Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-08-24
BY A. CONAN DOYLE,
[c~oNr11UED.1

FNNe A>NNA W NNN AAoA -
Of England. And now, Or. HuXtable
when you have consumed that mill
you will kindly tell me what has hap
pened, when it happened, how it hap
pened and, finally, what DR.. Thorney
croft Huxtable of the Priory school
lear Mackleton, has to do with the
matter and why he comes three days
after an event-the state Of your chin
gives the date-to ask for my humble
Services"
Our visitor had consumed his milk
and biscuits. The light had come back
to his eyes and the color to his cheeks
as he set himself with great vigor and
lucidity to explain the situation.
II must inform you. gentlemen, that
the Priory is a preparatory school of
which I am the founder and principal.
Turntables Side Lights on Horace
may possibly recall my name to your
memories. The Priory is without e1cep-
ton the best and most select prepare
tory school in England. Lord Lever
stoke, the Earl Of Blackwater, Sir
Cathcart Soames-they all have intrust-
ed their sons to me. But felt that my
school had reached its zenith when.
three weeks ago. the Duke of Holder
nesse sent Mr.. James Wilder, his sec
rotary, with the intimation hat young
Lord Satire, ten years old. his only
son and heir, was about to be COM
mitted to my charge. Little did I think
that this would be the prelude to the
most crushing misfortune of my life.
ION May 1 the boy arrived. that be-
ing the beginning of the summer term.
he was a charming youth, and he soon
fell into u ways. l may tell you'll
trust that I am not indiscreet, but half
condolences are absurd in such a case
that he was not entirely happy at
home. 1t is an open secret that the
dukes married life had not been a
peaceful one, and the matter had end.
ed in a separation by mutual consent,
the duchess taking up her residence in
the south Of France. This had occurred
very shortly before. and the boys SYM
pathies are known to have been strong
" with MS mother. He moped after
her departure from Holdernesse Hall.
and it was for this reason that the
duke desired to send him to my estab-
lishment. In a fortnight the boy was
quite at home with us and was appar-
emily absolutely happy.
"He was last seen on the night Of
May 13-that is, the night of last Mon
day. His room was on the second floor
and was approached through another
larger room, in which two boys We're
sleeping. These boys saw and heard
nothing, SO that it 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 footmarks below, but it
Is sure that this is the only possible
exit.
"His absence was discovered at I
o'clock on Tuesday morning. His bed
had been slept in. He had dressed him
self fully before going off in his usual
school suit of black Elton jacket and
dark gray trousers. There We're no
signs that any n had entered the
ASoAAA. oAo ~ IL lullC NCll all ludl ally
thing in the nature Of cries or a strug-
gle would have been heard. since Caun-
ter, the elder boy in the inner room, is
q very light sleeper.
when Lord Saltire's disappearance
was discovered, I at once called a roll
Of the whole establishment-boys, mas
tiers and servants. 1t was then that we
a~scertained 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 Saltire's. His bed
had also been slept in. but he had ap-
parently 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 was also gone.
"He had been with me for two
years and came with the best refer
ences, but be was a silent, morose
man, not very popular either viii
masters or boys. No trace could be
found of the fugitives, and now, on
Thursday morning, we are as igno-
rant as we were on Tuesday. Inquiry
was, Of course, made at once at Holder.
nesse Hall. 1t is only a few miles
away, and we imagined that in some
Sudden attack Of homesickness the boy
bad gone back to his father, but nothing
Aad been heard Of him. The duke is
greatly agitated, and as to me-you
have seen yourselves the state of
nervous prostration to which the sus.
pense and the responsibility have re.
dnced me. Mr.. Holmes, if ever you
pWt forward your full powers l i'm.
Dlore 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 witt
the utmost intentness to the statement
Of the unhappy schoolmaster. His
drawn brows and the deep furrow be
tween them showed that he needed nc
exhortat1on to concentrate all his at
thntton upon q problem which, apart
from the tremendous interests involved
must appeal SO directly to his love OF
the comnlex and the unusual He nov