Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-09-09


soul in England who didn't know Cod
| frey Staunton, the crack three quarter,
Cambridge, Blackheath and five in
ternationals. Good Lord. Mr.. Holmes,
where have you livedY'
Holmes laughed at the young giants
naive establishment.
''You live in different world from
Ter one. My ramifications stretch out
into many sections of society, but never,
am happy to say, into amateur sport
which is the best and soundest thing in
England. However, your unexpected
visit this morning shows me that even
In that world Of fresh air and fair play
there may be work for me to do. So
now, my good sir, beg you to sit down
and tell me- slowly and quietly, exactly
what it is that has occurred and how
you desire that should help you"
Young Overton's face assumed the
bothered look Of man who is more
accustomed to using his muscles than
his wits, but by degrees, with many
repetitions and obscurities which
may omit from his narrative, he laid
his strange story before us.
cts this way, Mr.. Holmes. AS I
have said, l am the skipper of the Rug
ger team Of Cambridge varsity, and
Godfrey Staunton is my best man. To-
morrow we play Oxford. Yesterday we
all came up, and we settled at Bent
leys private hotel At 10 o'clock went
round and saw that all the fellows had
gone to roost, for 1 believe in strict
training and plenty of sleep to keep
team fit. / had a word or two with
Godfrey before he turned y. He seem
ed to me TO be pale and bothered. l
asked him what was the matter. He
said he was all right-just q touch Of
headache. | badc him good night and
left him. Half a&Alour later, the por-
ter tells me, rough looking man with
a beard called with a note for Godfrey.
He had not gone to bed, and the note
was taken to. his room. Godfrey read
it and fell back in chair as if he had
been pole aXed. The porter was so
scared that he was going to fetch me,
but Godfrey stopped him7 hed drink
Of water and pulled himself together.
Then he went downstairs, said few
words to the man who was waiting in
the hall, and the two of them went off
together. The last that the porter saw
of them they were almost running
down the street in the direction of the
Strand. This morning Godfrey's room
was empty, his bed had never been
slept in, Sand his things were all just as
l had seen them the night before. He
had gone off at moments notice with
this stranger, and no word has come
from him since. / don't believe he will
ever come back. He was sportsman,
was Godfrey, down to his marrow, and
he wouldn't have stopped his training
and let in his skipper if it were not for
some cause that was too strong for
him. No; feel as if he were gone for
good, and we should never see him
again."
Sherlock Holmes listened with the
deepest attention to this singular mar
rative:
w Hat Jill YOU uO I! NE dSheO.
81 wired to Cambridge to learn if
anything had been heard of him there.
I have had an answer No one has
seen him"
"Could he have got back to Cam
bridge?'
Eyes; there is late train-quarter
past H."
"But, so far as you can ascertain, he
did not take it?''
"No; he has not been seem"
'What did you do next?"
81 wired to Lord Mount-James."
"Why to Lord Mount-James?"
"Godfrey is an orphan, and Lord !
Mount James is his nearest relative
his uncle, believe"
Indeed. This throws new light upon
the matter. Lord Mount-James is one
of the richest men in England"
$50 I've heard Godfrey say"
"And your friend was closely re-
lated?"
Eyes; he was his heir, and the old
boy is nearly eighty-cram full of govt
too. They say he could chalk his bill
lard cue with his knuckles. He never
allowed Godfrey shilling in his life,
for he is an absolute miser, but it will
all come to him right enough"
"Have you heard from Lord Mount
James,?
"No."
"What motive could your friend have
In going to Lord Mount-Jam esP'
"Well, something was worrying him
the night before, and If it was to do
with money it is possible that he would
make for his nearest relative, who had
30 much Of it, though from all | have
heard he would not have much chance
Of getting it, Godfrey was not fond Of
the old man. He would not go lie he
could help it,
"Well, we can soon determine that,
[f your friend was going to his relative,
Lord Mount James, you have then to
explain the visit of this rough looking
fellow at so late an hour and the agi-
alton that was caused by his coming"
u L