No. 5 The Adventure of the Priory School by Arthur Conan Doyle
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that_the tracks were sometimes like that, Watson" -- he arranged a number of bread-crumbs in_this fashion -- : : : : : -- " and sometimes like this" -- : .: .: .: .-- " and occasionally like this" -- .` .` .` ." can_you remember that ? "

" no, I_cannot ."

" but I_can . I_could swear to_it . however, we_will go back at our leisure and verify it . what a blind beetle I_have_been not to draw my conclusion ! "

" and what_is your conclusion ? "

" only that_it_is a remarkable cow which walks, canters, and gallops . by George, Watson, it_was no brain of a country publican that thought out such a blind as_that ! the coast seems_to_be clear, save for_that lad in_the smithy . let_us slip out and_see what we_can_see ."

there were two rough-haired, unkempt horses in_the tumble- down stable .Holmes raised the hind leg of one_of_them and laughed aloud .

" old shoes, but newly shod -- old shoes, but new nails . this_case deserves to_be a classic . let_us go across to_the smithy ."

the lad continued his work without regarding us . I_saw Holmes's eye darting to right and left among_the litter of iron and wood which_was scattered about_the floor . suddenly, however, we heard a step behind us, and there_was the landlord, his heavy eyebrows drawn over his savage eyes, his swarthy features convulsed with passion . he held a short, metal- headed stick in_his hand, and he advanced in so menacing a fashion that i_was right glad to_feel the revolver in my pocket .

" you infernal spies ! " the man cried ." what_are you doing there ? "

" why, Mr Reuben Hayes," said Holmes, coolly, " one might think that you were afraid of_our finding something out ."

the man mastered himself with a violent effort, and_his grim mouth loosened into a false laugh, which_was more menacing than his frown .

" you're welcome to all you_can find out in my smithy," said he ." but look here, mister, I don't care for folk poking about_my place without my leave, so the sooner you pay your score and get out of_this the better I_shall_be pleased ."

" all right, Mr Hayes -- no harm meant," said Holmes ." we_have_been having a look at your horses, but i_think I'll walk after all . it's not far, I believe ."

" not more than two miles to_the hall gates . that's the road to_the left ." he watched us with sullen eyes until we had left his premises .

we_did_not go very far along the road, for Holmes stopped the instant that_the curve hid us from_the landlord's view .

" we were warm, as_the children say, at_that inn," said he ."I seem to grow colder every step that I take away from_it . no, no; I_can't possibly leave it ."

" I_am convinced," said I, " that_this Reuben Hayes knows all about_it .a more self- evident villain I never saw ."

"Oh ! he impressed you in_that way, did he ? there_are the horses, there_is the smithy . yes, it_is an interesting place, this Fighting Cock . i_think we_shall_have another look at it in an unobtrusive way ."

a long, sloping hillside, dotted with grey limestone boulders, stretched behind us . we had turned off the road, and were making our way up the hill, when, looking in_the direction of Holdernesse hall, I_saw acyclist coming swiftly along .

" get down, Watson ! " cried Holmes, with a heavy hand upon my shoulder . we had hardly sunk from view when_the man flew past us on_the road .Amid arolling cloud of dust I caught a glimpse of a pale, agitated face -- a face with horror in every lineament, the mouth open, the eyes staring wildly in front . it_was like some strange caricature of_the dapper James wilder whom we had seen the night before .

" the duke's secretary ! " cried Holmes ." come, Watson, let_us_see what he_does ."

we scrambled from rock to rock until in a few_moments we had made our way to a point from_which we could_see the front door of_the inn . wilder's bicycle was leaning against the wall beside it . no one was moving about_the house, nor could we catch a glimpse of any faces at_the windows . slowly the twilight crept down as_the sun sank behind the high towers of Holdernesse hall . then in_the gloom we saw the two side-lamps of a trap light up in_the stable yard of_the inn, and shortly afterwards heard the rattle of hoofs, as it wheeled out into_the road and tore off at a furious pace in_the direction of chesterfield .

