram wouldconvince you of the absolute urgency of the case."
"When you are quite restored---"
"I am quite well again. I cannot imagine how I came to be so weak. Iwish you, Mr. Holmes, to come to Mackleton with me by the next train."
My friend shook his head.
"My colleague, Dr. Watson, could tell you that we are very busy atpresent. I am retained in this case of the Ferrers Documents, and theAbergavenny murder is coming up for trial. Only a very important issuecould call me from London at present."
"Important!" Our visitor threw up his hands. "Have you heard nothing ofthe abduction of the only son of the Duke of Holdernesse?"
"What! the late Cabinet Minister?"
"Exactly. We had tried to keep it out of the papers, but there was somerumour in the GLOBE last night. I thought it might have reached yourears."
Holmes shot out his long, thin arm and picked out Volume "H" in hisencyclopaedia of reference.
"'Holdernesse, 6th Duke, K.G., P.C.'--half the alphabet! 'BaronBeverley, Earl of Carston'--dear me, what a list! 'Lord Lieutenantof Hallamshire since 1900. Married Edith, daughter of Sir CharlesAppledore, 1888. Heir and only child, Lord Saltire. Owns about twohundred and fifty thousand acres. Minerals in Lancashire and Wales.Address: Carlton House Terrace; Holdernesse Hall, Hallamshire; CarstonCastle, Bangor, Wales. Lord of the Admiralty, 1872; Chief Secretaryof State for--' Well, well, this man is certainly one of the greatestsubjects of the Crown!"
"The greatest and perhaps the wealthiest. I am aware, Mr. Holmes, thatyou take a very high line in professional matters, and that you areprepared to work for the work's sake. I may tell you, however, that hisGrace has already intimated that a cheque for five thousand pounds willbe handed over to the person who can tell him where his son is, andanother thousand to him who can name the man, or men, who have takenhim."
"It is a princely offer," said Holmes. "Watson, I think that we shallaccompany Dr. Huxtable back to the North of England. And now, Dr.Huxtable, when you have consumed that milk you will kindly tell me whathas happened, when it happened, how it happened, and, finally, what Dr.Thorneycroft Huxtable, of the Priory School, near Mackleton, has to dowith the matter, and why he comes three days after an event--the stateof your chin gives the date--to ask for my humble services."
Our visitor had consumed his milk and biscuits. The light had come backto his eyes and the colour to his cheeks as he set himself with greatvigour and lucidity to explain the situation.
"I must inform you, gentlemen, that the Priory is a preparatory school,of which I am the founder and principal. 'Huxtable's Sidelights onHorace' may possibly recall my name to your memories. The Priory is,without exception, the best and most select preparatory schoolin England. Lord Leverstoke, the Earl of Blackwater, Sir CathcartSoames--they all have entrusted their sons to me. But I felt thatmy school had reached its zenith when, three weeks ago, the Duke ofHoldernesse sent Mr. James Wilder, his secretary, with the intimationthat young Lord Saltire, ten years old, his only son and heir, was aboutto be committed to my charge. Little did I think that this would be theprelude to the most crushing misfortune of my life.
"On May 1st the boy arrived, that being the beginning of the summerterm. He was a charming youth, and he soon fell into our ways. I maytell you--I trust that I am not indiscreet, but half-confidences areabsurd in such a case--that he was not entirely happy at home. It is anopen secret that the Duke's married life had not been a peaceful one,and the matter had ended in a separation by mutual consent, the Duchesstaking up her residence in the South of France. This had occurred veryshortly before, and the boy's sympathies are known to have been stronglywith his mother. He moped after her departure from Holdernesse Hall,and it was for this reason that the Duke desired to send him to myestablishment. In a fortnight the boy was quite at home with us, and wasapparently absolutely happy.
"He was last seen on the night of May 13th--that is, the night of lastMonday. His room was on the second floor, and was approached throughanother larger room in which two boys were sleeping. These boys saw andheard nothing, so that it is certain that young Saltire did not pass outthat way. His window was open, and there is a stout ivy plant leading tothe ground. We could trace no footmarks below, but it is sure that thisis the only possible exit.
"His absence was discovered at seven o'clock on Tuesday morning. His bedhad been slept in. He had dressed himself fully before going off in hisusual school suit of black Eton jacket and dark grey trousers. Therewere no signs that anyone had entered the room, and it is quite certainthat anything in the nature of cries, or a struggle, would have beenheard, since Caunter, the elder boy in the inner room, is a very lightsleeper.
"When Lord Saltire's disappearance was discovered I at once called aroll of the whole establishment, boys, masters, and servants. It wasthen that we ascertained that Lord Saltire had not been alone in hisflight. Heidegger, the German master, was missing. His room was on thesecond floor, at the farther end of the building, facing the same wayas Lord Saltire's. His bed had also been slept in; but he had apparentlygone away partly dressed, since his shirt and socks were lying on thefloor. He had undoubtedly let himself down by the ivy, for we could seethe marks of his feet where he had landed on the lawn. His bicycle waskept in a small shed beside this lawn, and it also was gone.
"He had been with me for two years, and came with the best references;but he was a silent, morose man, not very popular either with mastersor boys. No trace could be found of the fugitives, and now on Thursdaymorning we are as ignorant as we were on Tuesday. Inquiry was, ofcourse, made at once at Holdernesse Hall. It is only a few miles away,and we imagined that in some sudden attack of home-sickness he hadgone back to his father; but nothing had been heard of him. The Duke isgreatly agitated--and as to me, you have seen yourselves the state ofnervous prostration to which the suspense and the responsibility havereduced me. Mr. Holmes, if ever you put forward your full powers, Iimplore you to do so now, for never in your life
could you have a casewhich is more worthy of them."
Sherlock Holmes had listened with the utmost intentness to the statementof the unhappy schoolmaster. His drawn brows and the deep furrowbetween them showed that he needed no exhortation to concentrate allhis attention upon a problem which, apart from the tremendous interestsinvolved, must appeal so directly to his love of the complex and theunusual. He now drew out his note-book and jotted down one or twomemoranda.
"You have been very remiss in not coming to me sooner," said he,severely. "You start me on my investigation with a very serioushandicap. It is inconceivable, for example, that this ivy and this lawnwould have yielded nothing to an expert observer."
"I am not to blame, Mr. Holmes. His Grace was extremely desirous toavoid all public scandal. He was afraid of his family unhappiness beingdragged before the world. He has a deep horror of anything of the kind."
"But there has been some official investigation?"
