The Adventure of the Priory School

Arthur Conan Doyle

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W e have had some dramatic entrances and
exits upon our small stage at Baker Street,
but I cannot recollect anything more sud-
den and startling than the first appearance
of Thorneycroft Huxtable, M.A., Ph.D., etc. His card,
which seemed too small to carry the weight of his aca-
demic distinctions, preceded him by a few seconds,
“My colleague, Dr. Watson, could tell you that we
are very busy at present. I am retained in this case of
the Ferrers Documents, and the Abergavenny murder
is coming up for trial. Only a very important issue
could call me from London at present.”
“Important!” Our visitor threw up his hands.
“Have you heard nothing of the abduction of the only
and then he entered himself—so large, so pompous, son of the Duke of Holdernesse?”
and so dignified that he was the very embodiment of “What! the late Cabinet Minister?”
self-possession and solidity. And yet his first action “Exactly. We had tried to keep it out of the papers,
when the door had closed behind him was to stagger but there was some rumour in the Globe last night. I
against the table, whence he slipped down upon the thought it might have reached your ears.”
floor, and there was that majestic figure prostrate and
Holmes shot out his long, thin arm and picked
insensible upon our bearskin hearthrug.
out Volume “H” in his encyclopaedia of reference.
We had sprung to our feet, and for a few moments “ ‘Holdernesse, 6th Duke, K.G., P.C.’—half the al-
we stared in silent amazement at this ponderous piece phabet! ‘Baron Beverley, Earl of Carston’—dear me,
of wreckage, which told of some sudden and fatal what a list! ‘Lord Lieutenant of Hallamshire since
storm far out on the ocean of life. Then Holmes hur- 1900. Married Edith, daughter of Sir Charles Apple-
ried with a cushion for his head and I with brandy for dore, 1888. Heir and only child, Lord Saltire. Owns
his lips. The heavy white face was seamed with lines about two hundred and fifty thousand acres. Minerals
of trouble, the hanging pouches under the closed eyes in Lancashire and Wales. Address: Carlton House Ter-
were leaden in colour, the loose mouth drooped dolor- race; Holdernesse Hall, Hallamshire; Carston Castle,
ously at the corners, the rolling chins were unshaven. Bangor, Wales. Lord of the Admiralty, 1872; Chief Sec-
Collar and shirt bore the grime of a long journey, and retary of State for—’ Well, well, this man is certainly
the hair bristled unkempt from the well-shaped head. one of the greatest subjects of the Crown!”
It was a sorely-stricken man who lay before us. “The greatest and perhaps the wealthiest. I am
“What is it, Watson?” asked Holmes. aware, Mr. Holmes, that you take a very high line in
“Absolute exhaustion—possibly mere hunger and professional matters, and that you are prepared to
fatigue,” said I, with my finger on the thready pulse, work for the work’s sake. I may tell you, however,
where the stream of life trickled thin and small. that his Grace has already intimated that a cheque
for five thousand pounds will be handed over to the
“Return ticket from Mackleton, in the North of person who can tell him where his son is, and another
England,” said Holmes, drawing it from the watch- thousand to him who can name the man, or men, who
pocket. “It is not twelve o’clock yet. He has certainly have taken him.”
been an early starter.”
“It is a princely offer,” said Holmes. “Watson, I
The puckered eyelids had begun to quiver, and think that we shall accompany Dr. Huxtable back to
now a pair of vacant, grey eyes looked up at us. An the North of England. And now, Dr. Huxtable, when
instant later the man had scrambled on to his feet, his you have consumed that milk you will kindly tell me
face crimson with shame. what has happened, when it happened, how it hap-
“Forgive this weakness, Mr. Holmes; I have been a pened, and, finally, what Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable,
little overwrought. Thank you, if I might have a glass of the Priory School, near Mackleton, has to do with
of milk and a biscuit I have no doubt that I should the matter, and why he comes three days after an
be better. I came personally, Mr. Holmes, in order event—the state of your chin gives the date—to ask
to ensure that you would return with me. I feared for my humble services.”
that no telegram would convince you of the absolute Our visitor had consumed his milk and biscuits.
urgency of the case.” The light had come back to his eyes and the colour
to his cheeks as he set himself with great vigour and
“When you are quite restored—
lucidity to explain the situation.
“I am quite well again. I cannot imagine how I “I must inform you, gentlemen, that the Priory is
came to be so weak. I wish you, Mr. Holmes, to come a preparatory school, of which I am the founder and
to Mackleton with me by the next train.” principal. ‘Huxtable’s Sidelights on Horace’ may possi-
My friend shook his head. bly recall my name to your memories. The Priory is,

1
without exception, the best and most select prepara- gone away partly dressed, since his shirt and socks
tory school in England. Lord Leverstoke, the Earl of were lying on the floor. He had undoubtedly let him-
Blackwater, Sir Cathcart Soames—they all have en- self down by the ivy, for we could see the marks of
trusted their sons to me. But I felt that my school had his feet where he had landed on the lawn. His bicycle
reached its zenith when, three weeks ago, the Duke was kept in a small shed beside this lawn, and it also
of Holdernesse sent Mr. James Wilder, his secretary, was gone.
with the intimation that young Lord Saltire, ten years “He had been with me for two years, and came
old, his only son and heir, was about to be committed with the best references; but he was a silent, morose
to my charge. Little did I think that this would be the man, not very popular either with masters or boys.
prelude to the most crushing misfortune of my life. No trace could be found of the fugitives, and now
“On May 1st the boy arrived, that being the begin- on Thursday morning we are as ignorant as we were
ning of the summer term. He was a charming youth, on Tuesday. Inquiry was, of course, made at once at
and he soon fell into our ways. I may tell you—I Holdernesse Hall. It is only a few miles away, and
trust that I am not indiscreet, but half-confidences we imagined that in some sudden attack of home-
are absurd in such a case—that he was not entirely sickness he had gone back to his father; but nothing
happy at home. It is an open secret that the Duke’s had been heard of him. The Duke is greatly agi-
married life had not been a peaceful one, and the tated—and as to me, you have seen yourselves the
matter had ended in a separation by mutual consent, state of nervous prostration to which the suspense
the Duchess taking up her residence in the South of and the responsibility have reduced me. Mr. Holmes,
France. This had occurred very shortly before, and if ever you put forward your full powers, I implore
the boy’s sympathies are known to have been strongly you to do so now, for never in your life could you
with his mother. He moped after her departure from have a case which is more worthy of them.”
Holdernesse Hall, and it was for this reason that the Sherlock Holmes had listened with the utmost in-
Duke desired to send him to my establishment. In a tentness to the statement of the unhappy schoolmaster.
fortnight the boy was quite at home with us, and was His drawn brows and the deep furrow between them
apparently absolutely happy. showed that he needed no exhortation to concentrate
“He was last seen on the night of May 13th—that all his attention upon a problem which, apart from
is, the night of last Monday. His room was on the the tremendous interests involved, must appeal so
second floor, and was approached through another directly to his love of the complex and the unusual.
larger room in which two boys were sleeping. These He now drew out his note-book and jotted down one
boys saw and heard nothing, so that it is certain that or two memoranda.
young Saltire did not pass out that way. His window “You have been very remiss in not coming to me
was open, and there is a stout ivy plant leading to the sooner,” said he, severely. “You start me on my inves-
ground. We could trace no footmarks below, but it is tigation with a very serious handicap. It is inconceiv-
sure that this is the only possible exit. able, for example, that this ivy and this lawn would
“His absence was discovered at seven o’clock on have yielded nothing to an expert observer.”
Tuesday morning. His bed had been slept in. He “I am not to blame, Mr. Holmes. His Grace was
had dressed himself fully before going off in his usual extremely desirous to avoid all public scandal. He
school suit of black Eton jacket and dark grey trousers. was afraid of his family unhappiness being dragged
There were no signs that anyone had entered the room, before the world. He has a deep horror of anything
and it is quite certain that anything in the nature of of the kind.”
cries, or a struggle, would have been heard, since “But there has been some official investigation?”
Caunter, the elder boy in the inner room, is a very “Yes, sir, and it has proved most disappointing.
light sleeper. An apparent clue was at once obtained, since a boy
“When Lord Saltire’s disappearance was discov- and a young man were reported to have been seen
ered I at once called a roll of the whole establishment, leaving a neighbouring station by an early train. Only
boys, masters, and servants. It was then that we as- last night we had news that the couple had been
certained that Lord Saltire had not been alone in his hunted down in Liverpool, and they prove to have no
flight. Heidegger, the German master, was missing. connection whatever with the matter in hand. Then
His room was on the second floor, at the farther end it was that in my despair and disappointment, after
of the building, facing the same way as Lord Saltire’s. a sleepless night, I came straight to you by the early
His bed had also been slept in; but he had apparently train.”

