The San Francisco call., 1905-04-02

the German went without his socks.
He certainly acted on very short no.
tice.''
Undoubtedly"
'sWhy did he go? Because, from his
bedroom. window, he saw the flight of
the boy; because he wished to overtake
him and bring him back. He seized his
bicycle, pursued the lad, and in pursu-
ing him met his death
$50 it would SEEM"
Now come to the critical part of
my argument The natural action Of a
man in pursuing q little boy would be
to run after him. He would know that
he could overtake him. But the Ger
man does not do SO. He turns to his
bicycle. I am told that he was an ex-
.cellent cyciist. He would not do this
If he did not see that the boy had some
swift means of escape"
The other bicycle
Let us continue our reconstruction
He meets his death five miles from the
schooI-not by bullet. mark you,
which even lad might conceivably
discharge, but by a savage blow dealt
by vigorous arm. The lad, then, had
a companion in his flight And the
flight was swift one. since it took five
miles before an expert cyclist
could overtake them. Yet we
survey the ground round the
scene of the tragedy. What do
we find? A few cattle tracks, nothing
more. / took wide sweep round, and
there is no path within fifty yards. AM
other cyclist could have had nothing to
do with the actual murder, nor were
there anyshuman footmarks."
Holmes 1 cried, this is impossi
ble"
"AdmirabIe." he said. "a most illu-
minating remark. 1t is impossible as |
state it, and therefore / must in some
cfo od o V..fx
saw for yourself. Can you suggest any
fallacy?"
He could not have fractured his
skull in a fall"
In a n1orass, Watson"
Il am at my wits end"
Tut, tut, we have solved some worse
problems. At least we have plenty of
then, and having exhausted the Pal
mer, let US see what theF Dunlop with
the patched cover has, to offer u.s.
We picked up the track and followed
1t onward for some distance, but soon
the moor rose into a long, heather
tufted curve and we left the water
course behind us. No further help from
tracks could be hoped for. At the spot
where we saw the last of the Dunlop
tire it might equally have led to Hold
ernesse. Hall, the stately towers of
which rose some miles to our left, or to
a low, gray village which lay in front
! of us, and marked the position of the
Chesterfield high road.
AS we approached the forbidding and
squalid inn, with the sign Of game
cock above the door, Holmes gave
sudden groan and clutched me by the
shoulder to save himself from falling.
He had had one of those violent strains
of the ankle which leave. man help
less With difficulty he lirnped up to
the door. where a squat, dark, elderly
man was smoking a black clay pipe.
How are you. Mr.. Reuben Hayes?".
said Holmes.
: "Who are you, and how do you get
my name so pat?'' the coiintryman an
swered, with suspicious flash Of
pair of cunning eyes.
We'll, it's printed on the board above
your head. It's easy to see a man who
is master of his own house. 1 suppose
YOU haven't such thing as a carriage
in your stables 2,
mo. have not -
Il can scarcely put my foot to the
ground
Don't put It to the ground"
- But / can't walk"
well then, hop"
Mr.. Reuben Hayes manner was far
from gracious. but Holmes took it with
admirable good humor.
is really rather an awkward fix for me.
1 don't mind how I get on"
Neither do j, said the morose land
lord. s.
1.-THE matter is very important.
would offer you sovereign for the use
of a BICYCLE"
The landlord pricked up his ears.
Where do you want to go?"
TO Holdernesse Hail.
Pals of the Dock, L suppose?'. said
the landlord. surveying our mud
stained garments with ironical eyes.
Holmes laughed good naturedly
He'll be glad to see us, anyhow"
"Why?''
Because we bring him news of his
lost son.''
The landlord gave very visible start.
What, you're on his track?"
"He has been heard of In Liverpool.
They expect to get him every hour"
Again swift change passed over
the heavy, unshayen face. His man.
ner was suddenly genial.
I've less reason to wish the Dock
we'll than most men, said he, for I
was his head coachman once, and
cruel bad he treated me. 1t was him
that sacked me without a character
on the word of lying corn chandler.
But I'm glad to hear that the young
Lord was heard of in Liverpool and
I'll help you to take the news to the
hail."
Thank you,'' said Holmes. Gwen
have some food first. Then you can
bring round the bicycle
Il haven't got a bicycle
Holmes held up sovereign.
i tell you, man, that / haven't got
one. I'll let You have two horses as
far as the hail.
talk about it when. we've had some
thing to eat"
When we were left alone in the
stone-fagged kitchen it was astonish-
ing how rapidly that sprained ankle
recovered. 1t was nearly nightfaI
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 earn
estly out. 1t opened on to a saualid
courtyard. In the far corner was q
smithy, where grimy lad was at
work. On the other side were the sta
bles. Holmes had sat down again af-
&>r1