troubled in the matter. And I have also communicated with my faithful Cartwright, who would certainly have pined away at the door of my hut, as a dog does at his master's grave, if I had not set his mind at rest about my safety.

What is the next move?

To see Sir Henry. Ah, here he is!

Good morning, Holmes, said the baronet. You look like a general who is planning a battle with his chief of the staff.

That is the exact situation. Watson was asking for orders.

And so do I.

Very good. You are engaged, as I understand, to dine with our friends the Stapletons to-night.

I hope that you will come also. They are very hospitable people, and I am sure that they would be very glad to see you.

I fear that Watson and I must go to London.

To London?

Yes, I think that we should be more useful there at the present juncture.

The baronet's face perceptibly lengthened. I hoped that you were going to see me through this business. The Hall and the moor are not very pleasant places when one is alone.

My dear fellow, you must trust me implicitly and do exactly what I tell you. You can tell your friends that we should have been happy to have come with you, but that urgent business