ee your grace's cheque-book upon the
table," said he. "i should be glad if you would make me
out a cheque for six thousand pounds. it would be as well,
perhaps, for you to cross it. the capital and counties
bank, oxford street branch, are my agents."
his grace sat very stern and upright in his chair,
and looked stonily at my friend.
"is this a joke, mr. holmes? it is hardly a subject for
pleasantry."
"not at all, your grace. i was never more earnest in my life."
"what do you mean, then?"
"i mean that i have earned the reward. i know where your son
is, and i know some, at least, of those who are holding him."
the duke's beard had turned more aggressively red than ever
against his ghastly white face.
"where is he?" he gasped.
"he is, or was last night, at the fighting cock inn,
about two miles from your park gate."
the duke fell back in his chair.
"and whom do you accuse?"
sherlock holmes's answer was an astounding one. he stepped
swiftly forward and touched the duke upon the shoulder.
"i accuse _you_," said he. "and now, your grace,
i'll trouble you for that cheque."
never shall i forget the duke's appearance as he sprang up
and clawed with his hands like one who is sinking into an
abyss. then, with an extraordinary effort of aristocratic
self-command, he sat down and sank his face in his hands.
it was some minutes before he spoke.
"how much do you know?" he asked at last, without raising
his head.
"i saw you together last night."
"does anyone else besides your friend know?"
"i have spoken to no one."
the duke took a pen in his quivering fingers and opened his
cheque-book.
"i shall be as good as my word, mr. holmes. i am about to
write your cheque, however unwelcome the information which
you have gained may be to me. when the offer was first
made i little thought the turn which events might take.
but you and your friend are men of discretion, mr. holmes?"
"i hardly understand your grace."
"i must put it plainly, mr. holmes. if only you two know
of this incident, there is no reason why it should go any
farther. i think twelve thousand pounds is the sum that i
owe you, is it not?"
but holmes smiled and shook his head.
"i fear, your grace, that matters can hardly be arranged so
easily. there is the death of this schoolmaster to be
accounted for."
"but james knew nothing of that. you cannot hold him
responsible for that. it was the work of this brutal
ruffian whom he had the misfortune to employ."
"i must take the view, your grace, that when a man embarks
upon a crime he is morally guilty of any other crime which
may spring from it."
"morally, mr. holmes. no doubt you are right. but surely
not in the eyes of the law. a man cannot be condemned for
a murder at which he was not present, and which he loathes
and abhors as much as you do. the instant that he heard of
it he made a complete confession to me, so filled was he
with horror and remorse. he lost not an hour in breaking
entirely with the murderer. oh, mr. holmes, you must save
him -- you must save him! i tell you that you must save him!"
the duke had dropped the last attempt at self-command,
and was pacing the room with a convulsed face and with his
clenched hands raving in the air. at last he mastered himself
and sat down once more at his desk. "i appreciate your conduct
in coming here before you spoke to anyone else," said he.
"at least we may take counsel how far we can minimize this
hideous scandal."
"exactly," said holmes. "i think, your grace, that this can
only be done by absolute and complete frankness between us.
i am disposed to help your grace to the best of my ability;
but in order to do so i must understand to the last detail
how the matter stands. i realize that your words applied
to mr. james wilder, and that he is not the murderer."
"no; the murderer has escaped."
sherlock holmes smiled demurely.
"your grace can hardly have heard of any small reputation
which i possess, or you would not imagine that it is so
easy to escape me. mr. reuben hayes was arrested at
chesterfield on my information at eleven o'clock last night.
i had a telegram from the head of the local police before
i left the school this morning."
the duke leaned back in his chair and stared with amazement
at my friend.
"you seem to have powers that are hardly human," said he.
"so reuben hayes is taken? i am right glad to hear it,
if it will not react upon the fate of james."
"your secretary?"
"no, sir; my son."
it was holmes's turn to look astonished.
"i confess that this is entirely new to me, your grace.
i must beg you to be more explicit."
"i will conceal nothing from you. i agree with you that
complete frankness, however painful it may be to me, is the
best policy in this desperate situation to which james's
fol
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