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relative； Lord Mount…James； you have then to explain the visit of this
rough…looking fellow at so late an hour； and the agitation that was
caused by his coming。〃
Cyril Overton pressed his hands to his head。 〃I can make nothing
of it；〃 said he。
〃Well； well； I have a clear day； and I shall be happy to look into
the matter；〃 said Holmes。 〃I should strongly recommend you to make
your preparations for your match without reference to this young
gentleman。 It must； as you say； have been an overpowering necessity
which tore him away in such a fashion； and the same necessity is
likely to hold him away。 Let us step round together to the hotel；
and see if the porter can throw any fresh light upon the matter。〃
Sherlock Holmes was a past…master in the art of putting a humble
witness at his ease； and very soon； in the privacy of Godfrey
Staunton's abandoned room； he had extracted all that the porter had to
tell。 The visitor of the night before was not a gentleman； neither was
he a workingman。 He was simply what the porter described as a
〃medium looking chap；〃 a man of fifty； beard grizzled； pale face；
quietly dressed。 He seemed himself to be agitated。 The porter had
observed his hand trembling when he had held out the note。 Godfrey
Staunton had crammed the note into his pocket。 Staunton had not shaken
hands with the man in the hall。 They had exchanged a few sentences； of
which the porter had only distinguished the one word 〃time。〃 Then they
had hurried off in the manner described。 It was just half…past ten
by the hall clock。
〃Let me see；〃 said Holmes； seating himself on Staunton's bed。 〃You
are the day porter； are you not？〃
〃Yes； sir； I go off duty at eleven。〃
〃The night porter saw nothing； I suppose？〃
〃No； sir； one theatre party came in late。 No one else。〃
〃Were you on duty all day yesterday？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you take any messages to Mr。 Staunton？〃
〃Yes； sir； one telegram。〃
〃Ah！ that's interesting。 What o'clock was this？〃
〃About six。〃
〃Where was Mr。 Staunton when he received it？〃
〃Here in his room。〃
〃Were you present when he opened it？〃
〃Yes； sir； I waited to see if there was an answer。〃
〃Well； was there？〃
〃Yes； sir； he wrote an answer。〃
〃Did you take it？〃
〃No； he took it himself。〃
〃But he wrote it in your presence。〃 〃Yes； sir。 I was standing by
the door； and he with his back turned to that table。 When he had
written it； he said： 'All right； porter； I will take this myself。'〃
〃What did he write it with？〃
〃A pen； sir。〃
〃Was the telegraphic form one of these on the table？〃
〃Yes； sir； it was the top one。〃
Holmes rose。 Taking the forms； he carried them over to the window
and carefully examined that which was uppermost。
〃It is a pity he did not write in pencil；〃 said he； throwing them
down again with a shrug of disappointment。 〃As you have no doubt
frequently observed； Watson； the impression usually goes through… a
fact which has dissolved many a happy marriage。 However； I can find no
trace here。 I rejoice； however； to perceive that he wrote with a
broad…pointed quill pen； and I can hardly doubt that we will find some
impression upon this blotting…pad。 Ah； yes； surely this is the very
thing！〃
He tore off a strip of the blotting…paper and turned towards us
the following hieroglyphic：
（See illustration。）
Cyril Overton was much excited。 〃Hold it to the glass！〃 he cried。
〃That is unnecessary；〃 said Holmes。 〃The paper is thin； and the
reverse will give the message。 Here it is。〃 He turned it over； and
we read：
（See illustration。）
〃So that is the tail end of the telegram which Godfrey Staunton
dispatched within a few hours of his disappearance。 There are at least
six words of the message which have escaped us； but what remains…
'Stand by us for God's sake！'… proves that this young man saw a
formidable danger which approached him； and from which someone else
could protect him。 'Us；' mark you！ Another person was involved。 Who
should it be but the pale…faced； bearded man； who seemed himself in so
nervous a state？ What； then； is the connection between Godfrey
Staunton and the bearded man？ And what is the third source from
which each of them sought for help against pressing danger？ Our
inquiry has already narrowed down to that。〃
〃We have only to find to whom that telegram is addressed；〃 I
suggested。
〃Exactly； my dear Watson。 Your reflection； though profound； had
already crossed my mind。 But I daresay it may have come to your notice
