Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-22

ascertained that Lord Satire had not
been alone in his digit. Heldcgger, the
German master, was missing. His
room was on the second floor at the
same way as Lord Saltire's. His bed
had also been slept in, but he had an.
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 r d
landed on the lawn. His bicycle , .
kept in a small shed beside this lawn,
and It was also gone.
HE had been with me for two
years and came with the best refer
ences, but he was silent, morose
man, not very popular either with
masters or boys. No truce could be
found Of the fugitives. and now, OH
Thursday morning, we are AS igno-
rant as we were on Tuesday. Inquiry
was, Of course. made at once at Holder
nessc Hall. 1t il only a few miles
away. and we imagined that in some
sudden attack Of HON the boy
had gone back to his father, but nothing
had been heard of him. The duke ia
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-
duced me. Mr.. Holmes. il ever you
put forward your full powers i'm
plore 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 statement
of the unhappy schoolmaster. His
drawn brows and the deep furrow be-
tween them showed that he needed no
exhortation to concentrate all his at
tention upon a problem which, apart
from the tremendous interests involved,
| must appeal 40 directly to his love of
the complex and the unusual. lie now
drew out his notebook and jotted
down one or two memoranda.
"You have been very remiss in not
coming to me sooner" said he severe
~. You start me OH my investigation
| with a very serious handicap. 1t Ia
inconceivahle. 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 deep hor.
ror of anything Of the kind"
But there has been some oflicial in.
vestigation?"
Eyes, sir, and II has proved most dis.
appointing. An apparent clew was at
once obtained. since boy and young
man were reported to have been seen
leaving a neighboring station by an
early train. Only last night we had
news that the couple had been hunted
down in Liverpool, and they prove to
have no connection whatever with the
matter in hand. Then 1t was that III
my despair and disappointment after
sleepless night l came straight to you
by the early train"
! II suppose the local investigation
was relaxed while this false clew was
being followed up?"
ut was entirely dropped"
$50 that three days have been vast.
ed. The affair has been most deplor-
ably handled"
II feel 1t and admit IT,"
"And yet the problem should be ca.
pnble OF ultimate solution. I shall be
very happy to look into it. Have you
been able to trace any connection be-
tween the missing boy and this Ger.
man master:"
| "None ut ALL"
WAS he in the masters class?''
"No; he never exchanged a word
with him so far as know
THAT is certainly very singular. Had
the boy bicycle?"
mo"
"Was any other bicycle missing2"
mo"
us that certain?"
"Quite."
"Well. now. you do not mean to seri.
ously suggest that this German rode
| of upon a bicycle in the dead Of the
night, bearing the boy In his arms?"
Certainly not
mind!"
1.-THE bicycle may have been a blind
1t may have been hidden somewhere
and the pair gone of on foot"
"Quite 80, but 1t seems rather an alb.
surd blind. does it not? Were there
other bicycles in this shed:"
Several"
would he not have hidden couple
had he desired to give the idea that
they had gone Off upon them?"
II suppose he would"
"Of course he would. The blind
| theory won't do. But the incident 10 an
admirable starting point for an in.
vestigation. After all. a bicycle ia not
an easy thing to conceal or to destroy.
One other question. Did any one call
to see the boy on the day before he
Gisappeared?"
mo"
did he get any lettersT'
Yes. one letter."
"From whom?'
Prom his father"
do you open the boys lettersT'
mo"
"IIow do you know it was from the
fatherT
THE coat OF arms was on the en-
yelOpe. and Il was addreseed in the