"Yes, sir, and it has proved most disappointing. An apparent clue wasat once obtained, since a boy and a young man were reported to have beenseen leaving a neighbouring station by an early train. Only last nightwe had news that the couple had been hunted down in Liverpool, and theyprove to have no connection whatever with the matter in hand. Then itwas that in my despair and disappointment, after a sleepless night, Icame straight to you by the early train."
"I suppose the local investigation was relaxed while this false clue wasbeing followed up?"
"It was entirely dropped."
"So that three days have been wasted. The affair has been mostdeplorably handled."
"I feel it, and admit it."
"And yet the problem should be capable of ultimate solution. I shall bevery happy to look into it. Have you been able to trace any connectionbetween the missing boy and this German master?"
"None at all."
"Was he in the master's class?"
"No; he never exchanged a word with him so far as I know."
"That is certainly very singular. Had the boy a bicycle?"
"No."
"Was any other bicycle missing?"
"No."
"Is that certain?"
"Quite."
"Well, now, you do not mean to seriously suggest that this German rodeoff upon a bicycle in the dead of the night bearing the boy in hisarms?"
"Certainly not."
"Then what is the theory in your mind?"
"The bicycle may have been a blind. It may have been hidden somewhereand the pair gone off on foot."
"Quite so; but it seems rather an absurd blind, does it not? Were thereother bicycles in this shed?"
"Several."
"Would he not have hidden A COUPLE had he desired to give the idea thatthey had gone off upon them?"
"I suppose he would."
"Of course he would. The blind theory won't do. But the incident is anadmirable starting-point for an investigation. After all, a bicycleis not an easy thing to conceal or to destroy. One other question. Didanyone call to see the boy on the day before he disappeared?"
"No."
"Did he get any letters?"
"Yes; one letter."
"From whom?"
"From his father."
"Do you open the boys' letters?"
"No."
"How do you know it was from the father?"
"The coat of arms was on the envelope, and it was addressed in theDuke's peculiar stiff hand. Besides, the Duke remembers having written."
"When had he a letter before that?"
"Not for several days."
"Had he ever one from France?"
"No; never.
"You see the point of my questions, of course. Either the boy wascarried off by force or he went of his own free will. In the latter caseyou would expect that some prompting from outside would be needed tomake so young a lad do such a thing. If he has had no visitors, thatprompting must have come in letters. Hence I try to find out who werehis correspondents."
"I fear I cannot help you much. His only correspondent, so far as Iknow, was his own father."
"Who wrote to him on the very day of his disappearance. Were therelations between father and son very friendly?"
"His Grace is never very friendly with anyone. He is completely immersedin large public questions, and is rather inaccessible to all ordinaryemotions. But he was always kind to the boy in his own way."
"But the sympathies of the latter were with the mother?"
"Yes."
"Did he say so?"
"No."
"The Duke, then?"
"Good heavens, no!"
"Then how could you know?"
"I have had some confidential talks with Mr. James Wilder, his Grace'ssecretary. It was he who gave me the information about Lord Saltire'sfeelings."
"I see. By the way, that last letter of the Duke's--was it found in theboy's room after he was gone?"
"No; he had taken it with him. I think, Mr. Holmes, it is time that wewere leaving for Euston."
"I will order a four-wheeler. In a quarter of an hour we shall be atyour service. If you are telegraphing home, Mr. Huxtable, it wouldbe well to allow the people in your neighbourhood to imagine thatthe inquiry is still going on in Liverpool, or wherever else that redherring led your pack. In the meantime I will do a little quiet work atyour own doors, and perhaps the scent is not so cold but that two oldhounds like Watson and myself may get a sniff of it."
That evening found us in the cold, bracing atmosphere of the Peakcountry, in which Dr. Huxtable's famous school is situated. It wasalready dark when we reached it. A card was lying on the hall table,and the butler whispered something to his master, who turned to us withagitation in every heavy feature.
"The Duke is here," said he. "The Duke and Mr. Wilder are in the study.Come, gentlemen, and I will introduce you."
I was, of course, familiar with the pictures of the famous statesman,but the man himself was very different from his representation. He was atall and stately person, scrupulously dressed, with a drawn, thin face,and a nose which was grotesquely curved and long. His complexion wasof a dead pallor, which was more startling by contrast with a long,dwindling beard of vivid red, which flowed down over his whitewaistcoat, with his watch-chain gleaming through its fringe. Such wasthe stately presence who looked stonily at us from the centre ofDr. Huxtable's hearthrug. Beside him stood a very young man, whom Iunderstood to be Wilder, the private secretary. He was small, nervous,alert, with intelligent, light-blue eyes and mobile features. It was hewho at once, in an incisive and positive tone, opened the conversation.
"I called this morning, Dr. Huxtable, too late to prevent you fromstarting for London. I learned that your object was to invite Mr.Sherlock Holmes to undertake the conduct of this case. His Grace issurprised, Dr. Huxtable, that you should have taken such a step withoutconsulting him."
"When I learned that the police had failed----"
"His Grace is by no means convinced that the police have failed."
"But surely, Mr. Wilder----"
"You are well aware, Dr. Huxtable, that his Grace is particularlyanxious to avoid all public scandal. He prefers to take as few people aspossible into his confidence."
"The matter can be easily remedied," said the brow-beaten doctor; "Mr.Sherlock Holmes can return to London by the morning train."
"Hardly that, Doctor, hardly that," said Holmes, in his blandest voice."This northern air is invigorating and pleasant, so I propose to spend afew days upon your moors, and to occupy my mind as best I may. WhetherI have the shelter of your roof or of the village inn is, of course, foryou to decide."
I could see that the unfortunate doctor was in the last stage ofindecision, from which he was rescued by the deep, sonorous voice of thered-bearded Duke, which boomed out like a dinner-gong.
"I agree with Mr. Wilder, Dr. Huxtable, that you would have done wiselyto consult me. But since Mr. Holmes has already been taken into yourconfidence, it would indeed be absurd that we should not avail o
urselvesof his services. Far from going to the inn, Mr. Holmes, I should bepleased if you would come and stay with me at Holdernesse Hall."
"I thank your Grace. For the purposes of my investigation I think thatit would be wiser for me to remain at the scene of the mystery."
"Just as you like, Mr. Holmes. Any information which Mr. Wilder or I cangive you is, of course, at your disposal."
"It will probably be necessary for me to see you at the Hall," saidHolmes. "I would only ask you now, sir, whether you have formed anyexplanation in your own mind as to the mysterious disappearance of yourson?"