" what do_you make of_that, Watson ? " Holmes whispered .

" it looks like a flight ."

"A single man in a dog- cart, so_far as I could_see . well, it certainly was not Mr James wilder, for there he_is at_the door ."

a red square of light had sprung out_of_the darkness . in_the middle of it was_the black figure of_the secretary, his head advanced, peering out into_the night . it_was evident that he_was expecting someone . then at last there were steps in_the road, a second figure was visible for an instant against the light, the door shut, and all was black once more .Five minutes later a lamp was lit in a room upon_the first floor .

" it seems_to_be a curious class of custom that_is done by_the Fighting Cock," said Holmes .

" the bar is on_the other side ."

" quite so . these are what one may call the private guests . now, what in_the_world is Mr James wilder doing in_that den at_this hour of night, and who is_the companion who comes to meet him there ? come, Watson, we_must really take a risk and try to investigate this a little more closely ."

together we stole down to_the road and crept across to_the door of_the inn . the bicycle still leaned against the wall .Holmes struck a match and held it to_the back wheel, and I heard him chuckle as_the light fell upon a patched Dunlop tyre . up above us was_the lighted window .

" I_must_have a peep through_that, Watson . if_you bend your back and support yourself upon_the wall, i_think that I_can manage ."

an instant later his feet were on my shoulders . but he_was hardly up before he_was down again .

" come, my friend," said he, " our day's work has_been quite long enough . i_think that we_have gathered all that we_can . it's a long walk to_the school, and_the sooner we get started the better ."

he hardly opened his lips during that weary trudge across the moor, nor would he enter the school when he reached it, but went on to Mackleton station, whence he_could send some telegrams . late at night I heard him consoling Dr .Huxtable, prostrated by_the tragedy of_his master's death, and later still he entered my room as alert and vigorous as he had_been when he started in_the morning ." all goes well, my friend," said he ."I promise that before to- morrow evening we_shall_have reached the solution of_the mystery ."

at eleven o'clock next morning my friend and I were walking up the famous yew avenue of Holdernesse hall . we were ushered through_the magnificent Elizabethan doorway and into his grace's study . there we_found Mr James wilder, demure and courtly, but with some trace of_that wild terror of_the night before still lurking in_his furtive eyes and in_his twitching features .

" you_have come to_see his grace ? I_am sorry; but the fact is that_the duke is far from well . he has_been very_much upset by_the tragic news . we received a telegram from Dr .Huxtable yesterday afternoon, which told us of your discovery ."

" I_must see the duke, Mr wilder ."

" but he_is in_his room ."

" then I_must go to_his room ."

"I believe he_is in_his bed ."

" i_will_see him there ."

Holmes's cold and inexorable manner showed the secretary that_it_was useless to argue with_him .

" very_good, Mr Holmes; i_will tell him that you_are here ."

after half an hour's delay the great nobleman appeared . his face was more cadaverous than ever, his shoulders had rounded, and he_seemed to_me to_be an altogether older man than he had_been the morning before . he greeted us with a stately courtesy and seated himself at his desk, his red beard streaming down on to_the table .

" well, Mr Holmes ? " said he .

but my friend's eyes were fixed upon_the secretary, who stood by his master's chair .

" i_think, your grace, that I_could speak more freely in Mr wilder's absence ."

the man turned a shade paler and cast a malignant glance at Holmes .

" if your grace wishes ----"

" yes, yes; you had better go . now, Mr Holmes, what have_you to_say ? "

my friend waited until the door had closed behind the retreating secretary .

" the fact is, your grace," said he, " that my colleague, Dr .Watson, and myself had an assurance from Dr .Huxtable that a reward had_been offered in this_case . i_should like to_have this confirmed from your own lips ."

" certainly, Mr Holmes ."

" it amounted, if I_am correctly informed, to five thousand pounds to anyone who_will tell you where your son is ? "

" exactly ."

