"Who are you, sir, and by what right do you touch this gentleman'spapers?" he asked.
"I am a private detective, and I am endeavouring to explain hisdisappearance."
"Oh, you are, are you? And who instructed you, eh?"
"This gentleman, Mr. Staunton's friend, was referred to me by ScotlandYard."
"Who are you, sir?"
"I am Cyril Overton."
"Then it is you who sent me a telegram. My name is Lord Mount-James. Icame round as quickly as the Bayswater 'bus would bring me. So you haveinstructed a detective?"
"Yes, sir."
"And are you prepared to meet the cost?"
"I have no doubt, sir, that my friend Godfrey, when we find him, will beprepared to do that."
"But if he is never found, eh? Answer me that!"
"In that case no doubt his family----"
"Nothing of the sort, sir!" screamed the little man. "Don't look to mefor a penny--not a penny! You understand that, Mr. Detective! I am allthe family that this young man has got, and I tell you that I am notresponsible. If he has any expectations it is due to the fact that Ihave never wasted money, and I do not propose to begin to do so now. Asto those papers with which you are making so free, I may tell you thatin case there should be anything of any value among them you will beheld strictly to account for what you do with them."
"Very good, sir," said Sherlock Holmes. "May I ask in the meanwhilewhether you have yourself any theory to account for this young man'sdisappearance?"
"No, sir, I have not. He is big enough and old enough to look afterhimself, and if he is so foolish as to lose himself I entirely refuse toaccept the responsibility of hunting for him."
"I quite understand your position," said Holmes, with a mischievoustwinkle in his eyes. "Perhaps you don't quite understand mine. GodfreyS
taunton appears to have been a poor man. If he has been kidnapped itcould not have been for anything which he himself possesses. The fameof your wealth has gone abroad, Lord Mount-James, and it is entirelypossible that a gang of thieves have secured your nephew in order togain from him some information as to your house, your habits, and yourtreasure."
The face of our unpleasant little visitor turned as white as hisneckcloth.
"Heavens, sir, what an idea! I never thought of such villainy! Whatinhuman rogues there are in the world! But Godfrey is a fine lad--astaunch lad. Nothing would induce him to give his old uncle away. I'llhave the plate moved over to the bank this evening. In the meantimespare no pains, Mr. Detective! I beg you to leave no stone unturned tobring him safely back. As to money, well, so far as a fiver, or even atenner, goes, you can always look to me."
Even in his chastened frame of mind the noble miser could give us noinformation which could help us, for he knew little of the private lifeof his nephew. Our only clue lay in the truncated telegram, and with acopy of this in his hand Holmes set forth to find a second link forhis chain. We had shaken off Lord Mount-James, and Overton had gone toconsult with the other members of his team over the misfortune which hadbefallen them.
There was a telegraph-office at a short distance from the hotel. Wehalted outside it.
"It's worth trying, Watson," said Holmes. "Of course, with a warrant wecould demand to see the counterfoils, but we have not reached that stageyet. I don't suppose they remember faces in so busy a place. Let usventure it."
"I am sorry to trouble you," said he, in his blandest manner, to theyoung woman behind the grating; "there is some small mistake about atelegram I sent yesterday. I have had no answer, and I very much fearthat I must have omitted to put my name at the end. Could you tell me ifthis was so?"
The young woman turned over a sheaf of counterfoils.
"What o'clock was it?" she asked.
"A little after six."
"Whom was it to?"
Holmes put his finger to his lips and glanced at me. "The last wordsin it were 'for God's sake,'" he whispered, confidentially; "I am veryanxious at getting no answer."
The young woman separated one of the forms.
"This is it. There is no name," said she, smoothing it out upon thecounter.