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the reverse of what you very justly blame； and that we are
endeavouring to prevent anything like public exposure of private
matters which must necessarily follow when once the case is fairly
in the hands of the official police。 You may look upon me simply as an
irregular pioneer； who goes in front of the regular forces of the
country。 I have come to ask you about Mr。 Godfrey Staunton。〃
〃What about him？〃
〃You know him； do you not？〃 〃'He is an intimate friend of mine。〃
〃You are aware that he has disappeared？〃
〃Ah； indeed！〃 There was no change of expression in the rugged
features of the doctor。
〃He left his hotel last night… he has not been heard of。〃
〃No doubt he will return。〃
〃To…morrow is the 'Varsity football match。〃
〃I have no sympathy with these childish games。 The young man's
fate interests me deeply； since I know him and like him。 The
football match does not come within my horizon at all。〃
〃I claim your sympathy； then； in my investigation of Mr。
Staunton's fate。 Do you know where he is？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
〃You have not seen him since yesterday？〃
〃No； I have not。〃
〃Was Mr。 Staunton a healthy man？〃
〃Absolutely。〃
〃Did you ever know him ill？〃
〃Never。〃
Holmes popped a sheet of paper before the doctor's eyes。 〃Then
perhaps you will explain this receipted bill for thirteen guineas；
paid by Mr。 Godfrey Staunton last month to Dr。 Leslie Armstrong； of
Cambridge。 I picked it out from among the papers upon his desk。〃
The doctor flushed with anger。
〃I do not feel that there is any reason why I should render an
explanation to you； Mr。 Holmes。〃
Holmes replaced the bill in his notebook。 〃If you prefer a public
explanation； it must come sooner or later；〃 said he。 〃I have already
told you that I can hush up that which others will be bound to
publish； and you would really be wiser to take me into your complete
confidence。〃
〃I know nothing about it。〃
〃Did you hear from Mr。 Staunton in London？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
〃Dear me； dear me… the postoffice again！〃 Holmes sighed； wearily。 〃A
most urgent telegram was dispatched to you from London by Godfrey
Staunton at six fifteen yesterday evening… a telegram which is
undoubtedly associated with his disappearance… and yet you have not
had it。 It is most culpable。 I shall certainly go down to the office
here and register a complaint。〃
Dr。 Leslie Armstrong sprang up from behind his desk； and his dark
face was crimson with fury。
〃I'll trouble you to walk out of my house； sir；〃 said he。 〃You can
tell your employer； Lord Mount…James； that I do not wish to have
anything to do either with him or with his agents。 No； sir… not
another word！〃 He rang the bell furiously。 〃John； show these gentlemen
out！〃 A pompous butler ushered us severely to the door； and we found
ourselves in the street。 Holmes burst out laughing。
〃Dr。 Leslie Armstrong is certainly a man of energy and character；〃
said he。 〃I have not seen a man who； if he turns his talents that way；
was more calculated to fill the gap left by the illustrious
Moriarty。 And now； my poor Watson； here we are； stranded and
friendless in this inhospitable town； which we cannot leave without
abandoning our case。 This little inn just opposite Armstrong's house
is singularly adapted to our needs。 If you would engage a front room
and purchase the necessaries for the night； I may have time to make
a few inquiries。〃
These few inquiries proved； however； to be a more lengthy proceeding
than Holmes had imagined； for he did not return to the inn until
nearly nine o'clock。 He was pale and dejected； stained with dust；
and exhausted with hunger and fatigue。 A cold supper was ready upon
the table； and when his needs were satisfied and his pipe alight he
was ready to take that half comic and wholly philosophic view which
was natural to him when his affairs were going awry。 The sound of
carriage wheels caused him to rise and glance out of the window。 A
brougham and pair of grays； under the glare of a gas…lamp； stood
before the doctor's door。
〃It's been out three hours；〃 said Holmes； 〃started at half…past six；
and here it is back again。 That gives a radius of ten or twelve miles；
and he does it once； or sometimes twice； a day。〃
〃No unusual thing for a doctor in practice。〃
〃But Armstrong is not really a doctor in practice。 He is a
lecturer and a consultant； but he does not care for general
practice； which distracts him from his literary work。 Why； then；
does he make these long journeys； which must be exceedingly irksome to
him； and who is it that he visits？〃
〃His coachman…〃
〃My dear Watson； can you doubt that it was to him that I first
applied？ I do not know whether it came from his own innate depravity
or from the promptings of his master； but he was rude enough to set
a dog at me。 Neither dog nor man liked the look of my stick；
however； and the matter fell through。 Relations were strained after
that； and further inquiries out of the question。 All that I have
learned I got from a friendly native in the yard of our own inn。 It
was he who told me of the doctor's habits and of his daily journey。 At
that instant； to give point to his words； the carriage came round to
the door。〃
〃Could you not follow it？〃
〃Excellent； Watson！ You are scintillating this evening。 The idea did
cross my mind。 There is； as you may have observed； a bicycle shop next
to our inn。 Into this I rushed； engaged a bicycle； and was able to get
started before the carriage was quite out of sight。 I rapidly overtook
it； and then； keeping at a discreet distance of a hundred yards or so；
I followed its lights until we were clear of the town。 We had got well
out on the country road； when a somewhat mortifying incident occurred。
The carriage stopped； the doctor alighted； walked swiftly back to
where I had also halted； and told me in an excellent sardonic
fashion that he feared the road was narrow； and that he hoped his
carriage did not impede the passage of my bicycle。 Nothing could
have been more admirable than his way of putting it。 I at once rode
past the carriage； and； keeping to the main road； I went on for a
few miles； and then halted in a convenient place to see if the
carriage passed。 There was no sign of it； however； and so it became
evident that it had turned down one of several side roads which I
had observed。 I rode back； but again saw nothing of the carriage；
and now； as you perceive； it has returned after me。 Of course； I had
at the outset no particular reason to connect these journeys with
the disappearance of Godfrey Staunton； and was only inclined to
investigate them on the general grounds that everything which concerns
Dr。 Armstrong is at present of interest to us； but； now that I find he
keeps so keen a look…out upon anyone who may follow him on these
excursions； the affair appears more important； and I shall not be
satisfied until I have made the matter clear。〃
〃We can follow him to…morrow。〃
〃Can we？ It is not so easy as you seem to think。 You are not
familiar with Cambridgeshire scenery； are you？ It does not lend itself
to concealment。 All this country that I passed over to…night is as
flat and clean as the palm of your hand； and the man we are
following is no fool； as he very clearly showed to…night。 I have wired
to Overton to let us know any fresh London developments at this
address； and in the meantime we can only concentrate our attention
upon Dr。 Armstrong； whose name the obliging young lady at the office
allowed me to read upon the counterfoil of Staunton's urgent
message。 He knows where the young man is… to that I'll swear； and if
he knows； then it must be our own fault if we cannot manage to know
also。 At present it must be admitted that the odd trick is in his
possession； and； as you are aware； Watson； it is not my habit to leave
the game in that condition。〃
And yet the next day brought us no nearer to the solution of the
mystery。 A note was handed in after breakfast； which Holmes passed
across to me with a smile。
SIR ＇it ran＇：
I can assure you that you