Chapter 11. The Man on the Tor

fidences. “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.Domyeyesdeceiveme,oristhereatthepresentmomentsomethingmovinguponthathillside?” Itwasseveralmilesoff,butIcoulddistinctlyseeasmalldarkdotagainstthedullgreenandgrey. “Come,sir,come!”criedFrankland,rushingupstairs.“Youwillseewithyourowneyesandjudgeforyourself.” Thetelescope,aformidableinstrumentmounteduponatripod,stoodupontheflatleadsofthehouse.Franklandclappedhiseyetoitandgaveacryofsatisfaction. “Quick,Dr.Watson,quick,beforehepassesoverthehill!” Therehewas,sureenough,asmallurchinwithalittlebundleuponhisshoulder,toilingslowlyupthehill.WhenhereachedthecrestIsawtheraggeduncouthfigureoutlinedforaninstantagainstthecoldbluesky.Helookedroundhimwithafurtiveandstealthyair,asonewhodreadspursuit.Thenhevanishedoverthehill. “Well!AmIright?” “Certainly,thereisaboywhoseemstohavesomesecreterrand.” “Andwhattheerrandisevenacountyconstablecouldguess.Butnotonewordshalltheyhavefromme,andIbindyoutosecrecyalso,Dr.Watson.Notaword!Youunderstand!” “Justasyouwish.” “Theyhavetreatedmeshamefully—shamefully.WhenthefactscomeoutinFranklandv.ReginaIventuretothinkthatathrillofindignationwillrunthroughthecountry.Nothingwouldinducemetohelpthepoliceinanyway.Foralltheycareditmighthavebeenme,insteadofmyeffigy,whichtheserascalsburnedatthestake.Surelyyouarenotgoing!Youwillhelpmetoemptythedecanterinhonourofthisgreatoccasion!” ButIresistedallhissolicitationsandsucceededindissuadinghimfromhisannouncedintentionofwalkinghomewithme.Ikepttheroadaslongashiseyewasonme,andthenIstruckoffacrossthemoorandmadeforthestonyhilloverwhichtheboyhaddisappeared.Everythingwasworkinginmyfavour,andIsworethatitshouldnotbethroughlackofenergyorperseverancethatIshouldmissthechancewhichfortunehadthrowninmyway. ThesunwasalreadysinkingwhenIreachedthesummitofthehill,andthelongslopesbeneathmewereallgolden-greenononesideandgreyshadowontheother.Ahazelaylowuponthefarthestsky-line,outofwhichjuttedthefantasticshapesofBelliverandVixenTor.Overthewideexpansetherewasnosoundandnomovement.Onegreatgreybird,agullorcurlew,soaredalofti