2
 “I suppose the local investigation was relaxed “Do you open the boys’ letters?”
while this false clue was being followed up?” “No.”
“It was entirely dropped.” “How do you know it was from the father?”
“So that three days have been wasted. The affair “The coat of arms was on the envelope, and it was
has been most deplorably handled.” addressed in the Duke’s peculiar stiff hand. Besides,
“I feel it, and admit it.” the Duke remembers having written.”
“And yet the problem should be capable of ulti- “When had he a letter before that?”
mate solution. I shall be very happy to look into it. “Not for several days.”
Have you been able to trace any connection between “Had he ever one from France?”
the missing boy and this German master?” “No; never.”
“None at all.” “You see the point of my questions, of course. Ei-
“Was he in the master’s class?” ther the boy was carried off by force or he went of
“No; he never exchanged a word with him so far his own free will. In the latter case you would expect
as I know.” that some prompting from outside would be needed
to make so young a lad do such a thing. If he has had
“That is certainly very singular. Had the boy a no visitors, that prompting must have come in letters.
bicycle?” Hence I try to find out who were his correspondents.”
“No.” “I fear I cannot help you much. His only corre-
“Was any other bicycle missing?” spondent, so far as I know, was his own father.”
“No.” “Who wrote to him on the very day of his disap-
“Is that certain?” pearance. Were the relations between father and son
very friendly?”
“Quite.”
“His Grace is never very friendly with anyone. He
“Well, now, you do not mean to seriously suggest is completely immersed in large public questions, and
that this German rode off upon a bicycle in the dead is rather inaccessible to all ordinary emotions. But he
of the night bearing the boy in his arms?” was always kind to the boy in his own way.”
“Certainly not.” “But the sympathies of the latter were with the
“Then what is the theory in your mind?” mother?”
“The bicycle may have been a blind. It may have “Yes.”
been hidden somewhere and the pair gone off on “Did he say so?”
foot.” “No.”
“Quite so; but it seems rather an absurd blind, “The Duke, then?”
does it not? Were there other bicycles in this shed?”
“Good heavens, no!”
“Several.” “Then how could you know?”
“Would he not have hidden a couple he desired to “I have had some confidential talks with Mr. James
give the idea that they had gone off upon them?” Wilder, his Grace’s secretary. It was he who gave me
“I suppose he would.” the information about Lord Saltire’s feelings.”
“Of course he would. The blind theory won’t do. “I see. By the way, that last letter of the
But the incident is an admirable starting-point for Duke’s—was it found in the boy’s room after he was
an investigation. After all, a bicycle is not an easy gone?”
thing to conceal or to destroy. One other question. “No; he had taken it with him. I think, Mr. Holmes,
Did anyone call to see the boy on the day before he it is time that we were leaving for Euston.”
disappeared?” “I will order a four-wheeler. In a quarter of an
“No.” hour we shall be at your service. If you are telegraph-
“Did he get any letters?” ing home, Mr. Huxtable, it would be well to allow
the people in your neighbourhood to imagine that the
“Yes; one letter.”
inquiry is still going on in Liverpool, or wherever else
“From whom?” that red herring led your pack. In the meantime I will
“From his father.” do a little quiet work at your own doors, and perhaps