that； if you walk into a postoffice and demand to see the
counterfoil of another man's message； there may be some disinclination
on the part of the officials to oblige you。 There is so much red
tape in these matters。 However； I have no doubt that with a little
delicacy and finesse the end may be attained。 Meanwhile； I should like
in your presence； Mr。 Overton； to go through these papers which have
been left upon the table。〃
There were a number of letters； bills； and notebooks； which Holmes
turned over and examined with quick； nervous fingers and darting；
penetrating eyes。 〃Nothing here；〃 he said； at last。 〃By the way； I
suppose your friend was a healthy young fellow… nothing amiss with
him？〃
〃Sound as a bell。〃
〃Have you ever known him ill？〃
〃Not a day。 He has been laid up with a hack； and once he slipped his
knee…cap； but that was nothing。〃
〃Perhaps he was not so strong as you suppose。 I should think he
may have had some secret trouble。 With your assent； I will put one
or two of these papers in my pocket； in case they should bear upon our
future inquiry。〃
〃One moment… one moment！〃 cried a querulous voice； and we looked
up to find a queer little old man； jerking and twitching in the
doorway。 He was dressed in rusty black； with a very broad…brimmed
top…hat and a loose white necktie… the whole effect being that of a
very rustic parson or of an undertaker's mute。 Yet； in spite of his
shabby and even absurd appearance； his voice had a sharp crackle；
and his manner a quick intensity which commanded attention。
〃Who are you； sir； and by what right do you touch this gentleman's
papers？〃 he asked。
〃I am a private detective； and I am endeavouring to explain his
disappearance。〃
〃Oh； you are； are you？ And who instructed you； eh？〃
〃This gentleman； Mr。 Staunton's friend； was referred to me by
Scotland Yard。〃
〃Who are you； sir？〃
〃I am Cyril Overton。〃
〃Then it is you who sent me a telegram。 My name is Lord Mount…James。
I came round as quickly as the Bayswater bus would bring me。 So you
have instructed a detective？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃And are you prepared to meet the cost？〃
〃I have no doubt； sir； that my friend Godfrey； when we find him；
will be prepared to do that。〃
〃But if he is never found； eh？ Answer me that！〃
〃In that case； no doubt his family…〃
〃Nothing of the sort； sir！〃 screamed the little man。 〃Don't look
to me for a penny… not a penny！ You understand that； Mr。 Detective！
I am all the family that this young man has got； and I tell you that I
am not responsible。 If he has any expectations it is due to the fact
that I have never wasted money； and I do not propose to begin to do so
now。 As to those papers with which you are making so free； I may
tell you that in case there should be anything of any value among
them； you will be held strictly to account for what you do with them。〃
〃Very good； sir；〃 said Sherlock Holmes。 〃May I ask； in the
meanwhile； whether you have yourself any theory to account for this
young man's disappearance？〃
〃No； sir； I have not。 He is big enough and old enough to look
after himself； and if he is so foolish as to lose himself； I
entirely refuse to accept the responsibility of hunting for him。〃
〃I quite understand your position；〃 said Holmes； with a
mischievous twinkle in his eyes。 〃Perhaps you don't quite understand
mine。 Godfrey Staunton appears to have been a poor man。 If he has been
kidnapped； it could not have been for anything which he himself
possesses。 The fame of your wealth has gone abroad； Lord
Mount…James； and it is entirely possible that a gang of thieves have
secured your nephew in order to gain from him some information as to
your house； your habits； and your treasure。〃
The face of our unpleasant little visitor turned as white as his
neckcloth。
〃Heavens； sir； what an idea！ I never thought of such villainy！
What inhuman rogues there are in the world！ But Godfrey is a fine lad…
a staunch lad。 Nothing would induce him to give his old uncle away。
I'll have the plate moved over to the bank this evening。 In the
meantime spare no pains； Mr。 Detective！ I beg you to leave no stone
unturned to bring him safely back。 As to money； well； so far as a
fiver or even a tenner goes you can always look to me。〃
Even in his chastened frame of mind； the noble miser could give us
no information which could help us； for he knew little of the
private life of his nephew。 Our only clue lay in the truncated
telegram； and with a copy of this in his hand Holmes set forth to find
a second link for his