" and another thousand to_the man who_will name the person or persons who keep him in custody ? "

" exactly ."

" under the latter heading is included, no_doubt, not_only those who may_have taken him away, but also those who conspire to_keep him in_his present position ? "

" yes, yes," cried the duke, impatiently ." if_you_do your work well, Mr Sherlock Holmes, you_will_have no reason to complain of niggardly treatment ."

my friend rubbed his thin hands together with an appearance of avidity which_was a surprise to_me, who knew his frugal tastes .

"I fancy that I_see your grace's Cheque- book upon_the table," said he ." i_should_be glad if_you_would make me out aCheque for six thousand pounds . it would_be as_well, perhaps, for_you to cross it . the capital and Counties bank, Oxford street branch, are my agents ."

his grace sat very stern and upright in_his chair, and looked stonily at my friend .

" is_this a joke, Mr Holmes ? it_is hardly a subject for pleasantry ."

" not at all, your grace . i_was never more earnest in my life ."

" what do_you_mean, then ? "

"I mean that I_have earned the reward . I_know where your son is, and I_know some, at_least, of_those who_are holding him ."

the duke's beard had turned more aggressively red than ever against his ghastly white face .

" where is he ? " he gasped .

" he_is, or was last night, at_the Fighting Cock inn, about two miles from your park gate ."

the duke fell back in_his chair .

" and whom do_you accuse ? "

Sherlock Holmes's answer was an astounding one . he stepped swiftly forward and touched the duke upon_the shoulder .

"I accuse you," said he ." and now, your grace, I'll trouble you for_that Cheque ."

never shall I forget the duke's appearance as he sprang up and clawed with_his hands like one who_is sinking into an abyss . then, with an extraordinary effort of aristocratic self- command, he sat down and sank his face in_his hands . it_was some minutes before he spoke .

" how_much do_you_know ? " he asked at last, without raising his head .

" I_saw you together last night ."

"Does anyone else besides your friend know ? "

" I_have spoken to no one ."

the duke took a pen in_his quivering fingers and opened his Cheque- book .

" I_shall_be as good as my word, Mr Holmes . I_am about to write your Cheque, however unwelcome the information which you_have gained may_be to_me . when_the offer was first made I little thought the turn which events might take . but you and your friend are men of discretion, Mr Holmes ? "

"I hardly understand your grace ."

" I_must put it plainly, Mr Holmes . if only you two know of_this incident, there_is no reason why it should go any farther . i_think twelve thousand pounds is_the sum that I owe you, is_it not ? "

but Holmes smiled and shook his head .

" I_fear, your grace, that matters can hardly be arranged so easily . there_is the death of_this schoolmaster to_be accounted for ."

" but James knew nothing of_that . you_cannot hold him responsible for_that . it was_the work of_this brutal ruffian whom he had the misfortune to employ ."

" I_must take_the view, your grace, that when a man embarks upon a crime he_is morally guilty of any_other crime which_may spring from_it ."

" morally, Mr Holmes . no_doubt you_are right . but surely not in_the eyes of_the law .a man cannot_be condemned for a murder at which he_was not present, and which he loathes and abhors as_much as_you_do . the instant that he heard of it he_made a complete confession to_me, so filled was he with horror and remorse . he_lost not an hour in breaking entirely with_the murderer .Oh, Mr Holmes, you_must save him -- you_must save him ! I tell you that you_must save him ! " the duke had dropped the last attempt at self- command, and was pacing the room with aconvulsed face and with_his clenched hands raving in_the air . at last he mastered himself and sat down once more at his desk ."I appreciate your conduct in coming here before_you spoke to anyone else," said he ." at_least, we_may take counsel how far we_can minimise this hideous scandal ."

" exactly," said Holmes ." i_think, your grace, that_this can only be_done by absolute and complete frankness between_us . I_am disposed to help your grace to_the best of_my

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