3
the scent is not so cold but that two old hounds like I could see that the unfortunate doctor was in the
Watson and myself may get a sniff of it.” last stage of indecision, from which he was rescued
That evening found us in the cold, bracing atmo- by the deep, sonorous voice of the red-bearded Duke,
sphere of the Peak country, in which Dr. Huxtable’s which boomed out like a dinner-gong.
famous school is situated. It was already dark when “I agree with Mr. Wilder, Dr. Huxtable, that you
we reached it. A card was lying on the hall table, and would have done wisely to consult me. But since Mr.
the butler whispered something to his master, who Holmes has already been taken into your confidence,
turned to us with agitation in every heavy feature. it would indeed be absurd that we should not avail
“The Duke is here,” said he. “The Duke and Mr. ourselves of his services. Far from going to the inn,
Wilder are in the study. Come, gentlemen, and I will Mr. Holmes, I should be pleased if you would come
introduce you.” and stay with me at Holdernesse Hall.”
“I thank your Grace. For the purposes of my in-
I was, of course, familiar with the pictures of the fa-
vestigation I think that it would be wiser for me to
mous statesman, but the man himself was very differ-
remain at the scene of the mystery.”
ent from his representation. He was a tall and stately
person, scrupulously dressed, with a drawn, thin face, “Just as you like, Mr. Holmes. Any information
and a nose which was grotesquely curved and long. which Mr. Wilder or I can give you is, of course, at
His complexion was of a dead pallor, which was more your disposal.”
startling by contrast with a long, dwindling beard of “It will probably be necessary for me to see you at
vivid red, which flowed down over his white waist- the Hall,” said Holmes. “I would only ask you now,
coat, with his watch-chain gleaming through its fringe. sir, whether you have formed any explanation in your
Such was the stately presence who looked stonily at own mind as to the mysterious disappearance of your
us from the centre of Dr. Huxtable’s hearthrug. Beside son?”
him stood a very young man, whom I understood to “No, sir, I have not.”
be Wilder, the private secretary. He was small, ner- “Excuse me if I allude to that which is painful to
vous, alert, with intelligent, light-blue eyes and mobile you, but I have no alternative. Do you think that the
features. It was he who at once, in an incisive and Duchess had anything to do with the matter?”
positive tone, opened the conversation.
The great Minister showed perceptible hesitation.
“I called this morning, Dr. Huxtable, too late to
“I do not think so,” he said, at last.
prevent you from starting for London. I learned that
your object was to invite Mr. Sherlock Holmes to “The other most obvious explanation is that the
undertake the conduct of this case. His Grace is sur- child has been kidnapped for the purpose of levying
prised, Dr. Huxtable, that you should have taken such ransom. You have not had any demand of the sort?”
a step without consulting him.” “No, sir.”
“When I learned that the police had failed—” “One more question, your Grace. I understand
that you wrote to your son upon the day when this
“His Grace is by no means convinced that the
incident occurred.”
police have failed.”
“No; I wrote upon the day before.”
“But surely, Mr. Wilder—”
“Exactly. But he received it on that day?”
“You are well aware, Dr. Huxtable, that his Grace
“Yes.”
is particularly anxious to avoid all public scandal.
He prefers to take as few people as possible into his “Was there anything in your letter which might
confidence.” have unbalanced him or induced him to take such a
step?”
“The matter can be easily remedied,” said the
brow-beaten doctor; “Mr. Sherlock Holmes can return “No, sir, certainly not.”
to London by the morning train.” “Did you post that letter yourself?”
“Hardly that, Doctor, hardly that,” said Holmes, The nobleman’s reply was interrupted by his sec-
in his blandest voice. “This northern air is invigorat- retary, who broke in with some heat.
ing and pleasant, so I propose to spend a few days “His Grace is not in the habit of posting letters
upon your moors, and to occupy my mind as best I himself,” said he. “This letter was laid with others
may. Whether I have the shelter of your roof or of the upon the study table, and I myself put them in the
village inn is, of course, for you to decide.” post-bag.”

4
 “You are sure this one was among them?” “Look at this map. This dark square is the Pri-
“Yes; I observed it.” ory School. I’ll put a pin in it. Now, this line is the
main road. You see that it runs east and west past the
“How many letters did your Grace write that school, and you see also that there is no side road for
day?” a mile either way. If these two folk passed away by
“Twenty or thirty. I have a large correspondence. road it was this road.”
But surely this is somewhat irrelevant?”
“Not entirely,” said Holmes.
“For my own part,” the Duke continued, “I have
advised the police to turn their attention to the South
of France. I have already said that I do not believe that
the Duchess would encourage so monstrous an action,
but the lad had the most wrong-headed opinions, and
it is possible that he 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 have wished to put; but the noble-
man’s abrupt manner showed that the interview was
at an end. It was evident that to his intensely aris-
tocratic nature this discussion of his intimate family
affairs with a stranger was most abhorrent, and that
he feared lest every fresh question would throw a
fiercer light into the discreetly shadowed corners of
his ducal history.
When the nobleman and his secretary had left,
my friend flung himself at once with characteristic
eagerness into the investigation. “Exactly.”
The boy’s chamber was carefully examined, and “By a singular and happy chance we are able to
yielded nothing save the absolute conviction that it some extent to check what passed along this road
was only through the window that he could have es- during the night in question. At this point, where
caped. The German master’s room and effects gave my pipe is now resting, a country constable was on
no further clue. In his case a trailer of ivy had given duty from twelve to six. It is, as you perceive, the first
way under his weight, and we saw by the light of a cross road on the east side. This man declares that he
lantern the mark on the lawn where his heels had was not absent from his post for an instant, and he
come down. That one dint in the short green grass is positive that neither boy nor man could have gone
was the only material witness left of this inexplicable that way unseen. I have spoken with this policeman
nocturnal flight. to-night, and he appears to me to be a perfectly reli-
Sherlock Holmes left the house alone, and only re- able person. That blocks this end. We have now to
turned after eleven. He had obtained a large ordnance deal with the other. There is an inn here, the Red Bull,
map of the neighbourhood, and this he brought into the landlady of which was ill. She had sent to Mack-
my room, where he laid it out on the bed, and, having leton for a doctor, but he did not arrive until morning,
balanced the lamp in the middle of it, he began to being absent at another case. The people at the inn
smoke over it, and occasionally to point out objects of were alert all night, awaiting his coming, and one or
interest with the reeking amber of his pipe. other of them seems to have continually had an eye
upon the road. They declare that no one passed. If
“This case grows upon me, Watson,” said he. their evidence is good, then we are fortunate enough
“There are decidedly some points of interest in connec- to be able to block the west, and also to be able to say
tion with it. In this early stage I want you to realize that the fugitives did not use the road at all.”
those geographical features which may have a good
deal to do with our investigation. “But the bicycle?” I objected.

