The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-12

parently absolutely happy.
He was at last seen on the night
of May 13th-that Is, the night of
last Monday. His room was on the
second floor, and was approached
through another larger room, in which
two boys were sleeping. These boys
saw and heard nothing so that 1t
is certain that young Satire did not
pass out that way His window was
open, and there is a stout Ivy plant
leading to the ground. We could trace
no foot marks below but it Is sure
that this is the only possible exit.
His absence was discovered at
seven o'clock on Tuesday morning.
His bed had been slept in. He had
dressed himself fully, before going
off. in his usual school suit of black
Elton Jacket and dark grey trousers.
There were no signs that anyone had
entered the room, and 1t is quite
certain that anything in the nature
Of cries orr a struggle would have
been heard. since Caunter. the elder
boy In the inner room is a very light
sleeper.
When Lord Saltire's disappearance
was discovered, l at once called a
roll of the whole establishment-boys
masters and servants. 1t was then that
we ascertained that Lord Satire had
not been alone in his flight. Heidegger,
the German master, was missing. His
room was on the second floor, at the
farther end of the building, facing the
same way as Lord Saltires. His bed
had also been slept in, but he had
APPARENTLY gone away partly dressed,
since his shirt and socks were lying
on the floor He had undoubtedly let
himself down by the Ivy, for we could
see the marks of his feet where he
had landed on the lawn. His bicycle
was kept in a small shed beside this
lawn, and 1t also was gone.
HE had been with me for two years
and came with the best references,
but he was silent, morose man, not
very popular either with masters or
boys. No trace could be found of the
fugitives, and now, on Thursday morn
ing, we are as ignorant as we were
on Tuesday. Inquiry was, of course,
made at once at Holdernesse Hail. 1t
is only a few miles away, and we
imagined that, in some sudden attack
of inconsistencies, he had gone back
to his father but nothing had been
heard of him. The Duke is greatly
agitated, and, as to me, you have
seen yourselves the state of nervous
prostration to whic4 the suspense and
the responsibility have reduced me.
Mr.. Holmes, If ever you put forward
your full powers, implore you to do
so now for never in your life could
you have a case which is more worthy
of them"
Sherlock Holmes had listened with
the utmost intentness to the state
ment of the unhappy schoolmaster.
I His drawn brows, and the deep fur
- 1. = L.
needed no exhortation to concentrate
all his attention upon a problem which,
apart from the tremendous interests
involved must appeal so directly to
his love of the complex and the UNI
usual. He now drew out his notebook,
and jotted down one or two mem
oranda. 49,
You have been very remiss in not
coming to me sooner said he, severe
ly. you start me on my investigation
with a very serious handicap. 1t Is
inconceivable, for example, that this
Ivy and this lawn would have yielded
nothing to an expert observer"
II am not to blame, Mr. Holmes.
His Grace was extremely DESTROYS to
avoid all public scandal. He was
afraid of his family unhappiness being
dragged before the world. He has a
deep horror of anything of the kind"
But there has been some official
Investigations"
Eyes, sir, and it has proved most
disappointing. An apparent clue was
at once obtained, since a boy and a
young man were reported to have
Z been seen leaving a neighboring sta
ton by an early train. Only last night
we had news that the couple had been
hunted down to Liverpool, and they
prove to have no connection whatever
with the matter in hand. Then 1t was
that in my dispair and disappointment
after sleepless night l came straight
to you by the early train.''
II suppose the local investigation
was relaxed while this false clue was
being followed up?''
1T was entirely dropped
$50 that three days have been vast
ed. The affair has been most deplor-
1 ably handled"
II feel it and admit it,
And yet the problem should be
capable of ultimate solution. l shall be
very happy to look into it. Have
you been able to trace any connection
between this missing boy and the Ger
man master?"
None at ALL"
Was he in the masters class?"
mo; he never exchanged word
with him so far as l know"
''rhat is certainly very singular. Had
the boy bicycle"'
NO"
WAS any other bicycle missing?"
mo-
lis that certain?"
quite
well, now, you do not mean to Sc
riously suggest that this German rode
off upon a bicycle In the dead of the
night. bearing the boy in his arms?"
Certainly not"
Then what is the theory in your
mind?"
1.-THE bicycle may have been blind.
1t may have been hidden somewhere
and the pair gone off on foot
quite so, but 1t seems rather an
absurd blind. Goes 1t not Were there
other bicycles in the shed?"
Several"
would he not have hidden a couple.
had he desired to give the idea that
they had gone of on them?'
Il suppose he would"
"Of coure he would. The blind the
DRY won't do. But the incident is an
admirable starting point for an inves-
tigation. After all, a bicycle is not
an easy thing to conceal or destroy.
One other question. Did anyone call to
see the boy on the day before he dis
appeared
mo"
did he get any l-tters?'
Eyes, one letter.
From whom"
From his father"
do you open the boys ietters?"
NO"
How do you know it was from his