The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-18
The Adventure of the Priory School
The Mcclure Syndicate
BY ARTHUR CONAN


hed beyond expression by the dread
full deed he had witnessed. In defer
ence to my promise, and much against
my will, | consented 70 leave him there
for three days, under the charge Of
Mrs. Hayes, since il was evident thai
ii was impossible to inform he police
where he was without telling them
also who was the murderer, and
could not see how that murderer coulo
be punished without ruin TO my unfor
tunate James. You asked for frank
ness, Mr. Holmes, and | have taker
you at your word, for | have now tolo
you everything without an attempt al
circumlocution or concealment Dc
you in your turn be as frank with me.
81 WILL" said Holmes. In the frs
place, your Grace, ] am bound TO tel
you that you have placed yourself in
most serious position in the eyes OF
the law. You have condoned felony
and you have aided the escape of
murderer, for cannot doubt that any
money which was taken by James vii
der to aid his accomplice in his flight
came from your Grace's purse"
The Duke bowed his assent.
This is, indeed, most serious mat
ter. Even more culpable in my opin-
ion. your Grace, is your attitude to-
wards your Younger son. You leave
him in this den for three days"
Under solemn promises"
What are promises to such people
as these? You have no guarantee that
he will not be spirited away again.
To humor your guilty elder son, you
have exposed your innocent younger
son to imminent and unnecessary dan
ger 1t was most unjustifiabie
action"
The proud lord of HoIdernesse was
not accustomed to be so rated in his
own ducal hall. The blood flushed
into his high forehead, but his con-
| science held him dumb.
Il will help you, but on one condi-
| ton only. 1t is that you ring for the
| footman, and let me give such orders
| as | like"
| Without a word, the Duke pressed
the electric bell. A servant entered
you will be glad to hear" said
| Holmes, that your young master is
! found. 1t is the Dukes desire that
the carriage shall go at once to the
| Fighting Cock Inn and bring Lord
1
Now" said Holmes, when the re-
! ioicing lackey had disappeared, "hav-
! ing secured the future. we can afford
to be lenient with the past. / am not
in an official position, and there is no
reason, so long as the ends Of justice
! are served, why | should disclose all
that l know. As to Hayes, ! say moth
! ing. The gallows awaits him, and |
would n hir,1f II
What he will divulge 1 cannot tell,
but l have no doubt that your Grace
could make him understand that it is
to his interest TO be silent. From the
police point of view he will have kid
mapped the boy for the purpose of ran
som. If they do not themselves find
it out, l see no reason why | should
prompt them to take broader point
of view. l would warn your Grace
: however, that the continued presence
of MIR. James Wilder in your house
hold can only lead to misfortune"
= Il understand that, Mr.. Holmes. and
it is already settled that he shall leave
me forever, and go to seek his fortune
in Australia"
{ In that case, your Grace. since
, you have yourself stated that any IN
, happiness in your married life was
caused by his presence, I would sug-
!, sest that you make such amends as
: you can to the Duchess, and that you
/ try to resume those relations which
have been so unhappily interrupted"
: That also l have arranged, Mr..
Holmes. | wrote TO the Duchess this
, morning"
/ In that case" said Holmes, rising
{ Il think that my friend and l can con
} graduate ourselves upon several most
, happy results from our little visit TO
! the North. There is one other small
: point upon which | desire some light
! This fellow Hayes had shod his horses
| with shoes which counterfeited the
2 tracks of COWS. Was it from Mr. vii
> der that he learned so extraordinary
+ a DEVICE"
$ The Duke stood in thought for a
9 moment, with a look of intense sur
D prise on his face. Then he opened a
door and showed US into large room
1 furnished as museum. He led the
V way to a glass case in a corner, and
:. pointed to the inscription
@ These Shoes" it ran, were dug
6 up in the moat of Holdernesse Hall
:. They are for the use of horses, bur
{ they are shaped below with a clover
1 foot of iron, so as to throw pursuers
h off the track, They are supposed tc
e have belonged to some of the maraud
ing Barons OF Holdernesse in the Mid
J. die Ages"
e Holmes opened the case. and moist
r ening his finger, he passed it alons
5 the shoe. A thin film of recent mut
VI was left upon his skin. ...
II Thank you" said he, as he re
: placed the glass. 1T is the SECOND
e most interesting object that I hav,
q seen in the North"
u And the first?"
< Holmes folded up his check am
II placed it carefully in his notebook
r. Il am poor man." said he. as h,
j. patted it affectionately, and thrust i
: into the depths of his inner pocket