5
 “Quite so. We will come to the bicycle presently. done nothing locally, save the arrest of these gipsies.
To continue our reasoning: if these people did not go Look here, Watson! There is a watercourse across
by the road, they must have traversed the country to the moor. You see it marked here in the map. In
the north of the house or to the south of the house. some parts it widens into a morass. This is particu-
That is certain. Let us weigh the one against the other. larly so in the region between Holdernesse Hall and
On the south of the house is, as you perceive, a large the school. It is vain to look elsewhere for tracks in
district of arable land, cut up into small fields, with this dry weather; but at that point there is certainly a
stone walls between them. There, I admit that a bi- chance of some record being left. I will call you early
cycle is impossible. We can dismiss the idea. We to-morrow morning, and you and I will try if we can
turn to the country on the north. Here there lies a throw some little light upon the mystery.”
grove of trees, marked as the ‘Ragged Shaw,’ and on The day was just breaking when I woke to find
the farther side stretches a great rolling moor, Lower the long, thin form of Holmes by my bedside. He was
Gill Moor, extending for ten miles and sloping grad- fully dressed, and had apparently already been out.
ually upwards. Here, at one side of this wilderness, “I have done the lawn and the bicycle shed,” said
is Holdernesse Hall, ten miles by road, but only six he. “I have also had a ramble through the Ragged
across the moor. It is a peculiarly desolate plain. A Shaw. Now, Watson, there is cocoa ready in the next
few moor farmers have small holdings, where they room. I must beg you to hurry, for we have a great
rear sheep and cattle. Except these, the plover and day before us.”
the curlew are the only inhabitants until you come to His eyes shone, and his cheek was flushed with
the Chesterfield high road. There is a church there, the exhilaration of the master workman who sees his
you see, a few cottages, and an inn. Beyond that the work lie ready before him. A very different Holmes,
hills become precipitous. Surely it is here to the north this active, alert man, from the introspective and pal-
that our quest must lie.” lid dreamer of Baker Street. I felt, as I looked upon
“But the bicycle?” I persisted. that supple figure, alive with nervous energy, that it
“Well, well!” said Holmes, impatiently. “A good was indeed a strenuous day that awaited us.
cyclist does not need a high road. The moor is in- And yet it opened in the blackest disappointment.
tersected with paths and the moon was at the full. With high hopes we struck across the peaty, russet
Halloa! what is this?” moor, intersected with a thousand sheep paths, until
we came to the broad, light-green belt which marked
There was an agitated knock at the door, and an in-
the morass between us and Holdernesse. Certainly, if
stant afterwards Dr. Huxtable was in the room. In his
the lad had gone homewards, he must have passed
hand he held a blue cricket-cap, with a white chevron
this, and he could not pass it without leaving his
on the peak.
traces. But no sign of him or the German could be
“At last we have a clue!” he cried. “Thank Heaven! seen. With a darkening face my friend strode along
at last we are on the dear boy’s track! It is his cap.” the margin, eagerly observant of every muddy stain
“Where was it found?” upon the mossy surface. Sheep-marks there were in
profusion, and at one place, some miles down, cows
“In the van of the gipsies who camped on the
had left their tracks. Nothing more.
moor. They left on Tuesday. To-day the police traced
“Check number one,” said Holmes, looking
them down and examined their caravan. This was
gloomily over the rolling expanse of the moor. “There
found.”
is another morass down yonder and a narrow neck
“How do they account for it?” between. Halloa! halloa! halloa! what have we here?”
“They shuffled and lied—said that they found it We had come on a small black ribbon of pathway.
on the moor on Tuesday morning. They know where In the middle of it, clearly marked on the sodden soil,
he is, the rascals! Thank goodness, they are all safe was the track of a bicycle.
under lock and key. Either the fear of the law or the “Hurrah!” I cried. “We have it.”
Duke’s purse will certainly get out of them all that But Holmes was shaking his head, and his face
they know.” was puzzled and expectant rather than joyous.
“So far, so good,” said Holmes, when the doctor “A bicycle, certainly, but not the bicycle,” said he.
had at last left the room. “It at least bears out the “I am familiar with forty-two different impressions
theory that it is on the side of the Lower Gill Moor left by tyres. This, as you perceive, is a Dunlop, with
that we must hope for results. The police have really a patch upon the outer cover. Heidegger’s tyres were

6
Palmer’s, leaving longitudinal stripes. Aveling, the We found, however, as we advanced that this por-
mathematical master, was sure upon the point. There- tion of the moor is intersected with soft patches, and,
fore, it is not Heidegger’s track.” though we frequently lost sight of the track, we al-
“The boy’s, then?” ways succeeded in picking it up once more.
“Do you observe,” said Holmes, “that the rider is
“Possibly, if we could prove a bicycle to have been
now undoubtedly forcing the pace? There can be no
in his possession. But this we have utterly failed to
doubt of it. Look at this impression, where you get
do. This track, as you perceive, was made by a rider
both tyres clear. The one is as deep as the other. That
who was going from the direction of the school.”
can only mean that the rider is throwing his weight on
“Or towards it?” to the handle-bar, as a man does when he is sprinting.
“No, no, my dear Watson. The more deeply sunk By Jove! he has had a fall.”
impression is, of course, the hind wheel, upon which There was a broad, irregular smudge covering
the weight rests. You perceive several places where it some yards of the track. Then there were a few foot-
has passed across and obliterated the more shallow marks, and the tyre reappeared once more.
mark of the front one. It was undoubtedly heading “A side-slip,” I suggested.
away from the school. It may or may not be connected Holmes held up a crumpled branch of flowering
with our inquiry, but we will follow it backwards be- gorse. To my horror I perceived that the yellow blos-
fore we go any farther.” soms were all dabbled with crimson. On the path, too,
We did so, and at the end of a few hundred yards and among the heather were dark stains of clotted
lost the tracks as we emerged from the boggy por- blood.
tion of the moor. Following the path backwards, “Bad!” said Holmes. “Bad! Stand clear, Watson!
we picked out another spot, where a spring trickled Not an unnecessary footstep! What do I read here?
across it. Here, once again, was the mark of the bicy- He fell wounded, he stood up, he remounted, he pro-
cle, though nearly obliterated by the hoofs of cows. ceeded. But there is no other track. Cattle on this side
After that there was no sign, but the path ran right on path. He was surely not gored by a bull? Impossible!
into Ragged Shaw, the wood which backed on to the But I see no traces of anyone else. We must push
school. From this wood the cycle must have emerged. on, Watson. Surely with stains as well as the track to
Holmes sat down on a boulder and rested his chin guide us he cannot escape us now.”
in his hands. I had smoked two cigarettes before he Our search was not a very long one. The tracks
moved. of the tyre began to curve fantastically upon the wet
“Well, well,” said he, at last. “It is, of course, pos- and shining path. Suddenly, as I looked ahead, the
sible that a cunning man might change the tyre of his gleam of metal caught my eye from amid the thick
bicycle in order to leave unfamiliar tracks. A criminal gorse bushes. Out of them we dragged a bicycle,
who was capable of such a thought is a man whom I Palmer-tyred, one pedal bent, and the whole front of
should be proud to do business with. We will leave it horribly smeared and slobbered with blood. On
this question undecided and hark back to our morass the other side of the bushes a shoe was projecting.
again, for we have left a good deal unexplored.” We ran round, and there lay the unfortunate rider.
We continued our systematic survey of the edge He was a tall man, full bearded, with spectacles, one
of the sodden portion of the moor, and soon our per- glass of which had been knocked out. The cause of
severance was gloriously rewarded. Right across the his death was a frightful blow upon the head, which
lower part of the bog lay a miry path. Holmes gave a had crushed in part of his skull. That he could have
cry of delight as he approached it. An impression like gone on after receiving such an injury said much for
a fine bundle of telegraph wires ran down the centre the vitality and courage of the man. He wore shoes,
of it. It was the Palmer tyre. but no socks, and his open coat disclosed a night-shirt
beneath it. It was undoubtedly the German master.
“Here is Herr Heidegger, sure enough!” cried
Holmes turned the body over reverently, and ex-
Holmes, exultantly. “My reasoning seems to have
amined it with great attention. He then sat in deep
been pretty sound, Watson.”
thought for a time, and I could see by his ruffled
“I congratulate you.” brow that this grim discovery had not, in his opinion,
“But we have a long way still to go. Kindly walk advanced us much in our inquiry.
clear of the path. Now let us follow the trail. I fear “It is a little difficult to know what to do, Watson,”
that it will not lead very far.” said he, at last. “My own inclinations are to push this

