The evening world. Newspaper, March 11, 1905, Page 13

\ vg fully dressed when he fled, Therefore, he foresaw what he would do, tut the German went without his socks, He certainly acted oh very short ‘atice.” “Undoubtedly.” } “Why did he go? Because from his bedroom window he saw the flight f the boy; because he wished to overtake him and bring him back—he alized the 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 fa man in pursuing a little boy would be to run after him, He would , now that he could overtake him. But the German does not do 60. He inns to his bieycie, Iam told that he was an excellent cyclist. He would ot do this if he did not see that the boy had some swift moans of escape,” ‘Juthe other bicyole,”” “Lat is continue our reconstruction. He meets his death five miles vom the school—not by a bullet, mark you, which even a lad might von- olvably discharge, but by a savage blow dealt by a vigorous arm, The id then had a companion in his flight. And the flight was a swift one, inde It took five miles before an expert cyclist could overtake them, Yet ’8 survey the ground round the scene of the tragedy, What do we find?. \ few cattle tracks, nothing mdre, I took a wide sweep round, and there 3 no path within fifty yards, Another cyclist could have had nothing to o with the actial murder; nor were there any human footmarits,” “Holmes,” 1 cried, “this 1s impossible.” “Admirable!” he sald, “A most illuminating remark, It ts impossible $I state it, and therefore I must in some respect have stated it wrong. ‘et you saw for yourself, Can you suggest any fallacy?” “He gould not have fractured his skull in a fall?” “In a morays, Watson?” “T am at my wits’ end.” “Tut, tut; we have solved some worse problems. At least we have lenty of material, {f we can only use it, Come, then, and having ex- lausted the Palme, let us see what the Dunlop with the patehed cover has 0 offer us.” We picked up the track and followed it onward for some distance; but ‘oon the moor rose into a long, heather-tufted curve, and we left the vatercourse behind us, No further help from the tracks could be hoped or, At the spot where we saw the last of the Dunlop tire it might squally have led to Holdernesso Hall, the Stately towers of which rose some miles to our left, or to a low, gray village, which lay im front of us and marked the position of the Chesterfield high road, é As we approached the forbidding and squalid {nn, with tae sign of a samecock above the door, Holmes gave a sudden groan and clutched me by he shoulder to save himself from falling. He had had one of those vio- ent strains of the ankle which leave a man helpless. With difficulty he imped up to the door, where a squat, dark, elderly man was smoking a dlack clay pipe. “How are you, Mr, Reuben Hayes?” said Holmes, “Who are you, and how do you get my name so pat?” the countryman inswered, with a suspicious flash of a pair of cunning eyes. ; “Well, it's printed on the board above your head. It’s easy to seo a man who ls master of his own house, I suppose you haven't such a thing a3 @ carriage in your stables?” “No; I have not.” “I can hardly put my foot to the ground,” “Don't put {t to the ground,” \ “But I can’t walk,” “Well, then, hop.”” * Mr, Reuben Hayes's manner was far from gracious, but Holmes took | with admirable good humor, i “Look here my man,” said he. ‘This is really rather an awkward fix or me. I don't mind how I get on,” “Neither do I," said the moroge Inadlord, “The matter {s very important, I would offer you a sovereign for the ise of a bicycle,” The landlord pricked up his cars, “Where do yon want to go?” “To Holdernesse Hall.” “Pals of the Dook, 1 suppose?” said the landlord, surveying our mud- stained garments with tronical eyes. \ Holmes laughed good naturedly. “He'll be glad to see us, anyhow.” “Why?” “Because we bring him news of his lost son.” The Jandlord gave i very visible start. “What, you're on the track?” “He has been heard of in Liverpool. They expect to get him every xour.” Again a swift change passed over the hoavy, unshaven face. er was suddenly genial, “T've less reason to wish the Dook well than most men” said he; “for I was head coachman once, and cruel bad he treated me. It was him that sacked me without a character on the word of a lying corn-chandler, But I'm glad to hear that the young lord was heard of in Liverpool, and [’ll help you to take the news to the Hall.” “Thank you,” said Holmes, ‘We'll have some food first. Then you can bring round the bicycle.” "I havon’t