The Washington herald., 1912-02-18

OF course. Either the boy was carried
of BY force or he went OF his own free
VIII. In the latter case, you would ex-
pect that some prompting from outside
would be needed to make so Young q
lad do such thing. IL he has had no
visitors, that prompting must have
come in letters hence ] try TO find out
who were his correspondents"
Il fear cannot help you much. His
only correspondent, so far as ] know,
was his own father"
Who wrote to him on the very day
Of his disappearance. Were the rela-
tons between father and son very
friendlyi"
~His grace Is never very friendly
with any one. He is completely inn
mersed IN large public questions, and
Is rather inaccessible 10 all ordinary
emotions. But he was always kind to
the boy IN his own way.
-Bnt the sympathies of the latter
were with the mother7"
Yes"
ibid he say sos"
'srhe duke, thenf'
Good heavens, mol"
Then how could YOU lmow?"
Il have had some confidential talks
with Mr.. James Wilder, his grace's
secretary II was he who gave me the
information about Lord Saltire's feel
mgs"
II see. BY the way, that last letter
Of the duke's-was it found in the boys
room after he was gomez
No, he had taken il with him.
think, Mr.. Holmes, il is time that we
were leaving for Euston"
Il will order a four-wheeler. In a
qttarter OF an hour we shall be at your
service. II you are telegraphing home,
MIR Huxtable, II would be well to allow
the people in your neighborhood to
imagine that the inquiry IS still going
on IN Liverpool, or wherever else that
red herring led your pack. In the
meantime l will do little quiet work
at your own doors, and perhaps the
scent isn't so cold but that two old
hounds like Watson and myself may
get sniff of il"
That evening found us in the cold,
braciDg atmosphere Of the Peak coun-
try, m which DIR. Huxtable's famous
school is situated 1t was already dark
when We reached it. A card was lying
on the hall table, and the butler whis-
pered something to his master, who
turned to us with agitation in every
heavy feature.
'The duke is here" said he. "The
duke and Mr. Wilder are in the study.
Come gentlemen, and | will introduce
you"
was, Of course, familiar with the
pictures Of the famous statesman, but
the man himself was very different
from his representation. He was tall
and stately person, scrupulously dressed,
with drawn, thin face, and a nose
which was grotesquely curved and long.
Ills complexion was Of a dead pallor,
which was more startling by contrast
with a long, dwindling beard of vivid
red, which flowed down over his white
waistcoat, with his watch=chain gleam-
ing through its fringe Such was the
stately presence who looked stonily at
us from the center of DIR. Huxtable's
hearthrug Beside him stood a very
young man, whom ] understood to be
Wilder, the private secretary He was
small, nervous, alert, with intelligent,
hght-blue eyes and mobile features. Ii
was he who at once, in an incisive and
positive tone, opened the conversation.
Il called this morning, DIR. Huxtable,
too late to prevent you from starting
for London. learned that your OBJ
ject wasrto invite Mr.. Sherlock Holmes
to undertake the conduct of this case
His grace is surprised, Dr. Huxtable,
that you should have taken such step
without consulting him."
When | learned that the police had
failed
"His grace is by no means convinced
that the police have failed"
"Ruf eureiv Mr. Wiider %
You are well aware, DIR. Huxtable,
that his grace is particularly anxious
to avoid all public scandal. He prefers
10 take as few people as possible into
his confidence"
"The matter can be easily remedied,"
said the brow-beaten doctor; "Mr.
Sherlock Holmes can return to London
by ths morning train"
Hardly that doctor, hardly that"
said Holmes, in his blandest voice.
This northern air is inyigorating and
-. Il