ences.
“Somepoachingcase,nodoubt?”saidIwithanindifferentmanner.
“Ha,ha,myboy,averymuchmoreimportantmatterthanthat!Whatabouttheconvictonthemoor?”
Istared.“Youdon’tmeanthatyouknowwhereheis?”saidI.
“Imaynotknowexactlywhereheis,butIamquitesurethatIcouldhelpthepolicetolaytheirhandsonhim.Hasitneverstruckyouthatthewaytocatchthatmanwastofindoutwherehegothisfoodandsotraceittohim?”
Hecertainlyseemedtobegettinguncomfortablynearthetruth.“Nodoubt,”saidI“buthowdoyouknowthatheisanywhereuponthemoor?”
“IknowitbecauseIhaveseenwithmyowneyesthemessengerwhotakeshimhisfood.”
MyheartsankforBarrymore.Itwasaseriousthingtobeinthepowerofthisspitefuloldbusybody.Buthisnextremarktookaweightfrommymind.
“You’llbesurprisedtohearthathisfoodistakentohimbyachild.Iseehimeverydaythroughmytelescopeupontheroof.Hepassesalongthesamepathatthesamehour,andtowhomshouldhebegoingexcepttotheconvict?”
Herewasluckindeed!AndyetIsuppressedallappearanceofinterest.Achild!Barrymorehadsaidthatourunknownwassuppliedbyaboy.Itwasonhistrack,andnotupontheconvict’s,thatFranklandhadstumbled.IfIcouldgethisknowledgeitmightsavemealongandwearyhunt.Butincredulityandindifferencewereevidentlymystrongestcards.
“Ishouldsaythatitwasmuchmorelikelythatitwasthesonofoneofthemoorlandshepherdstakingouthisfather’sdinner.”
Theleastappearanceofoppositionstruckfireoutoftheoldautocrat.Hiseyeslookedmalignantlyatme,andhisgreywhiskersbristledlikethoseofanangrycat.
“Indeed,sir!”saidhe,pointingoutoverthewide-stretchingmoor.“DoyouseethatBlackToroveryonder?Well,doyouseethelowhillbeyondwiththethornbushuponit?Itisthestoniestpartofthewholemoor.Isthataplacewhereashepherdwouldbelikelytotakehisstation?Yoursuggestion,sir,isamostabsurdone.”
ImeeklyansweredthatIhadspokenwithoutknowingallthefacts.Mysubmissionpleasedhimandledhimtofurtherconfidences.
“Youmaybesure,sir,thatIhaveverygoodgroundsbeforeIcometoanopinion.Ihaveseentheboyagainandagainwithhisbundle.Everyday,andsometimestwiceaday,Ihavebeenable—butwaitamoment,Dr.Watson.Domyeyesdeceiv