"No, sir, I have not."
"Excuse me if I allude to that which is painful to you, but I have noalternative. Do you think that the Duchess had anything to do with thematter?"
The great Minister showed perceptible hesitation.
"I do not think so," he said, at last.
"The other most obvious explanation is that the child has been kidnappedfor the purpose of levying ransom. You have not had any demand of thesort?"
"No, sir."
"One more question, your Grace. I understand that you wrote to your sonupon the day when this incident occurred."
"No; I wrote upon the day before."
"Exactly. But he received it on that day?"
"Yes."
"Was there anything in your letter which might have unbalanced him orinduced him to take such a step?"
"No, sir, certainly not."
"Did you post that letter yourself?"
The nobleman's reply was interrupted by his secretary, who broke in withsome heat.
"His Grace is not in the habit of posting letters himself," said he."This letter was laid with others upon the study table, and I myself putthem in the post-bag."
"You are sure this one was among them?"
"Yes; I observed it."
"How many letters did your Grace write that day?"
"Twenty or thirty. I have a large correspondence. But surely this issomewhat irrelevant?"
"Not entirely," said Holmes.
"For my own part," the Duke continued, "I have advised the police toturn their attention to the South of France. I have already said that Ido not believe that the Duchess would encourage so monstrous an action,but the lad had the most wrong-headed opinions, and it is possible thathe may have fled to her, aided and abetted by this German. I think, Dr.Huxtable, that we will now return to the Hall."
I could see that there were other questions which Holmes would havewished to put; but the nobleman's abrupt manner showed that theinterview was at an end. It was evident that to his intenselyaristocratic nature this discussion of his intimate family affairswith a stranger was most abhorrent, and that he feared lest everyfresh question would throw a fiercer light into the discreetly shadowedcorners of his ducal history.
When the nobleman and his secretary had left, my friend flung himself atonce with characteristic eagerness into the investigation.
The boy's chamber was carefully examined, and yielded nothing save theabsolute conviction that it was only through the window that he couldhave escaped. The German master's room and effects gave no further clue.In his case a trailer of ivy had given way under his weight, and we sawby the light of a lantern the mark on the lawn where his heels hadcome down. That one dint in the short green grass was the only materialwitness left of this inexplicable nocturnal flight.
Sherlock Holmes left the house alone, and only returned after eleven.He had obtained a large ordnance map of the neighbourhood, and thishe brought into my room, where he laid it out on the bed, and, havingbalanced the lamp in the middle of it, he began to smoke over it, andoccasionally to point out objects of interest with the reeking amber ofhis pipe.
"This case grows upon me, Watson," said he. "There are decidedly somepoints of interest in connection with it. In this early stage I want youto realize those geographical features which may have a good deal to dowith our investigation.
GRAPHIC
"Look at this map. This dark square is the Priory School. I'll put a pinin it. Now, this line is the main road. You see that it runs east andwest past the school, and you see also that there is no side road fora mile either way. If these two folk passed away by road it was THISroad."
"Exactly."
"By a singular and happy chance we are able to some extent to checkwhat passed along this road during the night in question. At this point,where my pipe is now resting, a country constable was on duty fromtwelve to six. It is, as you perceive, the first cross road on the eastside. This man declares that he was not absent from his post for aninstant, and he is positive that neither boy nor man could have gonethat way unseen. I have spoken with this policeman to-night, and heappears to me to be a perfectly reliable person. That blocks this end.We have now to deal with the other. There is an inn here, the Red Bull,the landlady of which was ill. She had sent to Mackleton for a doctor,but he did not arrive until morning, being absent at another case. Thepeople at the inn were alert all night, awaiting his coming, and one orother of them seems to have continually had an eye upon the road. Theydeclare that no one passed. If their evidence is good, then we arefortunate enough to be able to block the west, and also to be able tosay that the fugitives did NOT use the road at all."
"But the bicycle?" I objected.
"Quite so. We will come to the bicycle presently. To continue ourreasoning: if these people did not go by the road, they must havetraversed the country to the north of the house or to the south of thehouse. That is certain. Let us weigh the one against the other. On thesouth of the house is, as you perceive, a large district of arable land,cut up into small fields, with stone walls between them. There, I admitthat a bicycle is impossible. We can dismiss the idea. We turn to thecountry on the north. Here there lies a grove of trees, marked as the'Ragged Shaw,' and on the farther side stretches a great rolling moor,Lower Gill Moor, extending for ten miles and sloping gradually upwards.Here, at one side of this wilderness, is Holdernesse Hall, ten miles byroad, but only six across the moor. It is a peculiarly desolate plain. Afew moor farmers have small holdings, where they rear sheep and cattle.Except these, the plover and the curlew are the only inhabitants untilyou come to the Chesterfield high road. There is a church there,you see, a few cottages, and an inn. Beyond that the hills becomeprecipitous. Surely it is here to the north that our quest must lie."
"But the bicycle?" I persisted.
"Well, well!" said Holmes, impatiently. "A good cyclist does not needa high road. The moor is intersected with paths and the moon was at thefull. Halloa! what is this?"
There was an agitated knock at the door, and an instant afterwards Dr.Huxtable was in the room. In his hand he held a blue cricket-cap, with awhite chevron on the peak.
"At last we have a clue!" he cried. "Thank Heaven! at last we are on thedear boy's track! It is his cap."
"Where was it found?"
"In the van of the gipsies who camped on the moor. They left on Tuesday.To-day the police traced them down and examined their caravan. This wasfound."
"How do they account for it?"
"They shuffled and lied--said that they found it on the moor on Tuesdaymorning. They know where he is, the rascals! Thank goodness, they areall safe under lock and key. Either the fear of the law or the Duke'spurse will certainly get out of them all that they know."
"So far, so good," said Holmes, when the doctor had at last left theroom. "It at least bears out the theory that it is on the side of theLower Gill Moor that we must hope for results. The police have reallydone nothing locally, save the arrest of these gipsies. Look here,Watson! There is a watercourse across the moor. You see it marked herein the map. In some parts it widens into a morass. This is particularlyso in the region between Holdernesse Hall and the school. It is vain tolook elsewhere for tracks in this dry weather; but at THAT point thereis certainly a chance of some record being left. I will call you earlyto-morrow morning, and you and I will try if we can throw some littlelight upon the mystery."
The d
ay was just breaking when I woke to find the long, thin form ofHolmes by my bedside. He was fully dressed, and had apparently alreadybeen out.
