“Well, Mr. Holmes, that was the state of affairs when I first sawyou two days ago. I had no more idea of the truth than you. Youwill ask me what was James’s motive in doing such a deed. I answerthat there was a great deal which was unreasoning and fanatical inthe hatred which he bore my heir. In his view he should himselfhave been heir of all my estates, and he deeply resented thosesocial laws which made it impossible. At the same time, he hada definite motive also. He was eager that I should break theentail, and he was of opinion that it lay in my power to do so. Heintended to make a bargain with me—to restore Arthur if I wouldbreak the entail, and so make it possible for the estate to be left tohim by will. He knew well that I should never willingly invoke theaid of the police against him. I say that he would have proposedsuch a bargain to me, but he did not actually do so, for eventsmoved too quickly for him, and he had not time to put his plansinto practice.
“What brought all his wicked scheme to wreck was yourdiscovery of this man Heidegger’s dead body. James was seizedwith horror at the news. It came to us yesterday, as we sat togetherin this study. Dr. Huxtable had sent a telegram. James was sooverwhelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions, whichhad never been entirely absent, rose instantly to a certainty,and I taxed him with the deed. He made a complete voluntaryconfession. Then he implored me to keep his secret for three dayslonger, so as to give his wretched accomplice a chance of saving hisguilty life. I yielded—as I have always yielded—to his prayers, andinstantly James hurried off to the Fighting Cock to warn Hayesand give him the means of flight. I could not go there by daylightwithout provoking comment, but as soon as night fell I hurriedoff to see my dear Arthur. I found him safe and well, but horrifiedbeyond expression by the dreadful deed he had witnessed. Indeference to my promise, and much against my will, I consentedto leave him there for three days, under the charge of Mrs. Hayes,since it was evident that it was impossible to inform the policewhere he was without telling them also who was the murderer, andI could not see how that murderer could be punished without ruinto my unfortunate James. You asked for frankness, Mr. Holmes,and I have taken you at your word, for I have now told youeverything without an attempt at circumlocution or concealment.
Do you in turn be as frank with me.”
“I will,” said Holmes. “In the first place, your Grace, I am boundto tell you that you have placed yourself in a most serious positionin the eyes of the law. You have condoned a felony, and you haveaided the escape of a murderer, for I cannot doubt that any moneywhich was taken by James Wilder to aid his accomplice in hisflight came from your Grace’s purse.”
The Duke bowed his assent.
“This is, indeed, a most serious matter. Even more culpable inmy opinion, your Grace, is your attitude towards your youngerson. You leave him in this den for three days.”
“Under solemn promises——”
“What are promises to such people as these? You have no guaranteethat he will not be spirited away again. To humour your guilty elderson, you have exposed your innocent younger son to imminentand unnecessary danger. It was a most unjustifiable action.”
The proud lord of Holdernesse was not accustomed to beso rated in his own ducal hall. The blood flushed into his highforehead, but his conscience held him dumb.
“I will help you, but on one condition only. It is that you ring forthe footman and let me give such orders as I like.”
Without a word, the Duke pressed the electric bell. A servantentered.
“You will be glad to hear,” said Holmes, “that your young masteris found. It is the Duke’s desire that the carriage shall go at onceto the Fighting Cock Inn to bring Lord Saltire home.
“Now,” said Holmes, when the rejoicing lackey had disappeared,“having secured the future, we can afford to be more lenient withthe past. I am not in an official position, and there is no reason,so long as the ends of justice are served, why I should disclose allthat I know. As to Hayes, I say nothing. The gallows awaits him,and I would do nothing to save him from it. What he will divulgeI cannot tell, but I have no doubt that your Grace could make himunderstand that it is to his interest to be silent. From the policepoint of view he will have kidnapped the boy for the purpose ofransom. If they do not themselves find it out, I see no reason whyI should prompt them to take a broader point of view. I wouldwarn your Grace, however, that the continued presence of Mr.
James Wilder in your household can only lead to misfortune.”
“I understand that, Mr. Holmes, and it is already settled that heshall leave me forever, and go to seek his fortune in Australia.”
“In that case, your Grace, since you have yourself stated thatany unhappiness in your married life was caused by his presenceI would suggest that you make such amends as you can to theDuchess, and that you try to resume those relations which havebeen so unhappily interrupted.”
“That also I have arranged, Mr. Holmes. I wrote to the Duchessthis morning.”
“In that case,” said Holmes, rising, “I think that my friend andI can congratulate ourselves upon several most happy results fromour little visit to the North. There is one other small point uponwhich I desire some light. This fellow Hayes had shod his horseswith shoes which counterfeited the tracks of cows. Was it fromMr. Wilder that he learned so extraordinary a device?”
The Duke stood in thought for a moment, with a look ofintense surprise on his face. Then he opened a door and showed usinto a large room furnished as a museum. He led the way to a glasscase in a corner, and pointed to the inscription.
“These shoes,” it ran, “were dug up in the moat of HoldernesseHall. They are for the use of horses, but they are shaped belowwith a cloven foot of iron, so as to throw pursuers off the track.
They are supposed to have belonged to some of the maraudingBarons of Holdernesse in the Middle Ages.”
