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.
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.
There you are, said he. That circle is drawn at a radius of ten
miles from the village. The place we want must be somewhere near that
line. You said ten miles, I think, sir.
It was an hour s good drive.
And you think that they brought you back all that way when you were
unconscious?
They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having been
lifted and conveyed somewhere.
What I cannot understand, said I, is why they should have spared you
when they found you lying fainting in the garden. Perhaps the villain
was softened by the woman s entreaties.
I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face in my
life.
Oh, we shall soon clear up all that, said Bradstreet. Well, I have
drawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon it the folk
that we are in search of are to be found.
I think I could lay my finger on it, said Holmes quietly.
Really, now! cried the inspector, you have formed your opinion!
Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is south, for the
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