"I have done the lawn and the bicycle shed," said he. "I have also had aramble through the Ragged Shaw. Now, Watson, there is cocoa ready in thenext room. I must beg you to hurry, for we have a great day before us."
His eyes shone, and his cheek was flushed with the exhilaration of themaster workman who sees his work lie ready before him. A very differentHolmes, this active, alert man, from the introspective and palliddreamer of Baker Street. I felt, as I looked upon that supple figure,alive with nervous energy, that it was indeed a strenuous day thatawaited us.
And yet it opened in the blackest disappointment. With high hopes westruck across the peaty, russet moor, intersected with a thousand sheeppaths, until we came to the broad, light-green belt which marked themorass between us and Holdernesse. Certainly, if the lad had gonehomewards, he must have passed this, and he could not pass it withoutleaving his traces. But no sign of him or the German could be seen. Witha darkening face my friend strode along the margin, eagerly observantof every muddy stain upon the mossy surface. Sheep-marks there werein profusion, and at one place, some miles down, cows had left theirtracks. Nothing more.
"Check number one," said Holmes, looking gloomily over the rollingexpanse of the moor. "There is another morass down yonder and a narrowneck between. Halloa! halloa! halloa! what have we here?"
We had come on a small black ribbon of pathway. In the middle of it,clearly marked on the sodden soil, was the track of a bicycle.
"Hurrah!" I cried. "We have it."
But Holmes was shaking his head, and his face was puzzled and expectantrather than joyous.
"A bicycle, certainly, but not THE bicycle," said he. "I am familiarwith forty-two different impressions left by tyres. This, as youperceive, is a Dunlop, with a patch upon the outer cover. Heidegger'styres were Palmer's, leaving longitudinal stripes. Aveling, themathematical master, was sure upon the point. Therefore, it is notHeidegger's track."
"The boy's, then?"
"Possibly, if we could prove a bicycle to have been in his possession.But this we have utterly failed to do. This track, as you perceive, wasmade by a rider who was going from the direction of the school."
"Or towards it?"
"No, no, my dear Watson. The more deeply sunk impression is, of course,the hind wheel, upon which the weight rests. You perceive several placeswhere it has passed across and obliterated the more shallow mark of thefront one. It was undoubtedly heading away from the school. It may ormay not be connected with our inquiry, but we will follow it backwardsbefore we go any farther."
We did so, and at the end of a few hundred yards lost the tracks aswe emerged from the boggy portion of the moor. Following the pathbackwards, we picked out another spot, where a spring trickled acrossit. Here, once again, was the mark of the bicycle, though nearlyobliterated by the hoofs of cows. After that there was no sign, butthe path ran right on into Ragged Shaw, the wood which backed on to theschool. From this wood the cycle must have emerged. Holmes sat down ona boulder and rested his chin in his hands. I had smoked two cigarettesbefore he moved.
"Well, well," said he, at last. "It is, of course, possible that acunning man might change the tyre of his bicycle in order to leaveunfamiliar tracks. A criminal who was capable of such a thought is a manwhom I should be proud to do business with. We will leave this questionundecided and hark back to our morass again, for we have left a gooddeal unexplored."
We continued our systematic survey of the edge of the sodden portionof the moor, and soon our perseverance was gloriously rewarded. Rightacross the lower part of the bog lay a miry path. Holmes gave a cryof delight as he approached it. An impression like a fine bundle oftelegraph wires ran down the centre of it. It was the Palmer tyre.
"Here is Herr Heidegger, sure enough!" cried Holmes, exultantly. "Myreasoning seems to have been pretty sound, Watson."
"I congratulate you."
"But we have a long way still to go. Kindly walk clear of the path. Nowlet us follow the trail. I fear that it will not lead very far."
We found, however, as we advanced that this portion of the moor isintersected with soft patches, and, though we frequently lost sight ofthe track, we always succeeded in picking it up once more.
"Do you observe," said Holmes, "that the rider is now undoubtedlyforcing the pace? There can be no doubt of it. Look at this impression,where you get both tyres clear. The one is as deep as the other.That can only mean that the rider is throwing his weight on to thehandle-bar, as a man does when he is sprinting. By Jove! he has had afall."
There was a broad, irregular smudge covering some yards of the track.Then there were a few footmarks, and the tyre reappeared once more.
"A side-slip," I suggested.
Holmes held up a crumpled branch of flowering gorse. To my horror Iperceived that the yellow blossoms were all dabbled with crimson. On thepath, too, and among the heather were dark stains of clotted blood.
"Bad!" said Holmes. "Bad! Stand clear, Watson! Not an unnecessaryfootstep! What do I read here? He fell wounded, he stood up, heremounted, he proceeded. But there is no other track. Cattle on thisside path. He was surely not gored by a bull? Impossible! But I see notraces of anyone else. We must push on, Watson. Surely with stains aswell as the track to guide us he cannot escape us now."
Our search was not a very long one. The tracks of the tyre began tocurve fantastically upon the wet and shining path. Suddenly, as Ilooked ahead, the gleam of metal caught my eye from amid the thick gorsebushes. Out of them we dragged a bicycle, Palmer-tyred, one pedal bent,and the whole front of it horribly smeared and slobbered with blood. Onthe other side of the bushes a shoe was projecting. We ran round, andthere lay the unfortunate rider. He was a tall man, full bearded, withspectacles, one glass of which had been knocked out. The cause of hisdeath was a frightful blow upon the head, which had crushed in part ofhis skull. That he could have gone on after receiving such an injurysaid much for the vitality and courage of the man. He wore shoes, butno socks, and his open coat disclosed a night-shirt beneath it. It wasundoubtedly the German master.
Holmes turned the body over reverently, and examined it with greatattention. He then sat in deep thought for a time, and I could seeby his ruffled brow that this grim discovery had not, in his opinion,advanced us much in our inquiry.
"It is a little difficult to know what to do, Watson," said he, at last."My own inclinations are to push this inquiry on, for we have alreadylost so much time that we cannot afford to waste another hour. On theother hand, we are bound to inform the police of the discovery, and tosee that this poor fellow's body is looked after."
"I could take a note back."
"But I need your company and assistance. Wait a bit! There is a fellowcutting peat up yonder. Bring him over here, and he will guide thepolice."
I brought the peasant across, and Holmes dispatched the frightened manwith a note to Dr. Huxtable.
