“Forgive this weakness, Mr. Holmes, I have been a little overwrought.  Thank you, if I might have a glass of milk and a biscuit, I have no doubt that I should be better.  I came personally, Mr. Holmes, in order to insure that you would return with me.  I feared that no telegram would convince you of the absolute urgency of the case.”

“When you are quite restored——­”

“I am quite well again.  I cannot imagine how I came to be so weak.  I wish you, Mr. Holmes, to come to Mackleton with me by the next train.”

My friend shook his head.

“My colleague, Dr. Watson, could tell you that we are very busy at present.  I am retained in this case of the Ferrers Documents, and the Abergavenny murder is coming up for trial.  Only a very important issue could call me from London at present.”

“Important!” Our visitor threw up his hands.  “Have you heard nothing of the abduction of the only son of the Duke of Holdernesse?”

“What! the late Cabinet Minister?”

“Exactly.  We had tried to keep it out of the papers, but there was some rumor in the Globe last night.  I thought it might have reached your ears.”

Holmes shot out his long, thin arm and picked out Volume “H” in his encyclopaedia of reference.

“’Holdernesse, 6th Duke, K.G., P.C.’—­half the alphabet!  ’Baron Beverley, Earl of Carston’—­dear me, what a list!  ’Lord Lieutenant of Hallamshire since 1900.  Married Edith, daughter of Sir Charles Appledore, 1888.  Heir and only child, Lord Saltire.  Owns about two hundred and fifty thousand acres.  Minerals in Lancashire and Wales.  Address:  Carlton House Terrace; Holdernesse Hall, Hallamshire; Carston Castle, Bangor, Wales.  Lord of the Admiralty, 1872; Chief Secretary of State for——­’ Well, well, this man is certainly one of the greatest subjects of the Crown!”

“The greatest and perhaps the wealthiest.  I am aware, Mr. Holmes, that you take a very high line in professional matters, and that you are prepared to work for the work’s sake.  I may tell you, however, that his Grace has already intimated that a check for five thousand pounds will be handed over to the person who can tell him where his son is, and another thousand to him who can name the man or men who have taken him.”

“It is a princely offer,” said Holmes.  “Watson, I think that we shall accompany Dr. Huxtable back to the north of England.  And now, Dr. Huxtable, when you have consumed that milk, you will kindly tell me what has happened, when it happened, how it happened, and, finally, what Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable, of the Priory School, near Mackleton, has to do with the matter, and why he comes three days after an event—­the state of your chin gives the date—­to ask for my humble services.”

Our visitor had consumed his milk and biscuits.  The light had come back to his eyes and the colour to his cheeks, as he set himself with great vigour and lucidity to explain the situation.