Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-05

Of the whole cstablishment-boys mas
ters aud servants. II was then that we
ascertained thar Lord Satire had not
been alone in his flight Heidegeer. the
German master. was missing His
room was on the second floor at the
farther end OF the building. facing the
same way as Lord Saltire's. His bed
had also been slept In, but he had APP
parentsy goi-e away partly dressed.
since his shirt and socks were lying
on the floor. He had undoubtedly let
himself down by the Ivy, for we could
see the marks Of his feet where ne had
landed on the lawn. His bicycle was
kept in n small shed beside this lawn.
and it was also gone.
He had been with me for two
years and came with the best refer
ences, but he was a silent morose
man. not very popular either with
masters or boys No trace could be
found OF the fugitives, and now. on
Thursday morning. we are as igno-
rant as we were on Tuesday Inquiry
was. OF course. made at once at Hol,.er-
nesse Hall. Ii is only a few miles
away and we imagined that Ina some
sudden attack OF Inconsistencies the boy
had gone back TO his father. but nothing
had been heard OF him. The duke is
greatly agitated, and as TO me--you
have seen yourselves the state OF
nervous prostration to which the sus-
pense and the responsibility have re-
duced me. Mr. Holmes, IL ever you
put forward your full powers / i'm
plore you TO do so now, for never in
your life could you have a case which
Is more worthy OF them"
Sherlock Holmes had listened with
the utmost intentness TO the statement
or tine unhappy schoolmaster. his
drawn brows and the deep furrOw be-
tween them showed that he needed no
exhOrta ton TO concentrate all his at
tention upon problem which. apart
from the tremendous interests involved.
must appeal so directly TO his love of
the complex and the unusual. He now
drew out his notebook and jOtted
down one or two memoranda.
You have been very remiss In not
coming to me sooner" said he severe
". You start me on my investigation
with a very serious handicap. 1t is
incOnceivable. for example, that this
ivy and this lawn would have yielded
nothing TO an expert observer"
II am not 10 blame, Mr.. Holmes. His
grace was extremely DESTROYS 10 avoid
all public scandal He was afraid OF
his family unhappiness being dragged
before the world. He has a deep hor-
ror OF anything OF the kind"
But there has been some official in
vestigationT''
Yes. sir. and IL has proved most dis
appointing. An apparent clew was at
once obtained. since boy and young
man were reported TO have been seen
leaving a neighboriag station by an
early train. Only last night we had
news That the couple had been hunted
down I'm Liverpool. and they prove 10
have no connection whatever with the
matter In hand. Then IL was that ina
my despair and disappointment after n
sIeepless night l came straight TO you
by the early train"
al suppose the local investigation
was relaxed while this false clew was
being followed up?"
1T was entirely dropped
$50 that three days have been vast
ed. The affair has been most deplor-
ably handled"
Il feel Il and admit it,"
And yet the problem should be ca
pable OF ultimate solution l shall be
very happy TO look into IT, Have you
been able TO trace any connection be-
tween the missing boy and this Ger
man mosterf"
"None at all"
"was he in the masters clasp"
"N0; he never exchanged word
with him SO far as I know"
THAT is certainly very singular. Had
the boy a bicyclef"
"No."
'was any other bicycle misslngg"
"No."
us that certaIn:"
"Quite."
We'll. now. you do not neon to seri-
ously suggest that this German rode
OF upon bicycle IN the dead OF the
night. bearing the boy in his arms?"
Certainly net"
Then what is the theory in your
mindg"
''The bicycle may have been a blind.
IL may have been hidden somewhere
and the pair gone OF on foot"
quite so. but il seems rather an alb
surd blind. does il not? Were there
other bicycles IN this shed?"
Several
Would he not have hidden couple
had he desired To give the idea that
they had gone on upon them?"
y suppose he would
"Of course he would The blind
theory won't do. But the incident is an
admirable starting point for an in
vestigation. After ALL a bicycle is not
an easy thing TO conceal or 20 destroy
One other question. Did any one can
to see the boy on the day before lie
disappeared
'.NO"
"Did he get any lettersy'
''YeS, one letter.
.From whOmir
"From his father"
''Do you open the boys lettersg"
mo"
'Hcw do you know it was from the
hthery
..~f>t..