"Now, Watson," said he, "we have picked up two clues this morning. Oneis the bicycle with the Palmer tyre, and we see what that has led to.The other is the bicycle with the patched Dunlop. Before we start toinvestigate that, let us try to realize what we DO know so as to makethe most of it, and to separate the essential from the accidental."
"First of all I wish to impress upon you that the boy certainly left ofhis own free will. He got down from his window and he went off, eitheralone or with someone. That is sure."
I assented.
"Well, now, let us turn to this unfortunate German master. The boy wasfully dressed when he fled. Therefore, he foresaw what he would do.But the German went without his socks. He certainly acted on very shortnotice."
"Undoubtedly."
"Why did he go? Because, from his bedroom window, he saw the flight ofthe boy. Because he wished to overtake him and bring him back. He seizedhis bicycle, pursued the lad, and in pursuing him met his death."
"So it would
seem."
"Now I come to the critical part of my argument. The natural action ofa man in pursuing a little boy would be to run after him. He would knowthat he could overtake him. But the German does not do so. He turns tohis bicycle. I am told that he was an excellent cyclist. He would not dothis if he did not see that the boy had some swift means of escape."
"The other bicycle."
"Let us continue our reconstruction. He meets his death five milesfrom the school--not by a bullet, mark you, which even a lad mightconceivably discharge, but by a savage blow dealt by a vigorous arm.The lad, then, HAD a companion in his flight. And the flight was a swiftone, since it took five miles before an expert cyclist could overtakethem. Yet we survey the ground round the scene of the tragedy. What dowe find? A few cattle tracks, nothing more. I took a wide sweep round,and there is no path within fifty yards. Another cyclist could havehad nothing to do with the actual murder. Nor were there any humanfootmarks."
"Holmes," I cried, "this is impossible."
"Admirable!" he said. "A most illuminating remark. It IS impossible as Istate it, and therefore I must in some respect have stated it wrong. Yetyou saw for yourself. Can you suggest any fallacy?"
"He could not have fractured his skull in a fall?"
"In a morass, Watson?"
"I am at my wit's end."
"Tut, tut; we have solved some worse problems. At least we have plentyof material, if we can only use it. Come, then, and, having exhaustedthe Palmer, let us see what the Dunlop with the patched cover has tooffer us."
We picked up the track and followed it onwards for some distance; butsoon the moor rose into a long, heather-tufted curve, and we left thewatercourse behind us. No further help from tracks could be hoped for.At the spot where we saw the last of the Dunlop tyre it might equallyhave led to Holdernesse Hall, the stately towers of which rose somemiles to our left, or to a low, grey village which lay in front of us,and marked the position of the Chesterfield high road.
As we approached the forbidding and squalid inn, with the sign of agame-cock above the door, Holmes gave a sudden groan and clutched meby the shoulder to save himself from falling. He had had one of thoseviolent strains of the ankle which leave a man helpless. With difficultyhe limped up to the door, where a squat, dark, elderly man was smoking ablack clay pipe.
"How are you, Mr. Reuben Hayes?" said Holmes.
"Who are you, and how do you get my name so pat?" the countrymananswered, with a suspicious flash of a pair of cunning eyes.
"Well, it's printed on the board above your head. It's easy to see a manwho is master of his own house. I suppose you haven't such a thing as acarriage in your stables?"
"No; I have not."
"I can hardly put my foot to the ground."
"Don't put it to the ground."
"But I can't walk."
"Well, then, hop."
Mr. Reuben Hayes's manner was far from gracious, but Holmes took it withadmirable good-humour.
"Look here, my man," said he. "This is really rather an awkward fix forme. I don't mind how I get on."
"Neither do I," said the morose landlord.
"The matter is very important. I would offer you a sovereign for the useof a bicycle."
The landlord pricked up his ears.
"Where do you want to go?"
"To Holdernesse Hall."
"Pals of the Dook, I suppose?" said the landlord, surveying ourmud-stained garments with ironical eyes.
Holmes laughed good-naturedly.
"He'll be glad to see us, anyhow."
"Why?"
"Because we bring him news of his lost son."
The landlord gave a very visible start.
"What, you're on his track?"
"He has been heard of in Liverpool. They expect to get him every hour."
Again a swift change passed over the heavy, unshaven face. His mannerwas suddenly genial.
"I've less reason to wish the Dook well than most men," said he, "for Iwas his head coachman once, and cruel bad he treated me. It was him thatsacked me without a character on the word of a lying corn-chandler. ButI'm glad to hear that the young lord was heard of in Liverpool, and I'llhelp you to take the news to the Hall."
"Thank you," said Holmes. "We'll have some food first. Then you canbring round the bicycle."
"I haven't got a bicycle."
Holmes held up a sovereign.
"I tell you, man, that I haven't got one. I'll let you have two horsesas far as the Hall."
"Well, well," said Holmes, "we'll talk about it when we've had somethingto eat."
When we were left alone in the stone-flagged kitchen it was astonishinghow rapidly that sprained ankle recovered. It was nearly nightfall, andwe had eaten nothing since early morning, so that we spent some timeover our meal. Holmes was lost in thought, and once or twice he walkedover to the window and stared earnestly out. It opened on to a squalidcourtyard. In the far corner was a smithy, where a grimy lad was atwork. On the other side were the stables. Holmes had sat down againafter one of these excursions, when he suddenly sprang out of his chairwith a loud exclamation.
"By Heaven, Watson, I believe that I've got it!" he cried. "Yes, yes, itmust be so. Watson, do you remember seeing any cow-tracks to-day?"
"Yes, several."
"Where?"
"Well, everywhere. They were at the morass, and again on the path, andagain near where poor Heidegger met his death."
"Exactly. Well, now, Watson, how many cows did you see on the moor?"
"I don't remember seeing any."
"Strange, Watson, that we should see tracks all along our line, butnever a cow on the whole moor; very strange, Watson, eh?"
"Yes, it is strange."
"Now, Watson, make an effort; throw your mind back! Can you see thosetracks upon the path?"
"Yes, I can."
"Can you recall that the tracks were sometimes like that, Watson"--hearranged a number of bread-crumbs in this fashion--:::::--"and sometimeslike this"--:.:.:.:. --"and occasionally like this"--. '. '. '. "Can youremember that?"
"No, I cannot."
"But I can. I could swear to it. However, we will go back at ourleisure and verify it. What a blind beetle I have been not to draw myconclusion!"
"And what is your conclusion?"
"Only that it is a remarkable cow which walks, canters, and gallops. ByGeorge, Watson, it was no brain of a country publican that thought outsuch a blind as that! The coast seems to be clear, save for that lad inthe smithy. Let us slip out and see what we can see."