got a bicycle,” Holmes held up a sovereign. “I tell you, man, that I haven't got one, as far as the Hall.” “Well, well,” eald Holmes, “we'll talk about 1 when we've had some- thing to eat.” When we were left alone in the stone-flagged kitchen it was astonish- Jog how rapidly that sprained ankle recovered. It was nearly nightfall, and we had eaten nothing since early morning, so that we spent some time over our meal. Holmes was lost in thought, and once or twice he walked over to the window and stared earnestly out. It opened on a squalid couriyard, In the far corner was a smithy, where a grimy lad was at work, On the other side were tho stables, Holmes had sat down again after one of these excursions, when he suddenly sprang out of his chair with a Joud exclama- tion, “By Heaven, Watson, I believe that I've got it!” he cried. “Yes, yes, it must be so, Watson, do you remember seeing any cow tracks to-day?” ; “Yes, several,” “Where?” “Well, everywhere, They were at thé morass, and again on the path, and again near where poor Heldigger met his death,” “Exactly. Well, now, Watson, how many cows did you see on the moor?” “T don’t remember seeing any,” “Strange, Watson, that we should see tracks all along our Ine, but never a cow on the whole moor. Very strange, Watson, eh?” “Yes, it Is strange,” “Now, Watson, make an effort, those tracks upon the path?” “Yes, I can,” “Can you recall that the tracks were sometimes like that, Watson"—he arranged a number of bread crumbs in this fashion— : : $ 1 "and i : , —“and occasionally like this'’'— His man- T'll let you have two horses Throw your mind back, Can you see sometimes Hike this’— ;. 3. ¢ » “Can you remember that? 0, [ cannot.” “But T can, I could swear to it. However, we will go back at our sure and verify it, What a blind beetle T have been, not to draw my conclusion,” “And what Is your conclusion?” “Only that it is a remarkable cow which walks, canters and gallops. By George, Watson, it was no brain of a country publican that thought out such a blind as that! The const seems to be clear, save for that lad in the smithy, Let us slip out and see what we can see.” Thero were two rough-haived, unkempt horses {n the tumble-down stable, Holmes raised the hind Jeg of one of them and Jaughed aloud, \ “Old shoes, but newly shod—old shoes, but new nalle, ‘This case de- serves to be a classic, Let us go across to the smithy.” The jad continued his work without regarding us, 1 saw Holmes's eye darting to right and left among the litter of iron and wood which was scattered about the floor, Suddenly, however, we heard a step behind us, and there was the landlord, his heavy eyebrows drawn down over his sav- age eyes, his swaithy features convulsed with passion, He held a short, miétal-hended stick jn his hand, and he advanced in go menacing a tashion that 1 was right glad to feel the revolver in my pocket. “You infernal spies!” the man cried, “What are you doing there?” “Why, Mr, Renben Hayes,” sald Holmes, coolly, “one might think that you were afrald of our nding something out,” The man mastered himself with a violent effort, and his grim mouth loosened 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, “But look here, mister, I don’t care for folk poking about my place without my leave, so the sooner you pay your score and get out of thie the bette: 1 shaii ve pleased.” “All right, Mr, Hayes—no harm meant,” said Holmes. ‘We have been having a look at your horses, but I think I'l walk, after all. It’s not far, I believe.” Bye de “Not more than two miles to the Hall gates. That's the road, to the left.” He watched us with sullen eyes until we had left his premises, We did not go very fast along the road, for Holmes stopped the Instant that the curve hid us from the landlord's view, “We were warm, as the children say, at that inn,” sald he, “T seem to grow colder every step I take away from it, No, no; I can't pos- eibly leave it.’ “J am convinced,” said I, “that this Reuben Hayes knows all about it. ‘A more self-evident villain J never saw.” "Oh, he iupressed in that way, did he? There are the horses, there is the smithy. Yes, it 1s an interesting place, this Fighting Cock, T think we shall have another look at it in an unobatruelve way.” A long, sloping hillside, dotted with gray limestone boulders, stretched behind us. We had turned off the road, and were making our way up the hill, when, looking in the direction of Holderncese Hall, I saw a cyclist coming swiftly along. “Get down, Watson!” cried Holmes, with a heavy hand wpon my shoulder. We had hard- ly eunk from view when the man flew post us on “You infernal spies!” the man the road, Amid a rolling cloud of dust I caught a glimpse of a pale, agitated face—a face with horror in every Iineament, the mouth open, the eyes staring wildly in front, It was like some strange caricature of the dapper James Wilder whom we had seen the night before, “The Duke’s secretary!” cried Holmes, “Come, Watson, let us see what he does.” Wo scrambied from ;ock to rock, until in a few moments we had made cur way to a point from which we could see the front door of tn3 inn, Wilder’s bicycle was leaning against the wall beside it. No one was moving about the house, ror could we catch a glimpse of any faces at the vindows. Slowly the twilight crept down as the sun sank behind the high towers of Holdernesse Hall, Then, in the gloom, we saw the two side lamps of a trap light up in the stable yard of the inn, and shortly after> ward heard the rattle of hoofs as it wheeled out into the road and tore off at 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 iog-cart, so far as I could see, Well, it certainly was not Mr. James Wilder, for there he is at the door,” A red square of light had sprung out of the da:kness, In the middie of it was the black figure of the secretary, his head advanced, peering out into the night. It was evident that he was expecting some one, Then at last there were steps in the read, a second figure was visible for an in- viant against the light, the door shut, and all was black once more, Rive minutes later a lamp was lit in a room upon the first floor, i \“It seems to be a curious class of custom that is done by the Fightins Cock,” said Holmes, “The bar is on the other side.” “Quite so, These are what one may call the private guests, what in the world is Mr James Wilder doing in that den at this hour of Now, niglit, 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 more closely,” Together we stole down to the road and crept across to the door of the } giinst the wall. Holmes struck a match ° and T heard him chuckle as the light fell Up above us was the lighted window. inn, The bicycle still leaned and held it to the buck whe upon a patehed Dunlop tire. “T must have a peep through that, Watson, If you bend your back and support yourself upon the wall, I think that I can manage.” An instant later, his feet were on my shoulders; but he was hardly up hefore he was down again. “Come, my friend,” sald 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 the school, and the sooner we yet started tne better.” 2 He hardly opened his lips during that weary trudge across the moor; nor would he enter the school when he reached it, but went on to Mackleton » } 1906, is ’ Station, whence he could send some telegrams, Late at night I heard him consoling Dr. Huxtcble, prostrated by the tragedy of his master’s death, and later etill he entered my foom as alert and vigorous as he had been when he started in the morning, “All goes well, my friend,” said he, “I promise that before to-morrow evening we shall have reached the solution of the mystery.” At 11 o'clock next morning my friend and I wero walking up the fa- mous yew avenue of Holdernesse Hall. We were ushered through the mag- nificent Mizabethan doorway and into His Grace's study, ‘There we found Mr, James Wilder, demure and courtly, but with some trace of that wild terror/of the night before still lurking in his furtive eyes and in his twitch- ing features, “You have come to see His Grace? 1 am sorry; but the fact is, that the Duke 1s far from well. He has been very much upset by the tragic news, We received a telegram from Dr, Huxtable yesterday afternoon which told us of your discovery,” “T’ must see the Duke, Mr. Wilder.” “But he is in his room.” “Then I must go to his room.” “T believe he is in his bed,” “T will see him there.” Holmes's cold and inexorable manner showed the secretary that it was useless to argue with him. “Very good, Mr, Holmes; I will tell him that you are here.” After an hour's delay the great nobleman appeared. Hy face was more cadaverous than ever, his shoulders hed rounded, and he seemed to me to be an altogether older man than he had been the morning before, Ho greeted us with a stately courtesy and seated himself at his desk, his red beard streaming down on to the table, “Well, Mr, Holmes?” sald he, But my friend's eyes were fixed up- on the secretary, who stood by his master’s chair, “I think, Your Grace, that I could speak more freely