Morris tribune., 1905-07-15

| he was last seen on the night OF
May 13-that is, the night of last Mon
day. His room was on the second floor
and was approached through another
larger room, in which two boys were
sleeping. These boys saw and heard
nothing, so that it is certain that young
Satire did not pass out that way. His
window was open, and there is a stout
Ivy plant leading to the ground. We
I could trace no footmarks below, but it
J Is sure that this is the only possible
! exit.
"His absence was discovered at Z
| o'clock on Tuesday morning. His bed
had been slept in. He had dressed him
self fully before going off in his usual
school suit Of black Eton 4Rcket and
dark gray trousers. There were no
signs that any one had entered the
room, and it is quite certain that any
thing in the nature Of cries or a strug-
gle would have been heard, since Caun-
ter, the elder boy in the inner room, is
very light sleeper
"When Lord Saltires disappearance
was discovered, I at once called a roll
Of the whole establishment-boys mas
ters and servants. 1t was then that we
ascertained that Lord Satire had not
been alone in his flight Heidegger, 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
he1I leo cln IN Il 1oo
parently gone 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 he had
landed on the lawn His bicycle was
and it was also gone.
He had been with me for two
years and came with the best refer
ences, but he was 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 Holder
nesse Hall It is only a few miles
away, and we imagined that in some
sudden attack of homesickness the boy
had gone back to his father, but nothing
had been heard of him. The duke is
greatly agitated, and as to me-y0u
have seen yourselves the state Of
nervous prostration to which the sus-
pense and the responsibility have re-
duced me- lgr. Holmes, if 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
Of the unhappy schoolmaster. His
drawn brows and the deep furrow be- |
tween them showed that he needed no
exhortation to concentrate all his at
tention upon a problem which, apart !!
from the tremendous interests involved, i
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 !
nconceivable, for example, that this
IVY and this lawn would have yielded
aothing to an expert observer"
81 am not to blame, Mr.. Holmes. His
grace was extremely desirous to avoid
Il toll To OF fvofd Of /
lis family unhappiness being dragged
before the world He has deep hor-
or Of anything Of the kind"
"But there has been some official in
eyes, sir, and it has proved most dis
appointing. An apparent clew was at
,nce obtained, since,a boy and young
nan were reported to have been seen
eaving a neighboring station by an
sarly train. Only last night we had
Jews that the couple had been hunted
lown in Liverpool, and they prove to
lave no connection, whatever with the
natter in hand. Then it was that in
ny despair and disappointment after a
leepless night came straight to you
" the early train"
81 suppose the local investigation
vas relaxed while this false clew was
,eing followed up?"
''It was entirely dropped"
$50 that three days have been vast
d. The affair has been most deplor-
bly, handled"
'I feel it and admit it."
"And yet the problem should be ca
able of ultimate solution. I shall be
cry happy to look into it. Have you
een able to trace any connection be-
ween the missing boy and this Ger I
aan master?"
"None at ALL"
"Was he in the masters class?"
"No; he never exchanged word
With him so far as know"
"'That is certainly very singular. Had
ne boy bicycle?"
mo" {
"Was any other bicycle missing?"
''No." t
''Is that certain?"
"Quite." (s