No. 5 The Adventure of the Priory School by Arthur Conan Doyle
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of_my ability; but in_order to_do_so I_must understand to_the last detail how the matter stands .I realise that your words applied to Mr James wilder, and_that he_is_not the murderer ."

" no; the murderer has escaped ."

Sherlock Holmes smiled demurely .

" your grace can hardly have heard of any small reputation which I possess, or you_would_not imagine that_it_is so easy to escape me .Mr Reuben Hayes was arrested at chesterfield on my information at eleven o'clock last night .I had a telegram from_the head of_the local police before I left the school this_morning ."

the duke leaned back in_his chair and stared with amazement at my friend .

" you seem to_have powers that_are hardly human," said he ." so Reuben Hayes is taken ? I_am right glad_to_hear it, if it_will_not react upon_the fate of James ."

" your secretary ? "

" no, sir; my son ."

it_was Holmes's turn to look astonished .

"I confess that_this_is entirely new to_me, your grace . I_must beg you to_be more explicit ."

" i_will conceal nothing from_you .I agree with_you that complete frankness, however painful it may_be to_me, is_the best policy in_this desperate situation to_which James's folly and jealousy have reduced us . when i_was a very young man, Mr Holmes, I loved with_such a love as comes only once in a lifetime .I offered the lady marriage, but she refused it on_the grounds that such a match might mar my career . had she lived i_would certainly never have married anyone else . she died, and left this_one child, whom for her sake I_have cherished and cared for . I_could_not acknowledge the paternity to_the world; but I_gave him the best of educations, and since he_came to manhood I_have kept him near my person . he surprised my secret, and has presumed ever_since upon_the claim which he has upon me and upon his power of provoking a scandal, which would_be abhorrent to_me . his presence had something to_do with_the unhappy issue of_my marriage . above all, he hated my young legitimate heir from_the first with a persistent hatred . you_may well ask me why, under these circumstances, I still kept James under my roof .I answer that_it_was because I could_see his mother's face in_his, and_that for her dear sake there_was no end to my long-suffering . all her pretty ways, too -- there_was not one_of_them which he_could_not suggest and bring back to my memory . I_could_not send_him away . but I feared so_much lest he_should do Arthur -- that_is, lord Saltire -- a mischief that I dispatched him for safety to Dr .Huxtable's school .

"James came into contact with_this fellow Hayes because the man was a tenant of_mine, and James acted as agent . the fellow was a rascal from_the beginning; but in some extraordinary way James became intimate with_him . he had always a taste for low company . when James determined to kidnap lord Saltire it_was of_this man's service that he availed himself . you remember that i_wrote to Arthur upon that last day . well, James opened the letter and inserted a note asking Arthur to meet him in a little wood called the ragged shaw, which_is near to_the school . he used the duchess's name, and in_that way got the boy to_come . that evening James bicycled over -- I_am telling you what he has himself confessed to_me -- and he_told Arthur, whom he met in_the wood, that his mother longed to_see him, that she was awaiting him on_the moor, and_that if he_would come back into_the wood at midnight he_would find a man with a horse, who_would take him to her . poor Arthur fell into_the trap . he_came to_the appointment and found this fellow Hayes with aled pony . Arthur mounted, and_they set off together . it appears -- though this James only heard yesterday -- that_they were pursued, that Hayes struck the pursuer with_his stick, and_that the man died of_his injuries .Hayes brought Arthur to_his public- house, the Fighting Cock, where he_was confined in an upper room, under the care of Mrs Hayes, who_is a kindly woman, but entirely under the control of her brutal husband .

" well, Mr Holmes, that was_the state of affairs when I first saw you two days_ago .I had no more idea of_the truth than you . you_will ask me what_was James's motive in doing such a deed .I answer that there_was a great deal which_was unreasoning and fanatical in_the hatred which he bore my heir . in_his view he_should himself have_been heir of all my estates, and he deeply resented those social laws which made it impossible . at_the same time he had a definite motive also . he_was eager that i_should break the entail, and he_was of opinion that_it lay in my power to_do_so . he intended to_make a bargain with me -- to restore Arthur if i_would break the entail, and so make it possible for_the estate to_be left to him by will . he_knew well that i_should never willingly invoke the aid of_the police against him . I_say that he_would_have proposed such a bargain to_me, but he_did_not actually do_so, for events moved too quickly for him, and he had_not time to_put his plans into practice .