7
inquiry on, for we have already lost so much time an expert cyclist could overtake them. Yet we survey
that we cannot afford to waste another hour. On the the ground round the scene of the tragedy. What do
other hand, we are bound to inform the police of the we find? A few cattle tracks, nothing more. I took a
discovery, and to see that this poor fellow’s body is wide sweep round, and there is no path within fifty
looked after.” yards. Another cyclist could have had nothing to do
“I could take a note back.” with the actual murder. Nor were there any human
footmarks.”
“But I need your company and assistance. Wait a
bit! There is a fellow cutting peat up yonder. Bring “Holmes,” I cried, “this is impossible.”
him over here, and he will guide the police.” “Admirable!” he said. “A most illuminating re-
I brought the peasant across, and Holmes dis- mark. It is impossible as I state it, and therefore I
patched the frightened man with a note to Dr. must in some respect have stated it wrong. Yet you
Huxtable. saw for yourself. Can you suggest any fallacy?”
“Now, Watson,” said he, “we have picked up two “He could not have fractured his skull in a fall?”
clues this morning. One is the bicycle with the Palmer “In a morass, Watson?”
tyre, and we see what that has led to. The other is “I am at my wit’s end.”
the bicycle with the patched Dunlop. Before we start “Tut, tut; we have solved some worse problems.
to investigate that, let us try to realize what we do At least we have plenty of material, if we can only use
know so as to make the most of it, and to separate the it. Come, then, and, having exhausted the Palmer, let
essential from the accidental.” us see what the Dunlop with the patched cover has
“First of all I wish to impress upon you that the to offer us.”
boy certainly left of his own free will. He got down We picked up the track and followed it onwards
from his window and he went off, either alone or with for some distance; but soon the moor rose into a long,
someone. That is sure.” heather-tufted curve, and we left the watercourse be-
I assented. hind us. No further help from tracks could be hoped
“Well, now, let us turn to this unfortunate Ger- for. At the spot where we saw the last of the Dunlop
man master. The boy was fully dressed when he fled. tyre it might equally have led to Holdernesse Hall,
Therefore, he foresaw what he would do. But the the stately towers of which rose some miles to our left,
German went without his socks. He certainly acted or to a low, grey village which lay in front of us, and
on very short notice.” marked the position of the Chesterfield high road.
“Undoubtedly.” As we approached the forbidding and squalid inn,
with the sign of a game-cock above the door, Holmes
“Why did he go? Because, from his bedroom win- gave a sudden groan and clutched me by the shoulder
dow, he saw the flight of the boy. Because he wished to save himself from falling. He had had one of those
to overtake him and bring him back. He seized his violent strains of the ankle which leave a man help-
bicycle, pursued the lad, and in pursuing him met his less. With difficulty he limped up to the door, where
death.” a squat, dark, elderly man was smoking a black clay
“So it would seem.” pipe.
“Now I come to the critical part of my argument. “How are you, Mr. Reuben Hayes?” said Holmes.
The natural action of a man in pursuing a little boy “Who are you, and how do you get my name so
would be to run after him. He would know that he pat?” the countryman answered, with a suspicious
could overtake him. But the German does not do flash of a pair of cunning eyes.
so. He turns to his bicycle. I am told that he was an
“Well, it’s printed on the board above your head.
excellent cyclist. He would not do this if he did not
It’s easy to see a man who is master of his own house.
see that the boy had some swift means of escape.”
I suppose you haven’t such a thing as a carriage in
“The other bicycle.” your stables?”
“Let us continue our reconstruction. He meets “No; I have not.”
his death five miles from the school—not by a bullet,
“I can hardly put my foot to the ground.”
mark you, which even a lad might conceivably dis-
charge, but by a savage blow dealt by a vigorous arm. “Don’t put it to the ground.”
The lad, then, had a companion in his flight. And the “But I can’t walk.”
flight was a swift one, since it took five miles before “Well, then, hop.”

8
 Mr. Reuben Hayes’s manner was far from gracious, grimy lad was at work. On the other side were the
but Holmes took it with admirable good-humour. stables. Holmes had sat down again after one of these
“Look here, my man,” said he. “This is really excursions, when he suddenly sprang out of his chair
rather an awkward fix for me. I don’t mind how I get with a loud exclamation.
on.” “By Heaven, Watson, I believe that I’ve got it!”
“Neither do I,” said the morose landlord. he cried. “Yes, yes, it must be so. Watson, do you
remember seeing any cow-tracks to-day?”
“The matter is very important. I would offer you
a sovereign for the use of a bicycle.” “Yes, several.”
“Where?”
The landlord pricked up his ears.
“Well, everywhere. They were at the morass, and
“Where do you want to go?”
again on the path, and again near where poor Hei-
“To Holdernesse Hall.” degger met his death.”
“Pals of the Dook, I suppose?” said the landlord, “Exactly. Well, now, Watson, how many cows did
surveying our mud-stained garments with ironical you see on the moor?”
eyes.
“I don’t remember seeing any.”
Holmes laughed good-naturedly. “Strange, Watson, that we should see tracks all
“He’ll be glad to see us, anyhow.” along our line, but never a cow on the whole moor;
“Why?” very strange, Watson, eh?”
“Because we bring him news of his lost son.” “Yes, it is strange.”
The landlord gave a very visible start. “Now, Watson, make an effort; throw your mind
back! Can you see those tracks upon the path?”
“What, you’re on his track?”
“Yes, I can.”
“He has been heard of in Liverpool. They expect
to get him every hour.” “Can you recall that the tracks were sometimes
like that, Watson”—he arranged a number of bread-
Again a swift change passed over the heavy, un- crumbs in this fashion—: : : : :—“and sometimes like
shaven face. His manner was suddenly genial. this”—: . : . : . : .—“and occasionally like this”—. . . .
“I’ve less reason to wish the Dook well than most . . . “Can you remember that?”
men,” said he, “for I was his head coachman once, “No, I cannot.”
and cruel bad he treated me. It was him that sacked
“But I can. I could swear to it. However, we will
me without a character on the word of a lying corn-
go back at our leisure and verify it. What a blind
chandler. But I’m glad to hear that the young lord
beetle I have been not to draw my conclusion!”
was heard of in Liverpool, and I’ll help you to take
the news to the Hall.” “And what is your conclusion?”
“Thank you,” said Holmes. “We’ll have some food “Only that it is a remarkable cow which walks,
first. Then you can bring round the bicycle.” canters, and gallops. By George, Watson, it was no
brain of a country publican that thought out such a
“I haven’t got a bicycle.”
blind as that! The coast seems to be clear, save for
Holmes held up a sovereign. that lad in the smithy. Let us slip out and see what
“I tell you, man, that I haven’t got one. I’ll let you we can see.”
have two horses as far as the Hall.” There were two rough-haired, unkempt horses in
“Well, well,” said Holmes, “we’ll talk about it the tumble-down stable. Holmes raised the hind leg
when we’ve had something to eat.” of one of them and laughed aloud.
When we were left alone in the stone-flagged “Old shoes, but newly shod—old shoes, but new
kitchen it was astonishing how rapidly that sprained nails. This case deserves to be a classic. Let us go
ankle recovered. It was nearly nightfall, and we had across to the smithy.”
eaten nothing since early morning, so that we spent The lad continued his work without regarding us.
some time over our meal. Holmes was lost in thought, I saw Holmes’s eye darting to right and left among
and once or twice he walked over to the window the litter of iron and wood which was scattered about
and stared earnestly out. It opened on to a squalid the floor. Suddenly, however, we heard a step behind
courtyard. In the far corner was a smithy, where a us, and there was the landlord, his heavy eyebrows