in Mr, Wilder's ab- sence,” 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 retreating secre- tary, “The fact 1s, Your Grace,” satd he, “that my colleague, Dr, Watson, and myself had an assurance from Dr. Huxtable that a reward had been of- fered in this case, I should like to have this confirmed from your own lips,” “Certainly, Mr. Holmes,” “Tt amounted, if I am correctly in- formed, to five thousand pounds to any one who will tell you where your son 18?” “Bxactly.” “And another thousand to the man who will name the person or persons who keep him in custody?” “Exactly,” “Under the latter heading is tn- cluded, no doubt, not only those who may, have taken him away, but also those who conspire to keep him in his present position?” “Yes, yes,” cried the Duke, impa- tlently. “If you do your work well, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, you will have no reason to complain of niggardly treatment.” My friend rubbed his thin hands to- gether with an appearance of avidity which was a surprise to me, who knew his frugal tastes. “IT fancy that I see Your Grace's check-hook upon the table,” said he, “I should be glad if yon would make me out a check for six thousand pounds, It would be as well, perhaps, for you to cross it, The Capital and Counties Bank, Oxford street branch, are my agents,” His Grace sat very stern ani up- right in his chair, and looked stontly at my friend, “Ts this a joke, Mr. Holmes? It is hardly a subject for pleasantry.” “Not at all, Your Grace, I was neyer more earnest in my life.” e “What do you mean, then?” “T mean that I have earned the re- ward, I know where your gon is, and I know some, at least, of those who are holding him.” The Duke's beard had turned more aggressively red than ever against his ghastly white face. “Where is he?” he gasped. “He {s, or was last night, at the , Meghtin, Cock Inn, about two miles from spr ih ae The Duke fell back, cried. “And whom do you acctse?” Sherlock Holmes’s answer was an astounding one, He stepped swiftly forward and touched the Duke upon the shoulder, “T accuse you,” sald he, “And now, Your Grace, I'll trouble you for that check.” Never shall I forget the Duke's ap) ) pearance as he sprang tp and clawed with his hands, Iie one who js sinking into an abyss, Then, with an ex- traordinary effort of aristocratic gself-vommand, he sat flown and sank his faco in his hands. It was some minutes before he spoke, aie “How much do you know?” he asked at last, without raleing is head. “T saw you together last night.” a : “Does any ona else besides your friend know?’ “1 have spoken to no one.” The Duke took a pen in his quivering fingers and opened his check- book. “1 ghall be as good as my word, Mr. Holmes, I am about to write bat check, however unwelcome the information whieh you have gained may be to me, When the offer was first made, I little thought the turn which events might take, But you and your friend are men of discretion, Mr, Holmes?” “T hardly understand Your Grace,” “1 must put it plainly, Mr, Holmes. dent, there is no reason why {t should go any further, the sum that I owe you, fs It not?” But Holmes smiled and shook his head. “T 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 for that, It was the work of this brutal ruffan whom he had tho misfor- tune to employ.” “T must take the view, Your Grace, that when a man embarks upon a orme, he {8 morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from Ate “Morally, Mr. Holmes, No doubt you are right, But surely not in the eyes of the Inw, A man cannot be condemned for a murder at which he was not present, ad which he loathes and abhors as much as you do, The instant that hi eard of it he made a complete confession to me, 80 filled was he with horror and remorse, He lost not an hour in breaking entirely with the murdere’. Oh, Mr, Holmes, you must save him—yot must save him! TI tell you that you must save him!” The Duke had dropped the last attempt at self-command, and was pacing the room with It only you two know of this inel- I think £12,000 Is a convulsed face and ‘vith his clenched handg raving in the alr, At last lie mastered himself and sat down once more at his desk, “I appreciate you" conduct In coming here before you spoke to any one else,” sald he “At least we may take counsel how far we can minimize this ‘hideous scandal,” “Exactly,” said Holmes, “I think, Your Grace, that this can only be done by absolute frankness between us, Tam disposed to help Your Grace to the Sest of my ability; but, In order to do so, 1 must understand to the jast detail how the matter stands, J realise that your words 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 1 poesess, or you would not imagime that it is so easy to escape me, Mr, Reuben Hayes was arrested at Chesterfield, on my information, at 11 o'clock inst night. I had a telegram from the head of the local pollee be- fore I Jeft the sehool this morning.” The Duke leaned back im his chair and stared with amazement at my friend, . 