There were two rough-haired, unkempt horses in the tumble-down stable.Holmes raised the hind leg of one of them and laughed aloud.
"Old shoes, but newly shod--old shoes, but new nails. This case deservesto be a classic. Let us go across to the smithy."
The lad continued his work without regarding us. I saw Holmes's eyedarting to right and left among the litter of iron and wood which wasscattered about the floor. Suddenly, however, we heard a step behindus, and there was the landlord, his heavy eyebrows drawn over his savageeyes, his swarthy features convulsed with passion. He held a short,metal-headed stick in his hand, and he advanced in so menacing a fashionthat I was right glad to feel the revolver in my pocket.
"You infernal spies!" the man cried. "What are you doing there?"
"Why, Mr. Reuben Hayes," said Holmes, coolly, "one might think that youwere afraid of our finding something out."
The man mastered himself with a violent effort, and his grim mouthloosened into a false laugh, which was more menacing than his frown.
"You're welcome to all you can find out in my smithy," said he. "Butlook here, mister, I don't care for folk poking about my place withoutmy leave, so the sooner you pay your score and get out of this thebetter I shall be pleased."
"All right, Mr. Hayes--no harm meant," said Holmes. "We have been havinga look at your horses, but I think I'll walk after all. It's not far, Ibelieve."
"Not more than two miles to the Hall gates. Th
at's the road to theleft." He watched us with sullen eyes until we had left his premises.
We did not go very far along the road, for Holmes stopped the instantthat the curve hid us from the landlord's view.
"We were warm, as the children say, at that inn," said he. "I seemto grow colder every step that I take away from it. No, no; I can'tpossibly leave it."
"I am convinced," said I, "that this Reuben Hayes knows all about it. Amore self-evident villain I never saw."
"Oh! he impressed you in that way, did he? There are the horses, thereis the smithy. Yes, it is an interesting place, this Fighting Cock. Ithink we shall have another look at it in an unobtrusive way."
A long, sloping hillside, dotted with grey limestone boulders, stretchedbehind us. We had turned off the road, and were making our way upthe hill, when, looking in the direction of Holdernesse Hall, I saw acyclist coming swiftly along.
"Get down, Watson!" cried Holmes, with a heavy hand upon my shoulder. Wehad hardly sunk from view when the man flew past us on the road. Amida rolling cloud of dust I caught a glimpse of a pale, agitated face--aface with horror in every lineament, the mouth open, the eyes staringwildly in front. It was like some strange caricature of the dapper JamesWilder whom we had seen the night before.
"The Duke's secretary!" cried Holmes. "Come, Watson, let us see what hedoes."
We scrambled from rock to rock until in a few moments we had madeour way to a point from which we could see the front door of the inn.Wilder's bicycle was leaning against the wall beside it. No one wasmoving about the house, nor could we catch a glimpse of any faces at thewindows. Slowly the twilight crept down as the sun sank behind the hightowers of Holdernesse Hall. Then in the gloom we saw the two side-lampsof a trap light up in the stable yard of the inn, and shortly afterwardsheard the rattle of hoofs, as it wheeled out into the road and tore offat a furious pace in the direction of Chesterfield.
"What do you make of that, Watson?" Holmes whispered.
"It looks like a flight."
"A single man in a dog-cart, so far as I could see. Well, it certainlywas not Mr. James Wilder, for there he is at the door."
A red square of light had sprung out of the darkness. In the middle ofit was the black figure of the secretary, his head advanced, peering outinto the night. It was evident that he was expecting someone. Then atlast there were steps in the road, a second figure was visible for aninstant against the light, the door shut, and all was black once more.Five minutes later a lamp was lit in a room upon the first floor.
"It seems to be a curious class of custom that is done by the FightingCock," said Holmes.
"The bar is on the other side."
"Quite so. These are what one may call the private guests. Now, what inthe world is Mr. James Wilder doing in that den at this hour of night,and who is the companion who comes to meet him there? Come, Watson,we must really take a risk and try to investigate this a little moreclosely."
Together we stole down to the road and crept across to the door of theinn. The bicycle still leaned against the wall. Holmes struck a matchand held it to the back wheel, and I heard him chuckle as the light fellupon a patched Dunlop tyre. Up above us was the lighted window.
"I must have a peep through that, Watson. If you bend your back andsupport yourself upon the wall, I think that I can manage."
An instant later his feet were on my shoulders. But he was hardly upbefore he was down again.
"Come, my friend," said he, "our day's work has been quite long enough.I think that we have gathered all that we can. It's a long walk to theschool, and the sooner we get started the better."
He hardly opened his lips during that weary trudge across the moor, norwould he enter the school when he reached it, but went on to MackletonStation, whence he could send some telegrams. Late at night I heard himconsoling Dr. Huxtable, prostrated by the tragedy of his master's death,and later still he entered my room as alert and vigorous as he had beenwhen he started in the morning. "All goes well, my friend," said he. "Ipromise that before to-morrow evening we shall have reached the solutionof the mystery."
At eleven o'clock next morning my friend and I were walking up thefamous yew avenue of Holdernesse Hall. We were ushered through themagnificent Elizabethan doorway and into his Grace's study. There wefound Mr. James Wilder, demure and courtly, but with some trace of thatwild terror of the night before still lurking in his furtive eyes and inhis twitching features.
"You have come to see his Grace? I am sorry; but the fact is that theDuke is far from well. He has been very much upset by the tragic news.We received a telegram from Dr. Huxtable yesterday afternoon, which toldus of your discovery."
"I must see the Duke, Mr. Wilder."
"But he is in his room."
"Then I must go to his room."
"I believe he is in his bed."
"I will see him there."
Holmes's cold and inexorable manner showed the secretary that it wasuseless to argue with him.
"Very good, Mr. Holmes; I will tell him that you are here."
After half an hour's delay the great nobleman appeared. His face wasmore cadaverous than ever, his shoulders had rounded, and he seemed tome to be an altogether older man than he had been the morning before. Hegreeted us with a stately courtesy and seated himself at his desk, hisred beard streaming down on to the table.
"Well, Mr. Holmes?" said he.
But my friend's eyes were fixed upon the secretary, who stood by hismaster's chair.
"I think, your Grace, that I could speak more freely in Mr. Wilder'sabsence."
The man turned a shade paler and cast a malignant glance at Holmes.
"If your Grace wishes----"
"Yes, yes; you had better go. Now, Mr. Holmes, what have you to say?"