9
drawn over his savage eyes, his swarthy features con- “The Duke’s secretary!” cried Holmes. “Come,
vulsed with passion. He held a short, metal-headed Watson, let us see what he does.”
stick in his hand, and he advanced in so menacing a We scrambled from rock to rock until in a few mo-
fashion that I was right glad to feel the revolver in my ments we had made our way to a point from which
pocket. we could see the front door of the inn. Wilder’s bi-
“You infernal spies!” the man cried. “What are cycle was leaning against the wall beside it. No one
you doing there?” was moving about the house, nor could we catch a
“Why, Mr. Reuben Hayes,” said Holmes, coolly, glimpse of any faces at the windows. Slowly the twi-
“one might think that you were afraid of our finding light crept down as the sun sank behind the high
something out.” towers of Holdernesse Hall. Then in the gloom we
saw the two side-lamps of a trap light up in the stable
The man mastered himself with a violent effort,
yard of the inn, and shortly afterwards heard the rat-
and his grim mouth loosened into a false laugh, which
tle of hoofs, as it wheeled out into the road and tore
was more menacing than his frown.
off at a furious pace in the direction of Chesterfield.
“You’re welcome to all you can find out in my
“What do you make of that, Watson?” Holmes
smithy,” said he. “But look here, mister, I don’t care
whispered.
for folk poking about my place without my leave, so
the sooner you pay your score and get out of this the “It looks like a flight.”
better I shall be pleased.” “A single man in a dog-cart, so far as I could see.
“All right, Mr. Hayes—no harm meant,” said Well, it certainly was not Mr. James Wilder, for there
Holmes. “We have been having a look at your horses, he is at the door.”
but I think I’ll walk after all. It’s not far, I believe.” A red square of light had sprung out of the dark-
“Not more than two miles to the Hall gates. That’s ness. In the middle of it was the black figure of the
the road to the left.” He watched us with sullen eyes secretary, his head advanced, peering out into the
until we had left his premises. night. It was evident that he was expecting someone.
Then at last there were steps in the road, a second
We did not go very far along the road, for Holmes
figure was visible for an instant against the light, the
stopped the instant that the curve hid us from the
door shut, and all was black once more. Five minutes
landlord’s view.
later a lamp was lit in a room upon the first floor.
“We were warm, as the children say, at that inn,”
“It seems to be a curious class of custom that is
said he. “I seem to grow colder every step that I take
done by the Fighting Cock,” said Holmes.
away from it. No, no; I can’t possibly leave it.”
“The bar is on the other side.”
“I am convinced,” said I, “that this Reuben Hayes
knows all about it. A more self-evident villain I never “Quite so. These are what one may call the pri-
saw.” vate guests. Now, what in the world is Mr. James
Wilder doing in that den at this hour of night, and
“Oh! he impressed you in that way, did he? There
who is the companion who comes to meet him there?
are the horses, there is the smithy. Yes, it is an inter-
Come, Watson, we must really take a risk and try to
esting place, this Fighting Cock. I think we shall have
investigate this a little more closely.”
another look at it in an unobtrusive way.”
Together we stole down to the road and crept
A long, sloping hillside, dotted with grey lime-
across to the door of the inn. The bicycle still leaned
stone boulders, stretched behind us. We had turned
against the wall. Holmes struck a match and held it
off the road, and were making our way up the hill,
to the back wheel, and I heard him chuckle as the
when, looking in the direction of Holdernesse Hall, I
light fell upon a patched Dunlop tyre. Up above us
saw a cyclist coming swiftly along.
was the lighted window.
“Get down, Watson!” cried Holmes, with a heavy
“I must have a peep through that, Watson. If you
hand upon my shoulder. We had hardly sunk from
bend your back and support yourself upon the wall, I
view when the man flew past us on the road. Amid
think that I can manage.”
a rolling cloud of dust I caught a glimpse of a pale,
agitated face—a face with horror in every lineament, An instant later his feet were on my shoulders.
the mouth open, the eyes staring wildly in front. It But he was hardly up before he was down again.
was like some strange caricature of the dapper James “Come, my friend,” said he, “our day’s work has
Wilder whom we had seen the night before. been quite long enough. I think that we have gathered

