The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-12

1T thdt hlhr said ne 1 seem 10 grow
colder every step that I take away
from it. No. no. 1 can't possibly leave
it"
u am convinced" said I. .sthat this
Reuben Hayes knows All about it.~-A
more self-evident villain 1 never saw
"Oh. he impressed you i'm that way,
did he? There are the horses. this is
the smithy- Yes. it is an interesting
place, this Fighting Cock. l think we
shall have another look at it in an I'M
obtrusive way
A long. sloping hillside. dotted with
gray limestone bouiders, stretched be-.
hind US. We had turned off the road,
and were making cur way up the hIll
when, looking in the direction of Hol-
dernesse Hall, I saw a cycIist coming
swiftly along
Get down, Watson," cried Holmes.
with heavy hand upon my shoulder
We had hardly sunk from view when
the man flew past US on the road Amid
a rolling cloud of dust l caught
glimpse of pale, agitated face-a face
with horror in every lineament. the
mouth Open,- the eyes staring wildly in
front. 1t was like some strange carl
cature of the dapper James Wilder
whom he had seen the night before
THE Dukes secretary" cried
Holmes Come, Watson, let us see
We scrambled from rock to rock. un-
I'll in a few moments we had made our
way to a point from which we could see
the front door of the inn. Wilder's BIZ
cycle was leaning against the wall be
side 1t. Not one was moving about the
house, nor could we catch a glimpse OF
any faces at the windows. Slowly the
twilight crept down as the sun
sank behind the high towers of
Hoidersee Hall. Then, in the
gloom, we saw the two side
lamps Of a trap light up in the stable
yard of the inn, and shortly afterwards
heard the rattle of hoOfs, as it wheeled
out into the road and tore off at a fu-
rious pace in the direction of Chester
field
What do you make of that, Wat
SOM" Holmes whispered.
1T looks like a flight
"a single man in a dog cart, so far
as could see. Well, it certainly was
not Mr.. James Wilder. for there he is
at the door,
A red square OF light had sprung out
of the darkness. In the middle OF it was
the black figure of the secretary, his
head advanced, peering out into the
night. 1t was evident that he was ex-
pecting someone. Then at last there
were steps in the road, a second figure
was visible for an instant against the
light, the door shut. and all was black
once more. Five minutes later a lamp
was lit in a room upon the first floor
1T seems to be a curious class OF
custom that is done by the Fighting
Cock said Holmes.
The bar is on the other side"
quite so. These are what one may
call the private guests Now, what in
the world is Mr.. James Wilder doing in
that den at this hour of night. and who
is the companion who comes to meet
him there? Come. Watson. we must
really take risk. and try to investi-
gate this little more Closely
Together we stole down to the road
and crept across to the door Of the inn.
The bicycle still leaned against the
wall Holmes struck d match and held
1t to the back wheel, and I heard him
chuckle as thE Light fell upon a patched
Dunlop tire. Up above us was the
lighted window.
Il must have a peep through that.
Watson. If you bend your back and
support yourself upon the wall. 1 think
! that L can manage"
An instant later his feet were on my
shoulders, but he was hardly up before
I! he was down again.
Come, my friend said he. Our
days work has been quite long enough.
L think that we have gathered all that
we can. It's a long walk to the school
and the sooner We get started the bet
ter"
He hardly opened HIS lips during that
| weary trudSe across the moor, nor
would he enter the school when he
reached it. but went on to Mackleton
station, whense he could send some
kilograms Late at night 1 heard him
| cOnSOling DR. HuXtable. Frustrated by
the tragedy of his masters death. and
I later still he entered my room as alert
and vigorous as he had been when he
started in the morning. "All goes
well, my friend" said he. Il promise
that before tomorrow evening We shall
have reached the solution of the mys-
| terry
At II o'clock next morning my friend
| and ] were walking up the famous yew
I avenue Of HoIdernesse Hall. We were
/ ushered through the magnificent Eli
! zabethan doorway and into his gTa ce' 8
! study There we found Mr.. James Will
! der. demure and courtly, but with
| some trace of that wild terror of the
night before still lurking in his fur
| tive eyes and in his twitching features
You have come to see his grace?
| am sorry, but the fact is that duke is
| far from Well He has been very much
! upset by the tragic news. We received
a telegram from DR.. Huxta bic yester-
! day afternoon which told us OF your
/ discovery"
7 must see the duke. Mr.. Wilder
But he is in his room.
Then 1 must go to his ROOM"
|, Il believe he is in his bed"
Il will see him there"
Holmes cold and inexorable manner
showed the secretary that it was use
! less to argue with him.
Very good. Mr.. Holmes, 1 viii tell
| him that you are here
J After an hours delay the great no.
| bleman appeared. Ills face was more
! cadaverous than ever. his shoulders
/ had rounded, and he seemed to me to
/ be an altogether older man that he had
| been the morning before. He greeted
| us with stately courtesy and seated
I himself at his desk, his red beard
streaming down on the table.
Wen, Mr.. Holiness" said he
| But my friends eyes were fixed upon
! the secretary, who stood by his mas
/ ter's chair.
Il think, your grace. that 1 could
speak more freely in Mr.. Wilder's alb
| senee."
| The man turned a shade paler and
| cast a malignant glance at Holmes
IF your grace wishes
Yes. yes, you had better go. Now,
| Mr.. Holmes what have you TO say?"
lily friend waited until the door had
| closed behind the retredtinE secretary
"The fact is, your Craze" said he.
| that my colleague, u. Watson, and
| myself had an assurance from Dr.
Huxtable that a reward had been Of
| fered in this case. l should like to
J have this confirmed from your own
| lips