The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-11-01

what it is that has occurred and how |
you desire that should help you"
Young Overton's face assumed the
bothered look of q man who is more
accustomed to using his muscles than
his wits, but by degrees, with many
repetltions and obscurities which
may omit from his narrative, he laid
his strange story before Us.
Its this way, Mr.. Holmes AS 1
have said, am the skipper of the Rug
ger team of Cambridge varsity, ana
Godfrey Staunton is my best man. To-
morrow we play Oxford. Yesterday we
all came up. and we settled at beln-
ley's private hotel AT 10 O'clock | went
round and saw that all the fellows hal
gone to roost for | believe in strict
training and plenty of sleep to keep Il
team fit. 1 had Il word or two with
Godfrey before he turned in. He seem
ed to me TO be pale and bothered. l
asked him what was the matter. He
said he was all right--just a touch OF
headache. | babe him good night and
left him. Half an hour later, the por
ter tells me. rough lookng'man With
a beard called With 4 note for Godfrey.
lie had not gone to bed, and the note
was taken 10 his room. Godfrey read
it and fell back in a chair as If he had
been pole axed. The porter was so
scared that he was going to fetch mo,
but Godfrey stopped him, had 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 We're 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, and his things were all just as
had seen them the night before. He
had gone off, at a moments notice with
this stranger and no word has come
from him since. l don't believe he will
ever come back. He was Il sportsman,
was Gn;lfrey. down to his marrow, and
he wouldn't have stopped his training
and let in his skipper il it We're not for
some cause that WIS too strong for
him. No; | feel as if he We're gone for
good. and we should never see him
again
Sherlock Holmes listened with the
deepest attention to this singular mar
rative
What did you do:' he asked.
81 wired 20 Cambridge to learn il
anything ha6 been heard of him there.
7 i'm hoH Nh, hoS
seen him"
Gould he have got back to Cam
BRIDGE"
"Yes; there is late train-quarter
past H.
But, so far as you can ascertain, he
did not take it?"
mo; he has not been seen."
"What did you do neXt?'
81 wired to Lord Mount-James."
"W'hy to Lord Mount-James?"
Godfrey is an orphan, and Lord
Mount james is his nearest relative
his uncle, I 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:'
Yes; be 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,
mo"
what motive could your friend have
in going to Lord Mount-James"
'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
so much of it, though from all l have
heard he would not have much chance
of getting it. Godfrey was not fond of
the old man. He would not go ii he
could help if"
"Well, we can soon determine that.
If 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-
tation that was caused by his coming.
Cyril Oyerton pressed his hands to
his head. II can make nothing Of it,
said he.
Well we'll, have clear day, and
1 shall be happy to look into the mat
ter" said Holmes. Il should strongly
recommend you to make your prepare
lions for your match without reference
to this young gentleman. 1t must, as
you say, have been an overpowerine
necessity which tore him away in such
fashion, and the same necessity is
likely to hold him away. Let us ster
round together to the hotel and see il
the porter can throw any fresh ligbi
upon the matter"
Sherlock Holmes was past master
in the art Of putting a humble witness
at his ease, and very soon, in the pr
vacy of Godfrey Siaunton's abandoned
room, he had extracted all that the por