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before。 He had gone off at a moment's notice with this stranger； and
no word has come from him since。 I don't believe he will ever come
back。 He was a sportsman； was Godfrey； down to his marrow； and he
wouldn't have stopped his training and let in his skipper if it were
not for some cause that was too strong for him。 No： I feel as if he
were gone for good； and we should never see him again。〃
Sherlock Holmes listened with the deepest attention to this singular
narrative。
〃What did you do？〃 he asked。
〃I wired to Cambridge to learn if anything had been heard of him
there。 I have had an answer。 No one has seen him。〃
〃Could he have got back to Cambridge？〃
〃Yes； there is a late train… quarter…past eleven。〃
〃But； so far as you can ascertain； he did not take it？〃
〃No； he has not been seen。〃
〃What did you do next？〃
〃I wired to Lord Mount…James。〃
〃Why to Lord Mount…James？〃
〃Godfrey is an orphan； and Lord Mount…James is his nearest relative…
his uncle； I believe。〃
〃Indeed。 This throws new light upon the matter。 Lord Mount…James
is one of the richest men in England。〃
〃So I've heard Godfrey say。〃
〃And your friend was closely related？〃
〃Yes； he was his heir； and the old boy is nearly eighty… cram full
of gout； too。 They say he could chalk his billiard…cue with his
knuckles。 He never allowed Godfrey a shilling in his life； for he is
an absolute miser； but it will all come to him right enough。〃
〃Have you heard from Lord Mount…James？〃
〃No。〃
〃What motive could your friend have in going to Lord Mount…James？〃
〃Well； something was worrying him the night before； and if it was to
do with money it is possible that he would make for his nearest
relative； who had so much of it； though from all I have heard he would
not have much chance of getting it。 Godfrey was not fond of the old
man。 He would not go if he could help it。〃
〃Well； we can soon determine that。 If your friend was going to his
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； a