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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 chain。 We had shaken off Lord Mount…James； and
Overton had gone to consult with the other members of his team over
the misfortune which had befallen them。
There was a telegraph…office at a short distance from the hotel。
We halted outside it。
〃It's worth trying； Watson；〃 said Holmes。 〃Of course； with a warrant
we could demand to see the counterfoils； but we have not reached
that stage yet。 I don't suppose they remember faces in so busy a
place。 Let us venture it。〃
〃I am sorry to trouble you；〃 said he； in his blandest manner； to the
young woman behind the grating； 〃there is some small mistake about a
telegram I sent yesterday。 I have had no answer； and I very much
fear that I must have omitted to put my name at the end。 Could you
tell me if this was so？〃
The young woman turned over a sheaf of counterfoils。
〃What o'clock was it？〃 she asked。
〃A little after six。〃
〃Whom was it to？〃
Holmes put his finger to his lips and glanced at me。 〃The last words
in it were 'For God's sake；'〃 he whispered； confidentially； 〃I am very
anxious at getting no answer。〃
The young woman separated one of the forms。
〃This is it。 There is no name；〃 said she； smoothing it out upon
the counter。
〃Then that； of course； accounts for my getting no answer；〃 said
Holmes。 〃Dear me； how very stupid of me； to be sure！ Good…morning；
miss； and many thanks for having relieved my mind。〃 He chuckled and
rubbed his hands when we found ourselves in the street once more。
〃Well？〃 I asked。
〃We progress； my dear Watson； we progress。 I had seven different
schemes for getting a glimpse of that telegram； but I could hardly
hope to succeed the very first time。〃
〃And what have you gained？〃
〃A starting…point for our investigation。〃 He hailed a cab。 〃King's
Cross Station；〃 said he。
〃We have a journey； then？〃
〃Yes； I think we must run down to Cambridge together。 All the
indications seem to me to point in that direction。〃
〃Tell me；〃 I asked； as we rattled up Gray's Inn Road； 〃have you
any suspicion yet as to the cause of the disappearance？ I don't
think that among all our cases I have known one where the motives
are more obscure。 Surely you don't really imagine that he may be
kidnapped in order to give information against his wealthy uncle？〃
〃I confess； my dear Watson； that that does not appeal to me as a
very probable explanation。 It struck me； however； as being the one
which was most likely to interest that exceedingly unpleasant old
person。〃
〃It certainly did that； but what are your alternatives？〃
〃I could mention several。 You must admit that it is curious and
suggestive that this incident should occur on the eve of this
important match； and should involve the only man whose presence
seems essential to the success of the side。 It may； of course； be a
coincidence； but it is interesting。 Amateur sport is free from
betting； but a good deal of outside betting goes on among the
public； and it is possible that it might be worth someone's while to
get at a