10
all that we can. It’s a long walk to the school, and the “If your Grace wishes—”
sooner we get started the better.” “Yes, yes; you had better go. Now, Mr. Holmes,
He hardly opened his lips during that weary what have you to say?”
trudge across the moor, nor would he enter the school My friend waited until the door had closed behind
when he reached it, but went on to Mackleton Station, the retreating secretary.
whence he could send some telegrams. Late at night “The fact is, your Grace,” said he, “that my col-
I heard him consoling Dr. Huxtable, prostrated by league, Dr. Watson, and myself had an assurance from
the tragedy of his master’s death, and later still he Dr. Huxtable that a reward had been offered in this
entered my room as alert and vigorous as he had been case. I should like to have this confirmed from your
when he started in the morning. “All goes well, my own lips.”
friend,” said he. “I promise that before to-morrow
“Certainly, Mr. Holmes.”
evening we shall have reached the solution of the
mystery.” “It amounted, if I am correctly informed, to five
thousand pounds to anyone who will tell you where
At eleven o’clock next morning my friend and I
your son is?”
were walking up the famous yew avenue of Hold-
ernesse Hall. We were ushered through the mag- “Exactly.”
nificent Elizabethan doorway and into his Grace’s “And another thousand to the man who will name
study. There we found Mr. James Wilder, demure and the person or persons who keep him in custody?”
courtly, but with some trace of that wild terror of the “Exactly.”
night before still lurking in his furtive eyes and in his “Under the latter heading is included, no doubt,
twitching features. not only those who may have taken him away, but
“You have come to see his Grace? I am sorry; but also those who conspire to keep him in his present
the fact is that the Duke is far from well. He has been position?”
very much upset by the tragic news. We received “Yes, yes,” cried the Duke, impatiently. “If you do
a telegram from Dr. Huxtable yesterday afternoon, your work well, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you will have
which told us of your discovery.” no reason to complain of niggardly treatment.”
“I must see the Duke, Mr. Wilder.” My friend rubbed his thin hands together with an
“But he is in his room.” appearance of avidity which was a surprise to me,
“Then I must go to his room.” who knew his frugal tastes.
“I fancy that I see your Grace’s cheque-book upon
“I believe he is in his bed.”
the table,” said he. “I should be glad if you would
“I will see him there.” make me out a cheque for six thousand pounds. It
Holmes’s cold and inexorable manner showed the would be as well, perhaps, for you to cross it. The
secretary that it was useless to argue with him. Capital and Counties Bank, Oxford Street branch, are
“Very good, Mr. Holmes; I will tell him that you my agents.”
are here.” His Grace sat very stern and upright in his chair,
After half an hour’s delay the great nobleman ap- and looked stonily at my friend.
peared. His face was more cadaverous than ever, his “Is this a joke, Mr. Holmes? It is hardly a subject
shoulders had rounded, and he seemed to me to be for pleasantry.”
an altogether older man than he had been the morn- “Not at all, your Grace. I was never more earnest
ing before. He greeted us with a stately courtesy and in my life.”
seated himself at his desk, his red beard streaming “What do you mean, then?”
down on to the table.
“I mean that I have earned the reward. I know
“Well, Mr. Holmes?” said he. where your son is, and I know some, at least, of those
But my friend’s eyes were fixed upon the secretary, who are holding him.”
who stood by his master’s chair. The Duke’s beard had turned more aggressively
“I think, your Grace, that I could speak more freely red than ever against his ghastly white face.
in Mr. Wilder’s absence.” “Where is he?” he gasped.
The man turned a shade paler and cast a malig- “He is, or was last night, at the Fighting Cock Inn,
nant glance at Holmes. about two miles from your park gate.”

11
 The Duke fell back in his chair. him—you must save him! I tell you that you must
“And whom do you accuse?” save him!” The Duke had dropped the last attempt
at self-command, and was pacing the room with a
Sherlock Holmes’s answer was an astounding one.
convulsed face and with his clenched hands raving
He stepped swiftly forward and touched the Duke
in the air. At last he mastered himself and sat down
upon the shoulder.
once more at his desk. “I appreciate your conduct in
“I accuse you,” said he. “And now, your Grace, I’ll coming here before you spoke to anyone else,” said
trouble you for that cheque.” he. “At least, we may take counsel how far we can
Never shall I forget the Duke’s appearance as he minimize this hideous scandal.”
sprang up and clawed with his hands like one who “Exactly,” said Holmes. “I think, your Grace, that
is sinking into an abyss. Then, with an extraordinary this can only be done by absolute and complete frank-
effort of aristocratic self-command, he sat down and ness between us. I am disposed to help your Grace
sank his face in his hands. It was some minutes before to the best of my ability; but in order to do so I must
he spoke. understand to the last detail how the matter stands. I
“How much do you know?” he asked at last, with- realize that your words applied to Mr. James Wilder,
out raising his head. and that he is not the murderer.”
“I saw you together last night.” “No; the murderer has escaped.”
“Does anyone else besides your friend know?” Sherlock Holmes smiled demurely.
“I have spoken to no one.” “Your Grace can hardly have heard of any small
The Duke took a pen in his quivering fingers and reputation which I possess, or you would not imagine
opened his cheque-book. that it is so easy to escape me. Mr. Reuben Hayes was
arrested at Chesterfield on my information at eleven
“I shall be as good as my word, Mr. Holmes. I o’clock last night. I had a telegram from the head of
am about to write your cheque, however unwelcome the local police before I left the school this morning.”
the information which you have gained may be to me.
The Duke leaned back in his chair and stared with
When the offer was first made I little thought the turn
amazement at my friend.
which events might take. But you and your friend are
men of discretion, Mr. Holmes?” “You seem to have powers that are hardly human,”
said he. “So Reuben Hayes is taken? I am right glad
“I hardly understand your Grace.”
to hear it, if it will not react upon the fate of James.”
“I must put it plainly, Mr. Holmes. If only you two
“Your secretary?”
know of this incident, there is no reason why it should
go any farther. I think twelve thousand pounds is the “No, sir; my son.”
sum that I owe you, is it not?” It was Holmes’s turn to look astonished.
But Holmes smiled and shook his head. “I confess that this is entirely new to me, your
Grace. I must beg you to be more explicit.”
“I fear, your Grace, that matters can hardly be
arranged so easily. There is the death of this school- “I will conceal nothing from you. I agree with you
master to be accounted for.” that complete frankness, however painful it may be
to me, is the best policy in this desperate situation
“But James knew nothing of that. You cannot hold
to which James’s folly and jealousy have reduced us.
him responsible for that. It was the work of this brutal
When I was a very young man, Mr. Holmes, I loved
ruffian whom he had the misfortune to employ.”
with such a love as comes only once in a lifetime. I
“I must take the view, your Grace, that when a offered the lady marriage, but she refused it on the
man embarks upon a crime he is morally guilty of grounds that such a match might mar my career. Had
any other crime which may spring from it.” she lived I would certainly never have married any-
“Morally, Mr. Holmes. No doubt you are right. one else. She died, and left this one child, whom
But surely not in the eyes of the law. A man cannot be for her sake I have cherished and cared for. I could
condemned for a murder at which he was not present, not acknowledge the paternity to the world; but I
and which he loathes and abhors as much as you do. gave him the best of educations, and since he came to
The instant that he heard of it he made a complete manhood I have kept him near my person. He sur-
confession to me, so filled was he with horror and prised my secret, and has presumed ever since upon
remorse. He lost not an hour in breaking entirely the claim which he has upon me and upon his power
with the murderer. Oh, Mr. Holmes, you must save of provoking a scandal, which would be abhorrent

