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〃No； sir。〃
〃One more question； your Grace。 I understand that you wrote to
your son upon the day when this incident occurred。〃
〃No； I wrote upon the day before。〃
〃Exactly。 But he received it on that day？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Was there anything in your letter which might have unbalanced him
or induced him to take such a step？〃
〃No； sir； certainly not。〃
〃Did you post that letter yourself？〃
The nobleman's reply was interrupted by his secretary； who broke
in with some heat。
〃His Grace is not in the habit of posting letters himself；〃 said he。
〃This letter was laid with others upon the study table； and I myself
put them in the post…bag。〃
〃You are sure this one was among them？〃
〃Yes； I observed it。〃
〃How many letters did your Grace write that day？〃
〃Twenty or thirty。 I have a large correspondence。 But surely this is
somewhat irrelevant？〃
〃Not entirely；〃 said Holmes。
〃For my own part；〃 the Duke continued； 〃I have advised the police to
turn their attention to the south of France。 I have already said
that I do not believe that the Duchess would encourage so monstrous an
action； but the lad had the most wrongheaded opinions； and it is
possible that he may have fled to her； aided and abetted by this
German。 I think； Dr。 Huxtable； that we will now return to the Hall。〃
I could see that there were other questions which Holmes would
have wished to put； but the nobleman's abrupt manner showed that the
interview was at an end。 It was evident that to his intensely
aristocratic nature this discussion of his intimate family affairs
with a stranger was most abhorrent； and that he feared lest every
fresh question would throw a fiercer light into the discreetly
shadowed corners of his ducal history。
When the nobleman and his secretary had left； my friend flung
himself at once with characteristic eagerness into the investigation。
The boy's chamber was carefully examined； and yielded nothing save
the absolute conviction that it was only through the window that he
could have escaped。 The German master's room and effects gave no
further clue。 In his case a trailer of ivy had given way under his
weight； and we saw by the light of a lantern the mark on the lawn
where his heels had come down。 That one dint in the short； green grass
was the only material witness left of this inexplicable nocturnal
flight。
Sherlock Holmes left the house alone； and only returned after
eleven。 He had obtained a large ordnance map of the neighbourhood； and
this he brought into my room； where he laid it out on the bed； and；
having balanced the lamp in the middle of it； he began to smoke over
it； and occasionally 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 it。 In this early stage；
I want you to realize those geographical features which may have a
good deal to do with our investigation。
〃Look at 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。〃 （See illustration。）
〃Exactly。〃
〃By a singular and happy chance； we are able to some extent to check
what passed along this road during the night in question。 At this
point； where my pipe is now resting； a county constable was on duty
from twelve to six。 It is； as 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。 I have spoken with this policeman
to…night and he appears to me to be a perfectly reliable person。
That blocks this end。 We have now to deal with the other。 There is
an inn here； the Red Bull； the landlady of which was ill。 She had sent
to Mackleton for a doctor； but he did not arrive 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？〃 I objected。
〃Quite 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 north of the house or to the south of the
house。 That is certain。 Let us weigh the one against the other。 On the
south of the house is； as you perceive； a large district of amble
land； cut up into small fields； with stone walls between them。
There； I 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 a great rolling moor； Lower Gill Moor； extending for ten
miles and sloping gradually upward。 Here； at one side of this
wilderness； is Holdernesse Hall； ten miles by road； but only six
across the moor。 It is a peculiarly desolate plain。 A few 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 a church there； you see； a few
cottages； and an inn。 Beyond that the hills become precipitous。 Surely
it is here to the north that our quest must lie。〃
〃But the bicycle？〃 I persisted。
〃Well； well！〃 said Holmes； impatiently。 〃A good cyclist does not
need a high road。 The moor is intersected with paths； and the moon was
at the full。 Halloa！ what is this？〃
There was an agitated knock at the door； and an instant afterwards
Dr。 Huxtable was in the room。 In his hand he held a blue cricket…cap
with a white chevron on the peak。
〃At last we have a clue！〃 he cried。 〃Thank heaven！ at last we are on
the dear boy's track！ It is his cap。〃
〃Where was it found？〃
〃In the van of the gipsies who camped on the moor。 They left on
Tuesday。 To…day the police traced them down and examined their
caravan。 This was found。〃
〃How do they account for it？〃
〃They shuffled and lied… said that they found it on the moor on
Tuesday morning。 They know where he is； the rascals！ Thank goodness；
they are all safe under lock and key。 Either the fear of the law or
the Duke's purse will certainly get out of them all that they know。〃
〃So far； so good；〃 said Holmes； when the doctor had at last left the
room。 〃It at least bears out the theory that it is on the side of
the Lower Gill Moor that we must hope for results。 The police have
really done nothing locally； save the arrest of these gipsies。 Look
here； Watson！ There is a watercourse across the moor。 You see it
marked here in the map。 In some parts it widens into a morass。 This is
particularly so in the region between Holdernesse Hall and the school。
It is vain to look elsewhere for tracks in this dry weather； but at
that point there is certainly a chance of some record being left。 I
will call you early to…morrow morning； and you and I will try if we
can throw some little light upon the mystery。〃
The day was just breaking when I woke to find the long； thin form of
Holmes by my bedside。 He was fully dressed； and had apparently already
been out。
〃I have done the lawn and the bicycle shed；〃 said； he。 〃I have
also had a rumble through the Ragged Shaw。 Now； Watson； there is cocoa
ready in the next room。 I must beg you to hurry； for we have a great
day before us。〃
His eyes shone； and his cheek was flushed with the exhilaration of
the master workman who sees his work lie ready before him。 A very
different Holmes； this active； alert man； from the introspective and
pallid dreamer of Baker Street。 I felt； as I looked upon that
supple； figure； alive with nervous energy； that it was indeed a
strenuous day that awaited us。
And yet it opened in the blackest disappointment。 With high hopes we
struck across the peaty； russet moor； intersected with a thousand
sheep paths； until we came to the broad； light…green belt which marked
the morass between us and Holdernesse。 Certainly； if the lad had
gone homeward； he must have passed this； and he could not pass it
without leaving his traces。 But no sign of him or the German could
be seen。 With a darkening face my friend strode along the margin；
eagerly observant of every muddy stain upon the mossy surface。
Sheep…marks there were in profusion； and at one place； some miles
down； cows had left their tracks。 Nothing more。
〃Check number one；〃 said Holmes； looking gloomily over the rolling
expanse of the moor。 〃There is another morass down yonder； and a
narrow neck between。 Halloa！ halloa！ halloa！ what have we here？〃
We had come on a small black ribbon of pathway。 In the middle of it；
clearly marked on the sodden soil； was the track of a bicycl