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Your lordship's order will admit Mr. Brown immediately to the Tower, as no particular directions have been given in regard to keeping the Duke a close prisoner. His grace of Shrewsbury went out of town to Eyford at eleven this morning. I have the honour to be, your lordship's obedient servant," &c.
"'There is a drive, then? "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good seven miles from Eyford Station. "'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop the night. "'Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down. "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient hour?
As we rolled into Eyford Station we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape. "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off again on its way. "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. "When did it break out?"
"'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent. "'Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last train. "'Where to? "'To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a train from Paddington which would bring you there at about 11:15. "'Very good. "'I shall come down in a carriage to meet you.
"'Ah! said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress the earth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing what they are. But that is a mere detail. I have taken you fully into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I trust you. He rose as he spoke. 'I shall expect you, then, at Eyford at 11:15. "'I shall certainly be there.
There was an old clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, but otherwise everything was deadly still. A vague feeling of uneasiness began to steal over me. Who were these German people, and what were they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And where was the place? I was ten miles or so from Eyford, that was all I knew, but whether north, south, east, or west I had no idea.
Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the seat and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford for its centre.
Why, here's the Doctor." So there was, standing among them before any one had noticed him. "I announce," said he, "that I shall accept the most agreeable invitation that any one will give me. What are you going to do, Major?" "Going fishing." "Ah! and you, madam?" turning to Miss Thornton. "I am going to see Mrs. Lee, who has a low fever, poor thing." "Which Mrs. Lee, madam?" "Mrs. Lee of Eyford."
It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and desperate man, who was absolutely determined that nothing should stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, every moment now is precious, so if you feel equal to it we shall go down to Scotland Yard at once as a preliminary to starting for Eyford."
However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. "At Reading I had to change not only my carriage but my station. However, I was in time for the last train to Eyford, and I reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock.
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