7 Phased a aati! iA li Sa ih i ah ah ll iQ at dl ls us ead wasn have Reuben Hayes ts it Tam upon the fate of James,” ‘Your secretary?” “No, elt; my son,” , It was Holmes's turn to look astonished. “T confess that this ia ontirely new to me, Your Grace, 1 must to be more explicit,” “I will conceal nothing from you. I agree with you that frankness, however painful it may bo to me, {s the best policy in perate situation to which James's folly and jealousy have re When I was a very young man, Mr, Holmes, I loved with such a comes only once in a lifetime, I offered the lady marriage, but she it on the ground that such a match might mar my career. Had she would certainly never married any one else, She died, and left child, whom for her sake I have cherished and cared for. I could knowledge the paternity to the world; but I gave him the best o tions, and since he came to manhood I have kept him near my pei surprised my secret, and has presumed ever since upon the claim has upon me and upon his power provoking a scandal, which wot horrent to me. His presence ha something to do with the unh of my marriage, Above all, he hated my young legitimate heir ft first with a persistent hatred. You may well ask me why, un cumstances, I stili kept James under my roof, I answer that fi cause I could see his mother's face in his, and that for her dear aa! was no end to my long suffering. Ali her pretty ways too—there ono of them which he could not suggest and bring back to my me could not send him away. But 1 feared so much lest he should ~-that is, Lord Saltire—a mischief, that I despatched him for Huxtable's school. “James came into contact with this fellow Hayes besause the a tenant of mine, and James acted as agent, The fellow was @ the beginning; but in some extraordinary way James became int him. Ho had always a taste for low company. When James 4 to kidnap Lord Saltire, {t was of this man’s service that he availe You remember that | wrote to Arthur upon that last day, wt Opened the letter and inserted a note asking Arthur to meet him {m wood called the Ragged Shaw, which is near to the school, Hi Duchess's name, and in that way got the boy to come, ‘That event bicycled over—{ am telling you what he has himself confessed to he told Arthur, whom he met in the wood, that his mother long him, that she was awaiting him on the moor, and that If he back into the wood at midnight he would find 4 man with a would take him to her, Poor Arthur fell into the trap. He cat appointment, and found this fellow Hayes with a led pony, mounted, and they set off together, It appears—though this Jan heard yesterday—that they were pursued, that Hayes struck the with his stick, and that the man died of his injuries, Hayes bro thur to his public-house, the Fighting Coek, where he was con upper room, under the care of Mrs. Hayes, who is o kindly entirely under tho control of her brutal husband, f “Well, Mr, Holmes, that was the state of affairs when I first two days ago, I had no more {dea of the truth than you, You wil what was James's motive in doing such a deed, I answer that the great deal which was unreasoning and fanatical in the hatred whiel my hei, In his view he should himself have been heir of all and he deeply resented those social laws which made it imposslbl same time he had a definite motive algo, He was eager that I should) tihe entail, and he was of opinion that it lay in my power to\do 60, tended to make a bargain with me—to restore Arthur if I would b entafl, and so make it possible for the estate to be left to him by ¥ know well that I should never willingly invoke the ald of the polloe him. I say that he would have proposed such a bargain to me, & not actually do-so, for events moved too quickly for him, and time to put his plans into practice, “What brought all his wicked scheme to wreck wis’ your dil this man Heidegger's dead body. James was seized with horror a! It came to us yesterday, as we sat together in this study, Dr, Hi set a telegram, Jaimes was so overwhelnied with grief and at my suspicions, which