The Columbus journal., 1905-12-27

may hare core to your notice that II
you walk into a postoflce and demand
to see the counterfeit Of another mans
| Ecssage there may be some disinclina-
ten Oil the part Of the officials to Oblige
you. There is 50 much red tape in
these matters. However. I have no
Doubt that with . little delicacy and
iinesse the end may be attained. Mean
while. l should like In your presence,
AR. OvertOn. to 80 through these pa
pers which have been left upon the ia
Bile"
There were q number of letters, bills
and notebooks, which Holmes turned
over and examined with quick. nerv-
ous fingers and darling. penetrating
eyes. Nothing here" he said ut last.
by tie way. l suppose your friend
was j healthy young fellOw-nothing
amiss with him."
'Sound as Il bell"
"T!ave you eve known him ILL.,"
Not Il day. He has been laid up
with i hack. and once he slipped his
kUeecaD. but that was nothing"
Perhaps he was not so strong rs
You suppose. l should think he may
have mad some secret trouble. With
your assent. l will put one or two of
these papers in my pocket, in case
they should bear upon our future in
Quiry."
"One Monochrome mOncnt- cried u
%QuerulOus voice. and We looked up
to find 4 queer little old man jerking
and twitching in the doorway. He
was dressed in rusty black. with a
very broad bri2l.2cd top hat and q
loose white necktie-the whole effect
being that Of a very rustic parsOn
Or OK an uHdertaker's mute. Yet. in
spite Of his shabby and even absurd
appearance. his voice had q sharp
crackle and his manner a quick in
tensity which commanded attention.
who are you. sir. and by what right
do you touch this gentleman's papers,"
he asked. -
Il am a private detective. and l am
endeavoring to explain his disappear
ance."
"Oh. yoa are. are you: And who
instructed you. eh?"
This gentleman. Mr.. Staunton's
friend. was referred to me by Scot.
land Yard"
who are you, SIR"
4 am Cyril OvertOn."
Then it is you who sent me a tele-
gram. My lame is Lord Mount
James. l came round as quickly as
the Bayswater bus would bring me
50 you have instructed q detective!'
"Yes. SIR"
And are you prepared to meet the
cost."
Il have no doubt, sir. that my friend
Godfrey. when we find him. will be
prepared to do that"
But if he is never found. eh? An
swer me that"
In that case no doubt his family
Nothing Of the sort. sir!" screamed
the little man. Don't look to me for
4 ~penny-nOt a penny! You under
stand that, Mr.. Detective! l am all the
family that this young man has got.
and l tell you that I am not respOn-
sible. If he has any expectations 1t Is
due to the fact that l have never vast
ed money. and l do not propose to be-
gin to do 50 now. As to those papers
with which you are making SO free, I
may tell you that in a 3 there should
be anything Of any value among them
YOU will be held strictly to account for
what YOU do with them"
Very good, sir" said Sherlock
Holmes. May l ask in the meanwhile
whether You have yourself any theory
to account for this young mans disap-
%pearance:"
NO. sir, l have not. He Is big
enough and old enough to look after
himself, and if he is so foolish as to
lose himself l entirely refuse to accept
the responsibility of hunting for him."
Il quite understand your position"
said Holmes. with a mischievOus twin
kle in his eyes. perhaps you don't
quite understand mine. Godfrey Staun-
ton appears to have been a poor man.
If he has been kidnapped it could not
have been for anything which he him
self possesses. The fame of your
wealth has gone abroad. Lord Mount
James. and it is certainly possible that
4 gang Of thieves have secured your
nephew in order to gain from him some
information as to your house, your
habits and your treasure"
The face Of our unpleasant little WIS.,
itor tur:el a. white as his necktie.
Heavens sir. what an idea. never
thought of such villainy! What inhu-
mar rogues there are In the world!
But Godfrey is Il fine lad-a stanch lad.
Nothing would inuuce him to give his
old uncle away. Ill have the plate
moved over to the bank this evening.
In the meantime spare no pains. NJ.
Detective: r.; beg you to leave no stone
unturned t, bring him safely back. As
to money. we'll. SO far as q flyer or even
a tenner goes, you a always look to
me-"
Even in his chastened frame of mind
he noble miser could give US no infOr-
nation which could help us. for he
knew little Of the private life Of his
nephew. Our only clew lay in the trun-
Gated telegram, and with a copy Of this
in his hand Holmes set forth to find a
second link for his chain. We had shak-
en- off Lord MOunt-James, and OvertOn
had gone to consult with the other
members Of his team over the misfOr-
tune which had befallen them.
There was a telegraph Office at a