12
to me. His presence had something to do with the break the entail, and he was of opinion that it lay in
unhappy issue of my marriage. Above all, he hated my power to do so. He intended to make a bargain
my young legitimate heir from the first with a persis- with me—to restore Arthur if I would break the entail,
tent hatred. You may well ask me why, under these and so make it possible for the estate to be left to him
circumstances, I still kept James under my roof. I an- by will. He knew well that I should never willingly
swer that it was because I could see his mother’s face invoke the aid of the police against him. I say that he
in his, and that for her dear sake there was no end would have proposed such a bargain to me, but he
to my long-suffering. All her pretty ways, too—there did not actually do so, for events moved too quickly
was not one of them which he could not suggest and for him, and he had not time to put his plans into
bring back to my memory. I could not send him away. practice.
But I feared so much lest he should do Arthur—that “What brought all his wicked scheme to wreck
is, Lord Saltire—a mischief that I dispatched him for was your discovery of this man Heidegger’s dead
safety to Dr. Huxtable’s school. body. James was seized with horror at the news. It
“James came into contact with this fellow Hayes came to us yesterday as we sat together in this study.
because the man was a tenant of mine, and James Dr. Huxtable had sent a telegram. James was so over-
acted as agent. The fellow was a rascal from the be- whelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions,
ginning; but in some extraordinary way James became which had never been entirely absent, rose instantly to
intimate with him. He had always a taste for low com- a certainty, and I taxed him with the deed. He made
pany. When James determined to kidnap Lord Saltire a complete voluntary confession. Then he implored
it was of this man’s service that he availed himself. me to keep his secret for three days longer, so as to
You remember that I wrote to Arthur upon that last give his wretched accomplice a chance of saving his
day. Well, James opened the letter and inserted a guilty life. I yielded—as I have always yielded—to
note asking Arthur to meet him in a little wood called his prayers, and instantly James hurried off to the
the Ragged Shaw, which is near to the school. He Fighting Cock to warn Hayes and give him the means
used the Duchess’s name, and in that way got the of flight. I could not go there by daylight without pro-
boy to come. That evening James bicycled over—I am voking comment, but as soon as night fell I hurried
telling you what he has himself confessed to me—and off to see my dear Arthur. I found him safe and well,
he told Arthur, whom he met in the wood, that his but horrified beyond expression by the dreadful deed
mother longed to see him, that she was awaiting him he had witnessed. In deference to my promise, and
on the moor, and that if he would come back into the much against my will, I consented to leave him there
wood at midnight he would find a man with a horse, for three days under the charge of Mrs. Hayes, since
who would take him to her. Poor Arthur fell into the it was evident that it was impossible to inform the po-
trap. He came to the appointment and found this lice where he was without telling them also who was
fellow Hayes with a led pony. Arthur mounted, and the murderer, and I could not see how that murderer
they set off together. It appears—though this James could be punished without ruin to my unfortunate
only heard yesterday—that they were pursued, that James. You asked for frankness, Mr. Holmes, and I
Hayes struck the pursuer with his stick, and that the have taken you at your word, for I have now told you
man died of his injuries. Hayes brought Arthur to everything without an attempt at circumlocution or
his public-house, the Fighting Cock, where he was concealment. Do you in turn be as frank with me.”
confined in an upper room, under the care of Mrs. “I will,” said Holmes. “In the first place, your
Hayes, who is a kindly woman, but entirely under the Grace, I am bound to tell you that you have placed
control of her brutal husband. yourself in a most serious position in the eyes of the
law. You have condoned a felony and you have aided
“Well, Mr. Holmes, that was the state of affairs
the escape of a murderer; for I cannot doubt that
when I first saw you two days ago. I had no more
any money which was taken by James Wilder to aid
idea of the truth than you. You will ask me what
his accomplice in his flight came from your Grace’s
was James’s motive in doing such a deed. I answer
purse.”
that there was a great deal which was unreasoning
and fanatical in the hatred which he bore my heir. The Duke bowed his assent.
In his view he should himself have been heir of all “This is indeed a most serious matter. Even more
my estates, and he deeply resented those social laws culpable in my opinion, your Grace, is your attitude
which made it impossible. At the same time he had towards your younger son. You leave him in this den
a definite motive also. He was eager that I should for three days.”

13
 “Under solemn promises—” “In that case, your Grace, since you have your-
“What are promises to such people as these? You self stated that any unhappiness in your married life
have no guarantee that he will not be spirited away was caused by his presence, I would suggest that you
again. To humour your guilty elder son you have make such amends as you can to the Duchess, and
exposed your innocent younger son to imminent and that you try to resume those relations which have
unnecessary danger. It was a most unjustifiable ac- been so unhappily interrupted.”
tion.” “That also I have arranged, Mr. Holmes. I wrote
The proud lord of Holdernesse was not accus- to the Duchess this morning.”
tomed to be so rated in his own ducal hall. The blood
“In that case,” said Holmes, rising, “I think that
flushed into his high forehead, but his conscience held
my friend and I can congratulate ourselves upon sev-
him dumb.
eral most happy results from our little visit to the
“I will help you, but on one condition only. It is North. There is one other small point upon which
that you ring for the footman and let me give such I desire some light. This fellow Hayes had shod his
orders as I like.” horses with shoes which counterfeited the tracks of
Without a word the Duke pressed the electric bell. cows. Was it from Mr. Wilder that he learned so
A servant entered. extraordinary a device?”
“You will be glad to hear,” said Holmes, “that The Duke stood in thought for a moment, with a
your young master is found. It is the Duke’s desire look of intense surprise on his face. Then he opened
that the carriage shall go at once to the Fighting Cock a door and showed us into a large room furnished as
Inn to bring Lord Saltire home. a museum. He led the way to a glass case in a corner,
“Now,” said Holmes, when the rejoicing lackey and pointed to the inscription.
had disappeared, “having secured the future, we can
afford to be more lenient with the past. I am not in “These shoes,” it ran, “were dug up in the moat of
an official position, and there is no reason, so long Holdernesse Hall. They are for the use of horses; but
as the ends of justice are served, why I should dis- they are shaped below with a cloven foot of iron, so
close all that I know. As to Hayes I say nothing. The as to throw pursuers off the track. They are supposed
gallows awaits him, and I would do nothing to save to have belonged to some of the marauding Barons of
him from it. What he will divulge I cannot tell, but I Holdernesse in the Middle Ages.“
have no doubt that your Grace could make him un- Holmes opened the case, and moistening his fin-
derstand that it is to his interest to be silent. From ger he passed it along the shoe. A thin film of recent
the police point of view he will have kidnapped the mud was left upon his skin.
boy for the purpose of ransom. If they do not them- “Thank you,” said he, as he replaced the glass. “It
selves find it out I see no reason why I should prompt is the second most interesting object that I have seen
them to take a broader point of view. I would warn in the North.”
your Grace, however, that the continued presence of
Mr. James Wilder in your household can only lead to “And the first?”
misfortune.” Holmes folded up his cheque and placed it care-
“I understand that, Mr. Holmes, and it is already fully in his note-book. “I am a poor man,” said he, as
settled that he shall leave me for ever and go to seek he patted it affectionately and thrust it into the depths
his fortune in Australia.” of his inner pocket.

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