Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-11
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he began to smoke over it. and occasion
ally to point out objects of interest with
the reeking amber of his pipe.
This case grows upon me, watson,
said he There are decidedly some points
of interest in connection with 1t. In thIs
early stage L want you to realize those
geogra phical features which may have
good deal to do with our investigation.
Look al this map This dark square is
the priory school. I'll put a pin in it.
Now, this line is the main road. You see
that it runs east and west past the school,
and you see also that there is no side road
for a mile either way. If these two folk
passed away by road, it was this road
Exactly .--
by a singular and happy chance we are
able to some extent to check what passed
along this road during the night in ques-
ton At this point, where my pipe is now
resting, a county constable was duty
from IL to 6. 1t is, you perceive, the
first cross-road on the east side. This man
declares that he was not absent from his
post for an instant, and he is positive that
neither boy nor man could have gone that
way unseen. / have spoken with this po
Hceman tonight. and he appears to me to
be perfectly reliable person. That blocks
this end ID We have now to deal with the
other. There Is an inn Eere, the Red Bull,
the landlady of which was i'll. She had sent
to Mackleton fora doctor, but he did not ar
rive until morning, being absent at another
case. The people at the inn were alert all
night, awaiting his coming, and one or
other of them seems to have continually
had an eye upon the road They declare
that no one passed. If their. evidence is
good, then we are fortunate enough to be
able to block the west, and also to be able
to say that the fugitives did not use the
road at ALL
.But the bicycle?" objected.
"Ouite So We will come to the bicycle
presently. To continue our reasoning: If
these people did not go by the road they
must have traversed the country to the
1f% to tIA fNff II
house That Is certain. Let us weigh the
one against the other. On the south of
the house is, as you perceive, large dis
trict of arabic land, cut up into small fields,
with stone walls between them. There, /
admit that a bicycle Is impossible. We can
dismiss the idea. We turn to the country
on the north Here there lies a grove of
trees, marked as the Ragged Shaw, and
on the farther side, stretches d great rolling
moor Lower Gill moor, extending for ten
miles and ysloping1gradually upward. Here,
at one side of this Wilderness is Holder
nesse Hallpten miles by road, but only six
across the fmoor.,tft Is peculiarly desoate
plain A flew moor farmers have small
holdings where they rear sheep and cattle.
Except these the plover and the curlew are
the only inhabitants until you come to the
Chesterfield high road. There is church
there YOU see, a2few cottages and an inn.
Beyond that the hills become precipitous.
Surely it is heret to the north that our
quest must lie.n
.sBut the bicycle9" persisted.
"Well, well."' said Holmes. impatiently.
"a good cyclist does not need high road.
The moor is intersected with paths, and
the moon was at the full. Halloa! what is
this?" toN b
There was an agitated knock at the door.
and an instant afterward DR.. Huxtable was
in the room IN his hand he held blue
cricket cap, with a white ehevron on the
peak.
eat last we have clue!" he cried.
Thank heaven! at last we are on the dear
boys track! 1t Is his cap. ..4
.'Where was 1t found?"
I'm the van OF the gypsfes who camped
on the moor. They left on Tuesday. Today
the police traced them down and examined
their caravan. This was found"
How do they account for it?"
They shuffied and lied = said that
they found 1t on the moor on Tues
day morning They know where he
is. the rascais. Thank goodness. they
are all safe under lock and key.
Either the fear of the law or the dukes
purse Will certainly get out of them all.
that they know.
$50 far. so good" said Holmes, when the
doctor had at last left the room. TT at
least bears out the theory that 1t Is on the
side of Lower Gill moor that we must hope
for resulte. The police have really done
nothing locally. save the arrest OF. these
gypsies Look here, Watson! There Is g
watercoprse across the moor. You sea Il