My friend waited until the door had closed behind the retreatingsecretary.
"The fact is, your Grace," said he, "that my colleague, Dr. Watson, andmyself had an assurance from Dr. Huxtable that a reward had been offeredin this case. I should like to have this confirmed from your own lips."
"Certainly, Mr. Holmes."
"It amounted, if I am correctly informed, to five thousand pounds toanyone who will tell you where your son is?"
"Exactly."
"And another thousand to the man who will name the person or persons whokeep him in custody?"
"Exactly."
"Under the latter heading is included, no doubt, not only those whomay have taken him away, but also those who conspire to keep him in hispresent position?"
"Yes, yes," cried the Duke, impatiently. "If you do your work well,Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you will have no reason to complain of niggardlytreatment."
My friend rubbed his thin hands together with an appearance of aviditywhich was a surprise to me, who knew his frugal tastes.
"I fancy that I see your Grace's cheque-book upon the table," said he."I should be glad if you would make me out a cheque for six thousandpounds. It would be as well, perhaps, for you to cross it. The Capitaland Counties Bank, Oxford Street branch, are my agents."
His Grace sat very stern and upright in his chair, and looked stonily atmy friend.
"Is this a joke, Mr. Holmes? It is hardly a subject for pleasantry."
"Not at all, your Grace. I was never more earnest in my life."
"What do you mean, then?"
"I mean that I have earned the reward. I know where your son is, and Iknow some, at least, of those who are holding him."
The Duke's beard had turned more aggressively red than ever against hisghastly white face.
"Where is he?" he gasped.
"He is, or was last night, at the Fighting Cock Inn, about two milesfrom your park gate."
The Duke fell back in his chair.
"And whom do you accuse?"
Sherlock Holmes's answer was an astounding one. He stepped swiftlyforward and touched the Duke upon the shoulder.
"I accuse YOU," said he. "And now, your Grace, I'll trouble you for thatcheque."
&
nbsp; Never shall I forget the Duke's appearance as he sprang up and clawedwith his hands like one who is sinking into an abyss. Then, with anextraordinary effort of aristocratic self-command, he sat down and sankhis face in his hands. It was some minutes before he spoke.
"How much do you know?" he asked at last, without raising his head.
"I saw you together last night."
"Does anyone else besides your friend know?"
"I have spoken to no one."
The Duke took a pen in his quivering fingers and opened his cheque-book.
"I shall be as good as my word, Mr. Holmes. I am about to write yourcheque, however unwelcome the information which you have gained may beto me. When the offer was first made I little thought the turn whichevents might take. But you and your friend are men of discretion, Mr.Holmes?"
"I hardly understand your Grace."
"I must put it plainly, Mr. Holmes. If only you two know of thisincident, there is no reason why it should go any farther. I thinktwelve thousand pounds is the sum that I owe you, is it not?"
But Holmes smiled and shook his head.
"I fear, your Grace, that matters can hardly be arranged so easily.There is the death of this schoolmaster to be accounted for."
"But James knew nothing of that. You cannot hold him responsible forthat. It was the work of this brutal ruffian whom he had the misfortuneto employ."
"I must take the view, your Grace, that when a man embarks upon a crimehe is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it."
"Morally, Mr. Holmes. No doubt you are right. But surely not in the eyesof the law. A man cannot be condemned for a murder at which he was notpresent, and which he loathes and abhors as much as you do. The instantthat he heard of it he made a complete confession to me, so filled washe with horror and remorse. He lost not an hour in breaking entirelywith the murderer. Oh, Mr. Holmes, you must save him--you must savehim! I tell you that you must save him!" The Duke had dropped the lastattempt at self-command, and was pacing the room with a convulsed faceand with his clenched hands raving in the air. At last he masteredhimself and sat down once more at his desk. "I appreciate your conductin coming here before you spoke to anyone else," said he. "At least, wemay take counsel how far we can minimize this hideous scandal."
"Exactly," said Holmes. "I think, your Grace, that this can only be doneby absolute and complete frankness between us. I am disposed to helpyour Grace to the best of my ability; but in order to do so I mustunderstand to the last detail how the matter stands. I realize that yourwords applied to Mr. James Wilder, and that he is not the murderer."
"No; the murderer has escaped."
Sherlock Holmes smiled demurely.
"Your Grace can hardly have heard of any small reputation which Ipossess, or you would not imagine that it is so easy to escape me. Mr.Reuben Hayes was arrested at Chesterfield on my information at eleveno'clock last night. I had a telegram from the head of the local policebefore I left the school this morning."
The Duke leaned back in his chair and stared with amazement at myfriend.
"You seem to have powers that are hardly human," said he. "So ReubenHayes is taken? I am right glad to hear it, if it will not react uponthe fate of James."
"Your secretary?"
"No, sir; my son."
It was Holmes's turn to look astonished.
"I confess that this is entirely new to me, your Grace. I must beg youto be more explicit."
"I will conceal nothing from you. I agree with you that completefrankness, however painful it may be to me, is the best policy in thisdesperate situation to which James's folly and jealousy have reducedus. When I was a very young man, Mr. Holmes, I loved with such a loveas comes only once in a lifetime. I offered the lady marriage, but sherefused it on the grounds that such a match might mar my career. Had shelived I would certainly never have married anyone else. She died, andleft this one child, whom for her sake I have cherished and cared for.I could not acknowledge the paternity to the world; but I gave him thebest of educations, and since he came to manhood I have kept him nearmy person. He surprised my secret, and has presumed ever since upon theclaim which he has upon me and upon his power of provoking a scandal,which would be abhorrent to me. His presence had something to dowith the unhappy issue of my marriage. Above all, he hated my younglegitimate heir from the first with a persistent hatred. You may wellask me why, under these circumstances, I still kept James under my roof.I answer that it was because I could see his mother's face in his, andthat for her dear sake there was no end to my long-suffering. All herpretty ways, too--there was not one of them which he could not suggestand bring back to my memory. I COULD not send him away. But I feared somuch lest he should do Arthur--that is, Lord Saltire--a mischief that Idispatched him for safety to Dr. Huxtable's school.
