The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14
come to ask you about Mr.. Godfrey

come to ask you about Mr.. Godfrey
Staunton."
What about him?"
You know him, do you not?
He is an intimate friend of mine"
You are aware that he has disap-
peared?'
"Ah, indeed" There was no change
of expression in the rugged features of
the doctor.
lie left his hotel last night-he has
not been heard Of
mo doubt he will return"
Tomorrow is the Varsity football
match
Il have no sympathy with these
childish games The young mans fate
interests me deeply, since l know him
and like him. The football match does
not come within my horizon at ALL
II claim your sympathy. then. in my
investigation Of Mf Staunton's fate.
Do you know where he is?"
Certainly not.
You have not seen him since yes
terday?a
mo. L have not"
Was Mr. Staunton healthy MANI"
absolutely.
did YOU ever know him ill?"
Never - =
Holmes popped a sheet of paper be-
fore the doctors eyes. Then per-
haps you will explain this receipted
bill fer thirteen guineas, paid by Mr..
Godfrey Staunton last month to Dr.
Leslie Armstrong of Cambridge. 1
picked it out from among the papers
upon his desk"
The doctor flushed with anger.
Il do not feel that there is any rea-
son why I should render an explana-
ton to you, Mr.. Holmes
Holmes replaced the bill in his
notebook. If you prefer "a public ex-
planation it must come later said
he. Il have already told you that
can hush UP that which others will be
bound to publish, and you would real
ly be wiser TO take me into your
complete confidence"
II know nothing about it. =
Ibid you hear from Mr.. Staunton in
London?"
Certainly not"
Dear me, dear me--the postoffiee
agan!" Holmes sighed. . A most ar
dent telegram was dispatched to you
from London by Godfrey StauntOn at
6:15 yesterday evening" telegram
which is undoubtedly associated with
his disappearance-and yet you have
not had it. 1t is most culpable. shall
certainly go down to the office here
and register a complaint"
DR.. Leslie Armstrong sprang UP
from behind his. desk, and his dark
face was crimson with fury.
house, SIR said he. You can tell
your employer, Lord Mount-James,
that I do not wish Ito have anything
to do either with him on with his
agents. No, sir--not another word."
He rang the bell furiously. John,
show these gentlemen out" A pom
pous butler ushered us severely to the
door and we found ourselves in the
street. Holmes burst out laughing.
'.Dr. Leslie Armstrong is certainly
man of energy and character" said
ne. Il have not seen a man who, if
he turns his talents that way, was
more calculated to fill the gap left by
the Industrious Moriarity. And now,
my poor Watson we are here, strand
ed and friendleas in this inhospitable
town, which we, cannot leave without
iabasldonfng our case. This little inn
Just opposite AfRaEtrongs house is
you would engagefa front room and
purchase the necessaries for the night
/ may have time to make few in
These few Inquiries proved, how
ever to be a more lengthy proceed
ing than Holmes had imagined, for he
did not return to the inn until nearly
% O'Clock He was pale and detected
stained with dust and exhausted with
L. fr.E
was ready upon, the table, and when
his needs were satisfied and his pipe
aIight he. was ready to take that half
comic and wholly philosophic view
which was natural to him when his
affairs were going awry. The sound of
carriage wheels caused him to rise and
glance out of the window. A broug-
ham and pair of grays, under the
glare of a. gas lamp, stood before the
doctors door.
It's been out three hours said
Holmes; started at half-past 6, and
here it is back again. That gives a
radius of ten or twelve miles, and he
does it once, or sometimes twice. a
day.
mo unusual thing for a doctor in
practice"
But Armstrong is not really doc
tor in practice. He is a lecturer and
general practice, which distracts
him from his literary work. Why,
then, does he make these long jour-
neys, which must be exceedingly irk-
some to him, and who is it that he
visits?"
His coachman-''
MY dear Watson. can you doubt
that it was to him that I first applied?
/ do not know whether it came from
his own innate depravity or from the
promptings Of his master, but he was
rude enough to set a dog at me. Nei-
ther dog nor man liked the look of my
stick, however, and the matter fell
through. Relations were strained after