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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING THREE…QUARTER
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
We were fairly accustomed to receive weird telegrams at Baker
Street； but I have a particular recollection of one which reached us
on a gloomy February morning； some seven or eight years ago； and
gave Mr。 Sherlock Holmes a puzzled quarter of an hour。 It was
addressed to him； and ran thus：
Please await me。 Terrible misfortune。 Right wing three…quarter
missing； indispensable to…morrow。
OVERTON。
〃Strand postmark； and dispatched ten thirty…six；〃 said Holmes；
reading it over and over。 〃Mr。 Overton was evidently considerably
excited when he sent it； and somewhat incoherent in consequence。 Well；
well； he will be here； I daresay； by the time I have looked through
the Times； and then we shall know all about it。 Even the most
insignificant problem would be welcome in these stagnant days。〃
Things had indeed been very slow with us； and I had learned to dread
such periods of inaction； for I knew by experience that my companion's
brain was so abnormally active that it was dangerous to leave it
without material upon which to work。 For years I had gradually
weaned him from that drug mania which had threatened once to check his
remarkable career。 Now I knew that under ordinary conditions he no
longer craved for this artificial stimulus； but I was well aware
that the fiend was not dead but sleeping； and I have known that the
sleep was a light one and the waking near when in periods of
idleness I have seen the drawn look upon Holmes's ascetic face； and
the brooding of his deep…set and inscrutable eyes。 Therefore I blessed
this Mr。 Overton whoever he might be； since he had come with his
enigmatic message to break that dangerous calm which brought more
peril to my friend than all the storms of his tempestuous life。
As we had expected； the telegram was soon followed by its sender；
and the card of Mr。 Cyril Overton； Trinity College； Cambridge；
announced the arrival of an enormous young man； sixteen stone of solid
bone and muscle； who spanned the doorway with his broad shoulders； and
looked from one of us to the other with a comely face which was
haggard with anxiety。
〃Mr。 Sherlock Holmes？〃
My companion bowed。
〃I've been down to Scotland Yard； Mr。 Holmes。 I saw Inspector
Stanley Hopkins。 He advised me to come to you。 He said the case； so
far as he could see； was more in your line than in that of the regular
police。〃
〃Pray sit down and tell me what is the matter。〃
〃It's awful； Mr。 Holmes… simply awfull I wonder my hair isn't
gray。 Godfrey Staunton… you've heard of him； of course？ He's simply
the hinge that the whole team turns on。 I'd rather spare two from
the pack； and have Godfrey for my three…quarter line。 Whether it's
passing； or tackling； or dribbling； there's no one to touch him； and
then； he's got the head； and can hold us all together。 What am I to
do？ That's what I ask you； Mr。 Holmes。 There's Moorhouse； first
reserve； but he is trained as a half； and he always edges right in
on to the scrum instead of keeping out on the touchline。 He's a fine
place…kick； it's true； but then he has no judgment； and he can't
sprint for nuts。 Why； Morton or Johnson； the Oxford fliers； could romp
round him。 Stevenson is fast enough； but he couldn't drop from the
twenty…five line； and a three…quarter who can't either punt or drop
isn't worth a place for pace alone。 No； Mr。 Holmes； we are done unless
you can help me to find Godfrey Staunton。〃
My friend had listened with amused surprise to this long speech；
which was poured forth with extraordinary vigour and earnestness；
every point being driven home by the slapping of a brawny hand upon
the speaker's knee。 When our visitor was silent Holmes stretched out
his hand and took down letter 〃S〃 of his commonplace book。 For once he
dug in vain into that mine of varied information。
〃There is Arthur H。 Staunton； the rising young forger；〃 said he；
〃and there was Henry Staunton； whom I helped to hang； but Godfrey
Staunton is a new name to me。〃
It was our visitor's turn to look surprised。
〃Why； Mr。 Holmes； I thought you knew things；〃 said he。 〃I suppose；
then； if you have never heard of Godfrey Staunton； you don't know
Cyril Overton either？〃
Holmes shook his head good humouredly。
〃Great Scott！〃 cried the athlete。 〃Why； I was first reserve for
England against Wales； and I've skippered the 'Varsity all this
year。 But that's nothing！ I didn't think there was a soul in England
who didn't know Godfrey Staunton； the crack three…quarter；
Cambridge； Blackheath； and five Internationals。 Good Lord！ Mr。 Holmes；
where have you lived？〃
Holmes laughed at the young giant's naive astonishment。
〃You live in a different world to me； Mr。 Overton… a sweeter and
healthier one。 My ramifications stretch out into many sections of
society； but never； I am happy to say； into amateur sport； which is
the best and soundest thing in England。 However； your unexpected visit
this morning shows me that even in that world of fresh air and fair
play； there may be work for me to do。 So now； my good sir； I beg you
to sit down and to tell me； slowly and quietly； exactly what it is
that has occurred； and how you desire that I should help you。〃
Young Overton's face assumed the bothered look of the man who is
more accustomed to using his muscles than his wits； but by degrees；
with many repetitions and obscurities which I may omit from his
narrative； he laid his strange story before us。
〃It's this way； Mr。 Holmes。 As I have said； I am the skipper of
the Rugger team of Cambridge 'Varsity； and Godfrey Staunton is my best
man。 To…morrow we play Oxford。 Yesterday we all came up； and we
settled at Bentley's private hotel。 At ten o'clock I went round and
saw that all the fellows had gone to roost； for I believe in strict
training and plenty of sleep to keep a team fit。 I had a word or two
with Godfrey before he turned in。 He seemed to me to be pale and
bothered。 I asked him what was the matter。 He said he was all right…
just a touch of headache。 I bade him good…night and left him。 Half
an hour later； the porter tells me that a rough looking man with a
beard called with a note for Godfrey。 He had not gone to bed； and
the note was taken to his room。 Godfrey read it； and fell back in a
chair as if he had been pole…axed。 The porter was so scared that he
was going to fetch me； but Godfrey stopped him； had a drink of
water； and pulled himself together。 Then he went downstairs； said a
few words to the man who was waiting in the hall； and the two of
them went off together。 The last that the porter saw of them； they
were almost running down the street in the direction of the Strand。
This morning Godfrey's room was empty； his bed had never been slept
in； and his things were all just as I had seen them the night
before。 He had gone off at a moment's notice with this stranger； and
no word has come from him since。 I don't believe he will ever come
back。 He was a sportsman； was Godfrey； down to his marrow； and he
wouldn't have stopped his training and let in his skipper if it were
not for some cause that was too strong for him。 No： I feel as if he
were gone for good； and we should never see him again。〃
Sherlock Holmes listened with the deepest attention to this singular
narrative。
〃What did you do？〃 he asked。
〃I wired to Cambridge to learn if anything had been heard of him
there。 I have had an answer。 No one has seen him。〃
〃Could he have got back to Cambridge？〃
〃Yes； there is a late train… quarter…past eleven。〃
〃But； so far as you can ascertain； he did not take it？〃
〃No； he has not been seen。〃
〃What did you do next？〃
〃I wired to Lord Mount…James。〃
〃Why to Lord Mount…James？〃
〃Godfrey is an orphan； and Lord Mount…James is his nearest relative…
his uncle； I believe。〃
〃Indeed。 This throws new light upon the matter。 Lord Mount…James
is one of the richest men