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everything is favourable。 Eat a good breakfast； Watson； for I
propose to get upon Dr。 Armstrong's trail to…day； and once on it I
will not stop for rest or food until I run him to his burrow。〃
〃In that case；〃 said I； 〃we had best carry our breakfast with us；
for he is making an early start。 His carriage is at the door。〃
〃Never mind。 Let him go。 He will be clever if he can drive where I
cannot follow him。 When you have finished； come downstairs with me；
and I will introduce you to a detective who is a very eminent
specialist in the work that lies before us。〃
When we descended I followed Holmes into the stable yard； where he
opened the door of a loose…box and led out a squat； lop…eared；
white…and…tan dog； something between a beagle and a foxhound。
〃Let me introduce you to Pompey；〃 said he。 〃Pompey is the pride of
the local draghounds… no very great flier； as his build will show； but
a staunch hound on a scent。 Well； Pompey； you may not be fast； but I
expect you will be too fast for a couple of middle…aged London
gentlemen； so I will take the liberty of fastening this leather
leash to your collar。 Now； boy； come along； and show what you can do。〃
He led him across to the doctor's door。 The dog sniffed round for an
instant； and then with a shrill whine of excitement started off down
the street； tugging at his leash in his efforts to go faster。 In
half an hour； we were clear of the town and hastening down a country
road。
〃What have you done； Holmes？〃 I asked。
〃A threadbare and venerable device； but useful upon occasion。 I
walked into the doctor's yard this morning； and shot my syringe full
of aniseed over the hind wheel。 A draghound will follow aniseed from
here to John o' Groat's； and our friend； Armstrong； would have to
drive through the Cam before he would shake Pompey off his trail。
Oh； the cunning rascal！ This is how he gave me the slip the other
night。〃
The dog had suddenly turned out of the main road into a
grass…grown lane。 Half a mile farther this opened into another broad
road； and the trail turned hard to the right in the direction of the
town； which we had just quitted。 The road took a sweep to the south of
the town； and continued in the opposite direction to that in which
we started。
〃This detour has been entirely for our benefit； then？〃 said
Holmes。 〃No wonder that my inquiries among those villagers led to
nothing。 The doctor has certainly played the game for all it is worth；
and one would like to know the reason for such elaborate deception。
This should be the village of Trumpington to the right of us。 And；
by Jove！ here is the brougham coming round the corner。 Quick；
Watson… quick； or we are done！〃
He sprang through a gate into a field； dragging the reluctant Pompey
after him。 We had hardly got under the shelter of the hedge when the
carriage rattled past。 I caught a glimpse of Dr。 Armstrong within； his
shoulders bowed； his head sunk on his hands； the very image of
distress。 I could tell by my companion's graver face that he also
had seen。
〃I fear there is some dark ending to our quest；〃 said he。 〃It cannot
be long before we know it。 Come； Pompey！ Ah； it is the cottage in
the field！〃
There could be no doubt that we had reached the end of our
journey。 Pompey ran about and whined eagerly outside the gate； where
the marks of the brougham's wheels were still to be seen。 A footpath
led across to the lonely cottage。 Holmes tied the dog to the hedge；
and we hastened onward。 My friend knocked at the little rustic door；
and knocked again without response。 And yet the cottage was not
deserted； for a low sound came to our ears… a kind of drone of
misery and despair which was indescribably melancholy。 Holmes paused
irresolute； and then he glanced back at the road which he had just
traversed。 A brougham was coming down it； and there could be no
mistaking those gray horses。
〃By Jove； the doctor is coming back！〃 cried Holmes。 〃That settles
it。 We are bound to see what it means before he comes。〃
He opened the door； and we stepped into the hall。 The droning
sound swelled louder upon our ears until it became one long； deep wail
of distress。 It came from upstairs。 Holmes darted up； and I followed
him。 He pushed open a half…closed door； and we both stood appalled
at the sight before us。
A woman； young and beautiful； was lying dead upon the bed。 Her
