“There was nothing more I could do, and I spent an uneasynight turning the matter over in my mind and trying to find sometheory which would cover the facts. Next day I found the colonelrather more conciliatory, and as his wife remarked that therewere some places of interest in the neighbourhood, it gave me anopening to ask whether my presence for one more night wouldincommode them. A somewhat grudging acquiescence from theold man gave me a clear day in which to make my observations.
I was already perfectly convinced that Godfrey was in hidingsomewhere near, but where and why remained to be solved.
“The house was so large and so rambling that a regiment mightbe hid away in it and no one the wiser. If the secret lay there it wasdifficult for me to penetrate it. But the door which I had heardclose was certainly not in the house. I must explore the gardenand see what I could find. There was no difficulty in the way, forthe old people were busy in their own fashion and left me to myown devices.
“There were several small outhouses, but at the end of thegarden there was a detached building of some size—large enoughfor a gardener’s or a gamekeeper’s residence. Could this bethe place whence the sound of that shutting door had come? Iapproached it in a careless fashion as though I were strollingaimlessly round the grounds. As I did so, a small, brisk, beardedman in a black coat and bowler hat—not at all the gardenertype—came out of the door. To my surprise, he locked it after himand put the key in his pocket. Then he looked at me with somesurprise on his face.
“ ‘Are you a visitor here?’ he asked.
“I explained that I was and that I was a friend of Godfrey’s.
“ ‘What a pity that he should be away on his travels, for hewould have so liked to see me,’ I continued.
“ ‘Quite so. Exactly,’ said he with a rather guilty air. ‘No doubtyou will renew your visit at some more propitious time.’ He passedon, but when I turned I observed that he was standing watchingme, half-concealed by the laurels at the far end of the garden.
“I had a good look at the little house as I passed it, but thewindows were heavily curtained, and, so far as one could see, itwas empty. I might spoil my own game and even be ordered offthe premises if I were too audacious, for I was still conscious thatI was being watched. Therefore, I strolled back to the house andwaited for night before I went on with my inquiry. When all wasdark and quiet I slipped out of my window and made my way assilently as possible to the mysterious lodge.
“I have said that it was heavily curtained, but now I found thatthe windows were shuttered as well. Some light, however, wasbreaking through one of them, so I concentrated my attentionupon this. I was in luck, for the curtain had not been quite closed,and there was a crack in the shutter, so that I could see the insideof the room. It was a cheery place enough, a bright lamp and ablazing fire. Opposite to me was seated the little man whom I hadseen in the morning. He was smoking a pipe and reading a paper.”
“What paper?” I asked.
My client seemed annoyed at the interruption of his narrative.
“Can it matter?” he asked.
“It is most essential.”
“I really took no notice.”
“Possibly you observed whether it was a broad-leafed paper orof that smaller type which one associates with weeklies.”
“Now that you mention it, it was not large. It might have beenthe Spectator. However, I had little thought to spare upon suchdetails, for a second man was seated with his back to the window,and I could swear that this second man was Godfrey. I could notsee his face, but I knew the familiar slope of his shoulders. He wasleaning upon his elbow in an attitude of great melancholy, his bodyturned towards the fire. I was hesitating as to what I should dowhen there was a sharp tap on my shoulder, and there was ColonelEmsworth beside me.
“ ‘This way, sir!’ said he in a low voice. He walked in silence tothe house, and I followed him into my own bedroom. He hadpicked up a time-table in the hall.
“There is a train to London at 8:30,’ said he. ‘The trap will be atthe door at eight.’
“He was white with rage, and, indeed, I felt myself in sodifficult a position that I could only stammer out a few incoherentapologies in which I tried to excuse myself by urging my anxietyfor my friend.
“ ‘The matter will not bear discussion,’ said he abruptly. ‘Youhave made a most damnable intrusion into the privacy of ourfamily. You were here as a guest and you have become a spy. I havenothing more to say, sir, save that I have no wish ever to see youagain.’
“At this I lost my temper, Mr. Holmes, and I spoke with somewarmth.
“ ‘I have seen your son, and I am convinced that for some reasonof your own you are concealing him from the world. I have noidea what your motives are in cutting him off in this fashion, butI am sure that he is no longer a free agent. I warn you, ColonelEmsworth, that until I am assured as to the safety and wellbeingof my friend I shall never desist in my efforts to get to thebottom of the mystery, and I shall certainly not allow myself to beintimidated by anything which you may say or do.’
“The old fellow looked diabolical, and I really thought he wasabout to attack me. I have said that he was a gaunt, fierce oldgiant, and though I am no weakling I might have been hard put toit to hold my own against him. However, after a long glare of ragehe turned upon his heel and walked out of the room. For my part,I took the appointed train in the morning, with the full intentionof coming straight to you and asking for your advice and assistanceat the appointment for which I had already written.”
Such was the problem which my visitor laid before me. Itpresented, as the astute reader will have already perceived, fewdifficulties in its solution, for a very limited choice of alternativesmust get to the root of the matter. Still, elementary as it was, therewere points of interest and novelty about it which may excusemy placing it upon record. I now proceeded, using my familiarmethod of logical analysis, to narrow down the possible solutions.