The San Francisco call., 1905-04-02

Il was for this reason that the Duke
desired 10 send him 10 my establish
ment. In q fortnight the boy was quite
al home with Us. and was apparently
absolutely happy.
He was last seen or the night OF
May ls-th2t is. the night OF last Mon
day. his loom vas On the second floor.
and wss approached through another
larger room, n which TWO boys were
El,fn These boys saw and heard
nothing. 50 that Il Is certain that young
oaitlre dio not pass out that way His
window was open and there is q stout
ivy plant leading 20 the ground. We
could trace no foOtmarks below. but il
Is sure that this is the only possible
exit
His absence was discovered at
o'ciock on Tuesday morning His bed
hzd been slept IL he had dressed him
self fully. bsfsre going OF, in his usual
school suit OF black Eton jacket and
dark gray trousers There were no
signs that any one had entered the
room. and il is quite certain that any
thing in the nature Of cries or strug-
gle would have been heard. since Caun-
ter, the elder boy in the inner room, Is
q very light sleeper.
When Lord Saltire's disappearance
was discovered, l at once called roll
OF the whole esta ablishment-boys mas
ascertained that Lord Satire had not
been alone IN his ligh- 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 Saitire's His bed had also
been slept II, but he had apparently
1ne 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 kept in q small
shed beside this lawn. and it also was
gone
He had been with me for two wears.
and came with the best references. but
he was e silent. mOrose man, not very
popular either with masters or boys
No trace could be found OF the fugi-
tives, and now, on Thursday morning,
We are as ignorant as We were on Tues
day Inquiry was, Of course, made at
once at HOidernesse Hall 1t is only a
few miles away, and We imagined that,
in some sudden attack Of homesickness.
he 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, impiore
you 10 do so now, for never in your life
could you have case which is more
worthy OF them"
Sherlock Holmes had listened with
the utmost intentness TO the statement
Cf the unhappy schoolmaster His
drawn broWs and the deep furrow be-
tween them showed that he needed no
exhOrtation 10 concentrate an HIS atten-
ton upon q 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 10 me sooner" said he,Ssevere-
" You start me on my Investigation
with a very serious handicap. II is in
conceivable, for example, that this ivy
and this lawn would have yielded moth
ing 10 an expert observer"
Il am not 10 blame, Mr.. Holmes His
Grace was extremely desirous 10 avoid
all public scandal He was afraid of
his family unheppiness being dragged
before the world He has deep horror
OF anything OF the kind"
But there has been some official In
vestigation7"
Yes. sir. and il has proved very dis
appointing An apparent clew was at
once obtained, since boy and a young
man were reported 10 have been seen
leaving neighboring station by an
early train Only last night we had
news that the couple had been hunted
down IN Liverpool. and they prove TO
have no connection whatever with the
matter IL hand. Then il was that In
despair and disappointment, after a
eleepless night, came straight to you
by the early train
i suppose - local Investigation was
relaxed while this false clew was being
followed up2"
1T was entirely dropped"
$50 that three days have been
wasted The affair has been most de-
2lorably handled"
II feel il. and admit it."
And Yet the problem should be ca
pable OF ultimate solution. 7 shall be