calm pale face； with dim； wide…opened blue eyes； looked upward from
amid a great tangle of golden hair。 At the foot of the bed； half
sitting； half kneeling； his face buried in the clothes； was a young
man； whose frame was racked by his sobs。 So absorbed was he by his
bitter grief； that he never looked up until Holmes's hand was on his
shoulder。
〃Are you Mr。 Godfrey Staunton？〃
〃Yes； yes； I am… but you are too late。 She is dead。〃
The man was so dazed that he could not be made to understand that we
were anything but doctors who had been sent to his assistance。
Holmes was endeavouring to utter a few words of consolation and to
explain the alarm which had been caused to his friends by his sudden
disappearance when there was a step upon the stairs； and there was the
heavy； stern； questioning face of Dr。 Armstrong at the door。
〃So； gentlemen；〃 said he； 〃you have attained your end and have
certainly chosen a particularly delicate moment for your intrusion。
I would not brawl in the presence of death； but I can assure you
that if I were a younger man your monstrous conduct would not pass
with impunity。〃
〃Excuse me； Dr。 Armstrong； I think we are a little at
cross…purposes；〃 said my friend； with dignity。 〃If you could step
downstairs with us； we may each be able to give some light to the
other upon this miserable affair。〃
A minute later； the grim doctor and ourselves were in the
sitting…room below。
〃Well； sir？〃 said he。
〃I wish you to understand； in the first place； that I am not
employed by Lord Mount…James； and that my sympathies in this matter
are entirely against that nobleman。 When a man is lost it is my duty
to ascertain his fate； but having done so the matter ends so far as
I am concerned； and so long as there is nothing criminal I am much
more anxious to hush up private scandals than to give them
publicity。 If； as I imagine； there is no breach of the law in this
matter； you can absolutely depend upon my discretion and my
cooperation in keeping the facts out of the papers。〃
Dr。 Armstrong took a quick step forward and wrung Holmes by the
hand。
〃You are a good fellow；〃 said he。 〃I had misjudged you。 I thank
heaven that my compunction at leaving poor Staunton all alone in
this plight caused me to turn my carriage back and so to make your
acquaintance。 Knowing as much as you do； the situation is very
easily explained。 A year ago Godfrey Staunton lodged in London for a
time and became passionately attached to his landlady's daughter； whom
he married。 She was as good as she was beautiful and as intelligent as
she was good。 No man need be ashamed of such a wife。 But Godfrey was
the heir to this crabbed old nobleman； and it was quite certain that
the news of his marriage would have been the end of his inheritance。 I
knew the lad well； and I loved him for his many excellent qualities。 I
did all I could to help him to keep things straight。 We did our very
best to keep the thing from everyone； for； when once such a whisper
gets about； it is not long before everyone has heard it。 Thanks to
this lonely cottage and his own discretion； Godfrey has up to now
succeeded。 Their secret was known to no one save to me and to one
excellent servant； who has at present gone for assistance to
Trumpington。 But at last there came a terrible blow in the shape of
dangerous illness to his wife。 It was consumption of the most virulent
kind。 The poor boy was half crazed with grief； and yet he had to go to
London to play this match； for he could not get out of it without
explanations which would expose his secret。 I tried to cheer him up by
wire； and he sent me one in reply； imploring me to do all I could。
This was the telegram which you appear in some inexplicable way to
have seen。 I did not tell him how urgent the danger was； for I knew
that he could do no good here； but I sent the truth to the girl's
father； and he very injudiciously communicated it to Godfrey。 The
result was that he came straight away in a state bordering on
frenzy； and has remained in the same state； kneeling at the end of her
bed； until this morning death put an end to her sufferings。 That is
all； Mr。 Holmes； and I am sure that I can rely upon your discretion
and that of your friend。〃
Holmes grasped the doctor's hand。
〃Come； Watson；〃 said he； and we passed from that house of grief into
the pale sunlight of the winter day。
…THE END…
。