"
"Under solemn promises ----"
"What are promises to such people as these? You have no guarantee
that he will not be spirited away again. To humour your guilty
elder son you have exposed your innocent younger son to imminent
and unnecessary danger. It was a most unjustifiable action."
The proud lord of Holdernesse was not accustomed to be so rated
in his own ducal hall. The blood flushed into his high forehead,
but his conscience held him dumb.
"I will help you, but on one condition only. It is that you
ring for the footman and let me give such orders as I like."
Without a word the Duke pressed the electric bell.
A servant entered.
"You will be glad to hear," said Holmes, "that your young master
is found. It is the Duke's desire that the carriage shall go at
once to the Fighting Cock Inn to bring Lord Saltire home.
"Now," said Holmes, when the rejoicing lackey had disappeared,
"having secured the future, we can afford to be more lenient
with the past. I am not in an official position, and there
is no reason, so long as the ends of justice are served, why I
should disclose all that I know.
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