"James came into contact with this fellow Hayes because the man was atenant of mine, and James acted as agent. The fellow was a rascal fromthe beginning; but in some extraordinary way James became intimate withhim. He had always a taste for low company. When James determinedto kidnap Lord Saltire it was of this man's service that he availedhimself. You remember that I wrote to Arthur upon that last day. Well,James opened the letter and inserted a note asking Arthur to meet himin a little wood called the Ragged Shaw, which is near to the school.He used the Duchess's name, and in that way got the boy to come. Thatevening James bicycled over--I am telling you what he has himselfconfessed to me--and he told Arthur, whom he met in the wood, that hismother longed to see him, that she was awaiting him on the moor, andthat if he would come back into the wood at midnight he would find a manwith a horse, who would take him to her. Poor Arthur fell into the trap.He came to the appointment and found this fellow Hayes with a led pony.Arthur mounted, and they set off together. It appears--though this Jamesonly heard yesterday--that they were pursued, that Hayes struck thepursuer with his stick, and that the man died of his injuries. Hayesbrought Arthur to his public-house, the Fighting Cock, where he wasconfined in an upper room, under the care of Mrs. Hayes, who is a kindlywoman, but entirely under the control of her brutal husband.
"Well, Mr. Holmes, that was the state of affairs when I first saw youtwo days ago. I had no more idea of the truth than you. You will ask mewhat was James's motive in doing such a deed. I answer that there wasa great deal which was unreasoning and fanatical in the hatred whichhe bore my heir. In his view he should himself have been heir of allmy estates, and he deeply resented those social laws which made itimpossible. At the same time he had a definite motive also. He was eagerthat I should break the entail, and he was of opinion that it lay in mypower to do so. He intended to make a bargain with me--to restore Arthurif I would break the entail, and so make it possible for the estateto be left to him by will. He knew well that I should never willinglyinvoke the aid of the police against him. I say that he would haveproposed such a bargain to me, but he did not actually do so, for eventsmoved too quickly for him, and he had not time to put his plans intopractice.
"What brought all his wicked scheme to wreck was your discovery of thisman Heidegger's dead body. James was seized with horror at the news. Itcame to us yesterday as we sat together in this study. Dr. Huxtable hadsent a telegram. James was so overwhelmed with grief and agitation thatmy suspicions, which had never been entirely absent, rose instantly toa certainty, and I taxed him with the deed. He made a complete voluntaryconfession. Then he implored me to keep his secret for three dayslonger, so as to give his wretched accomplice a chance of saving hisguilty life. I yielded--as I have always yielded--to his prayers, andinstantly James hurried off to the Fighting Cock to warn Hayes andgive him the means of flight. I could not go there by daylight withoutprovoking comment, but as soon as night fell I hurried off to see mydear Arthur. I found him safe and well, but horrified beyond expressionby the dreadful deed he had witnessed. In deference to my promise, andmuch against my will, I consented to leave him there for three daysunder the charge of Mrs. Hayes, since it was evident that it wasimpossible to i
nform the police where he was without telling them alsowho was the murderer, and I could not see how that murderer could bepunished without ruin to my unfortunate James. You asked for frankness,Mr. Holmes, and I have taken you at your word, for I have now told youeverything without an attempt at circumlocution or concealment. Do youin turn be as frank with me."
"I will," said Holmes. "In the first place, your Grace, I am bound totell you that you have placed yourself in a most serious position inthe eyes of the law. You have condoned a felony and you have aided theescape of a murderer; for I cannot doubt that any money which was takenby James Wilder to aid his accomplice in his flight came from yourGrace's purse."
The Duke bowed his assent.
"This is indeed a most serious matter. Even more culpable in my opinion,your Grace, is your attitude towards your younger son. You leave him inthis den for three days."
"Under solemn promises----"
"What are promises to such people as these? You have no guarantee thathe will not be spirited away again. To humour your guilty elder sonyou have exposed your innocent younger son to imminent and unnecessarydanger. It was a most unjustifiable action."
The proud lord of Holdernesse was not accustomed to be so rated inhis own ducal hall. The blood flushed into his high forehead, but hisconscience held him dumb.
"I will help you, but on one condition only. It is that you ring for thefootman and let me give such orders as I like."
Without a word the Duke pressed the electric bell. A servant entered.
"You will be glad to hear," said Holmes, "that your young master isfound. It is the Duke's desire that the carriage shall go at once to theFighting Cock Inn to bring Lord Saltire home.
"Now," said Holmes, when the rejoicing lackey had disappeared, "havingsecured the future, we can afford to be more lenient with the past. I amnot in an official position, and there is no reason, so long as theends of justice are served, why I should disclose all that I know. As toHayes I say nothing. The gallows awaits him, and I would do nothingto save him from it. What he will divulge I cannot tell, but I haveno doubt that your Grace could make him understand that it is to hisinterest to be silent. From the police point of view he will havekidnapped the boy for the purpose of ransom. If they do not themselvesfind it out I see no reason why I should prompt them to take a broaderpoint of view. I would warn your Grace, however, that the continuedpresence of Mr. James Wilder in your household can only lead tomisfortune."
"I understand that, Mr. Holmes, and it is already settled that he shallleave me for ever and go to seek his fortune in Australia."
"In that case, your Grace, since you have yourself stated that anyunhappiness in your married life was caused by his presence, I wouldsuggest that you make such amends as you can to the Duchess, andthat you try to resume those relations which have been so unhappilyinterrupted."
"That also I have arranged, Mr. Holmes. I wrote to the Duchess thismorning."
"In that case," said Holmes, rising, "I think that my friend and I cancongratulate ourselves upon several most happy results from our littlevisit to the North. There is one other small point upon which I desiresome light. This fellow Hayes had shod his horses with shoes whichcounterfeited the tracks of cows. Was it from Mr. Wilder that he learnedso extraordinary a device?"
The Duke stood in thought for a moment, with a look of intense surpriseon his face. Then he opened a door and showed us into a large roomfurnished as a museum. He led the way to a glass case in a corner, andpointed to the inscription.
"These shoes," it ran, "were dug up in the moat of Holdernesse Hall.They are for the use of horses; but they are shaped below with a clovenfoot of iron, so as to throw pursuers off the track. They are supposedto have belonged to some of the marauding Barons of Holdernesse in theMiddle Ages."
Holmes opened the case, and moistening his finger he passed it along theshoe. A thin film of recent mud was left upon his skin.
"Thank you," said he, as he replaced the glass. "It is the second mostinteresting object that I have seen in the North."
"And the first?"
Holmes folded up his cheque and placed it carefully in his note-book."I am a poor man," said he, as he patted it affectionately and thrust itinto the depths of his inner pocket.
*****
THE STRAND MAGAZINE Vol. 27 MARCH, 1904 THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. By ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes Page 5