" what brought all his wicked scheme to wreck was your discovery of_this man Heidegger's dead body .James was seized with horror at_the news . it came to_us yesterday as_we sat together in_this study .Dr .Huxtable had sent a telegram .James was so overwhelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions, which had never been entirely absent, rose instantly to a certainty, and I taxed him with_the deed . he_made a complete voluntary confession . then he implored me to_keep his secret for three days longer, so as to_give his wretched accomplice a chance of saving his guilty life .I yielded -- as I_have always yielded -- to_his prayers, and instantly James hurried off to_the Fighting Cock to warn Hayes and give him the means of flight . I_could_not go there by daylight without provoking comment, but as_soon_as night fell I hurried off to_see my dear Arthur . I_found him safe and well, but horrified beyond expression by_the dreadful deed he had witnessed . in deference to my promise, and much against my will, I consented to leave him there for three days under the charge of Mrs Hayes, since it_was evident that_it_was impossible to inform the police where he_was without telling them also who was_the murderer, and I could_not_see how that murderer could_be punished without ruin to my unfortunate James . you asked for frankness, Mr Holmes, and I_have taken you at your word, for I_have now told you everything without an attempt at circumlocution or concealment . do_you in turn be as frank with me ."

" i_will," said Holmes ." in_the first place, your grace, I_am bound to_tell you that you_have placed yourself in a most serious position in_the eyes of_the law . you_have condoned a felony and you_have aided the escape of a murderer; for I_cannot doubt that any money which_was taken by James wilder to aid his accomplice in_his flight came from your grace's purse ."

the duke bowed his assent .

" this_is indeed a most serious matter . even more culpable in my opinion, your grace, is your attitude towards 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 humour your guilty elder son you_have exposed your innocent younger son to imminent and unnecessary danger . it_was a most unjustifiable action ."

the proud lord of Holdernesse was not accustomed to_be so rated in_his own ducal hall . the blood flushed into his high forehead, but his conscience held him dumb .

" i_will help_you, but on one condition only . it is_that you ring for_the footman and let me give such orders as I 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 . it_is_the duke's desire that_the carriage shall go at once to_the Fighting Cock inn to bring lord Saltire home .

" now," said Holmes, when_the rejoicing lackey had disappeared, "having secured the future, we_can afford to_be more lenient with_the past . I_am not in an official position, and there_is no reason, so_long as_the ends of justice are served, why i_should disclose all that I_know . as_to Hayes I_say nothing . the gallows awaits him, and i_would do nothing to save him from_it . what he_will divulge I_cannot tell, but I_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 kidnapped the boy for_the_purpose of ransom . if they_do_not themselves find it out I_see no reason why i_should prompt them to_take a broader point of view . i_would warn your grace, however, that_the continued presence of Mr James wilder in your household can only lead to misfortune ."

"I understand that, Mr Holmes, and it_is already settled that he shall leave me for ever and go to seek his fortune in Australia ."

" in_that case, your grace, since you_have yourself stated that any unhappiness in your married life was caused by his presence, i_would suggest_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 I_have arranged, Mr Holmes . i_wrote to_the duchess this_morning ."

" in_that case," said Holmes, rising, " i_think that my friend and I_can congratulate ourselves upon several most happy results from_our little visit to_the north . there_is one other small point upon_which I_desire some light . this fellow Hayes had shod his horses with shoes which counterfeited the tracks of cows . was_it from Mr wilder that he learned so extraordinary a device ? "

the duke stood in thought for a moment, with a look of intense surprise on_his face . then he opened a door and showed us into a large room furnished as a museum . he led the way to a glass case in a corner, and pointed to_the inscription .

" these shoes," it ran, " were dug up in_the moat of Holdernesse hall . they_are for_the use of horses; but they_are shaped below with a cloven foot of iron, so as_to throw pursuers off the track . they_are supposed to_have belonged to some_of_the marauding Barons of Holdernesse in_the middle Ages ."

Holmes opened the case, and moistening his finger he passed it along the shoe .a thin film of recent mud was left upon his skin .

" thank_you," said he, as he replaced the glass ." it_is_the second most interesting object that I_have_seen in_the north ."

" and_the first ? "

Holmes folded up his Cheque and placed it carefully in_his note- book ." I_am a poor man," said he, as he patted it affectionately and thrust it into_the depths of_his inner pocket .

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