dignified that he was the very embodiment of self-possession
and solidity. and yet his first action when the door had
closed behind him was to stagger against the table, whence
he slipped down upon the floor, and there was that majestic
figure prostrate and insensible upon our bearskin hearthrug.
we had sprung to our feet, and for a few moments we stared
in silent amazement at this ponderous piece of wreckage,
which told of some sudden and fatal storm far out on the
ocean of life. then holmes hurried with a cushion for his
head and i with brandy for his lips. the heavy white face
was seamed with lines of trouble, the hanging pouches under
the closed eyes were leaden in colour, the loose mouth
drooped dolorously at the corners, the rolling chins were
unshaven. collar and shirt bore the grime of a long journey,
and the hair bristled unkempt from the well-shaped head.
it was a sorely-stricken man who lay before us.
"what is it, watson?" asked holmes.
"absolute exhaustion -- possibly mere hunger and fatigue,"
said i, with my finger on the thready pulse, where the
stream of life trickled thin and small.
"return ticket from mackleton, in the north of england,"
said holmes, drawing it from the watch-pocket.
"it is not twelve o'clock yet. he has certainly been
an early starter."
the puckered eyelids had begun to quiver, and now a pair of
vacant, grey eyes looked up at us. an instant later the man
had scrambled on to his feet, his face crimson with shame.
"forgive this weakness, mr. holmes; i have been a little
overwrought. thank you, if i might have a glass of milk
and a biscuit i have no doubt that i should be better.
i came personally, mr. holmes, in order to ensure that you
would return with me. i feared that no telegram would
convince you of the absolute urgency of the case."
"when you are quite restored ----"
"i am quite well again. i cannot imagine how i came to be
so weak. i wish you, mr. holmes, to come to mackleton with
me by the next train."
my friend shook his head.
"my colleague, dr. watson, could tell you that we are very
busy at present. i am retained in this case of the ferrers
documents, and the abergavenny murder is coming up for trial.
only a very important issue could call me from london at present."
"important!" our visitor threw up his hands. "have you
heard nothing of the abduction of the only son of the duke
of holdernesse?"
"what! the late cabinet minister?"
"exactly. we had tried to keep it out of the papers,
but there was some rumour in the _globe_ last night.
i thought it might have reached your ears."
holmes shot out his long, thin arm and picked out volume "h"
in his encyclopaedia {1} of reference.
"'holdernesse, 6th duke, k.g., p.c.' -- half the alphabet!
'baron beverley, earl of carston' -- dear me, what a list!
'lord lieutenant of hallamshire since 1900. married edith,
daughter of sir charles appledore, 1888. heir and only
child, lord saltire. owns about two hundred and fifty
thousand acres. minerals in lancashire and wales.
address: carlton house terrace; holdernesse hall,
hallamshire; carston castle, bangor, wales.
lord of the admiralty, 1872; chief secretary of state for ----'
well, well, this man is certainly one of the greatest subjects
of the crown!"
"the greatest and perhaps the wealthiest. i am aware,
mr. holmes, that you take a very high line in professional
matters, and that you are prepared to work for the work's
sake. i may tell you, however, that his grace has already
intimated that a cheque for five thousand pounds will be
handed over to the person who can tell him where his son is,
and another thousand to him who can name the man, or men,
who have taken him."
"it is a princely offer," said holmes. "watson, i think
that we shall accompany dr. huxtable back to the north of
england. and now, dr. huxtable, when you have consumed
that milk you will kindly tell me what has happened,
when it happened, how it happened, and, finally,
what dr. thorneycroft huxtable, of the priory school,
near mackleton, has to do with the matter, and why he comes
three days after an event -- the state of your chin gives the
date -- to ask for my humble services."
our visitor had consumed his milk and biscuits. the light
had come back to his eyes and the colour to his cheeks as
he set himself with great vigour and lucidity to explain
the situation.
"i must inform you, gentlemen, that the priory is a
preparatory school, of which i am the founder and
principal. 'huxtable's sidelights on horace' may possibly
recall my name to your memories. the priory is, without
exception, the best and most select preparatory school
in england. lord leverstoke, the earl of blackwater,
sir cathcart soames -- they all have entrusted their sons to me.
but i felt that my school had rea
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