had never been entirely absent, rose instan certainty, and I taxed him with the deed, He made a complete confessicn, Then he implored me to keep his seoret for three as to give his wretched accomplice a chance of saving his ylelaed—as I have always ylelded—to his prayers, and instantly’ rled off to the Fighting Ccck to warn Hayes and give him th flight, I could not go there by daylight without provoking comin soon ag night fell I hurried off to see my dear Arthur, 1 fol and well, but horrified beyond expression by the dreadful deed nessed, In deference to my promise, and much against my will, to leave him there for three days, under the charge of Mrs. H < He Piss was evident that it was {mpossible to inform the police where he out telling them also who was the murderer; and I could not murderer could be punished without ruin to my. unfortunate ki asked for frankness, Mr. Holmes, and I have taken you at yout have now told you everything without an attempt at circumlocut cealment, Do you iniyour turn be as frank with me,” “T will,” sald Holmes, “In the first place, Your Grace, 1. tell you that you have placed yourself in a serious tf of the law. .You have condoned a felony, and you have y a murderer, for I cannot doubt that any money which was Wilder to aid his accomplice in his fight came from Your The Duke bowed his assent, “This is, indeed, a most serious matter, Hven more ¢ opinion, Your Grace, is your attitude toward your younger tim in this den for three days. “Under solemn promises “What are promises to such people as these? You that he will not be spirited away again. To humor you you have exposed your innocent younger son to imn sary canger, It was a most unjustifiable action, ‘Me, proud lord of Holdernesse was not accustomed to Nis own ducal hall, The blood flushed into his high’ for acience held him dumb. Reh: “1 will uelp you, but on one condition only. It is the footinan and let me give such orde:# fi like,”” Without a word the Duke pressed the electric bell, tered, Parsi “You will be glad to henr, id Holmes, “that your found, It is the Duke's desire that the carriage shall Fighting Cock Inn to bring Lord Saltire home, i “Now,” eaid Holmes, when the rejoicing lackey had dit ing sevurea the future, we can afford to be more lenient win not in-an official position; and there {8 no reason, 80 of Justice are served, why 1 should disclo#e all that’ Hayes, I say nothing. The gallows await him, and [ woul save him ivom it. What he will divulge I cannot tell, but that Your Grace could make him understand that it ts ‘eilent, From the police point of view he will have kid the purpose of ransom, It they do not themselves find it son why I should prompt them to take a broader polit | warn Your Grace, however, that the continued pi C Wilder in your household can only lead to, misfortune.” “T understand that, Mr, Holmes; and it ts already sett jeave me forever, and go to seck his forttine in Australia,” “In that case, Your Grace, since you have yourself at happiness in your married life was caused by his presence, that you make such amends as you can to the Duchess, to resume those relations which have been so umhappily int “That also I have arranged, Mr. [olmes, I wrote to morning.” “In that case,” said Holmes, rising, ‘I think that my congratulate ourselves upon several most happy results from. to the North, There is one other small point upon which 1) light. This fellow Hayes had shod his horses with shoes folted the tracks of cows, Was It from Mr. Wilder that he le traordinary a device?” vi The Duke stood in thought for a moment, with a look of: prise on his face, Then he opened a door and showed us in furnished as a museum, He led the way to a glass case in pointed to the inscription, 3 “These shoes,” it ran, “were dug up in the moat of Hold ‘They are for the use of horses; but they are shaped below wit foot of fron, so as to throw pursuers off the track. They are have belonged to some of the marauding Barons of Holdernesse dle Ages,” Oe Holmes opened the case, and moistening bis finger he pags the shoe, A thin film of recent mud was left upon his skin, “Thank you,” sald he, 23 he replaced the glass “It is the interesting object that 1 have seen in the North,” “And the first?” ' Holmes folded up his check and placed it carefully in his nm “T am a poor man,” said he, as he patted it affectionately, and. into the depths of his inner pocket, Yi i: * (The Bnd.) For Children’s Section and answers to last puzzle, see last page of to-day’s main sheet,