Free Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, The by Nick Rennison Page A

order to send his son to college, and his daughter from first to last, has been entirely educated by her mother. Mr Craven was originally intended for the church, but for some reason or other, when his college career came to an end, he did not present himself for ordination – went out to Natal instead, where he obtained some civil appointment and where he remained for about fifteen years. Henderson was his servant during the latter portion of his Oxford career, and must have been greatly respected by him, for although the remuneration derived from his appointment at Natal was small, he paid Sandy a regular yearly allowance out of it. When, about ten years ago, he succeeded to Troyte's Hill, on the death of his elder brother, and returned home with his family, Sandy was immediately installed as lodge-keeper, and at so high a rate of pay that the butler's wages were cut down to meet it.'
    Â Â 'Ah, that wouldn't improve the butler's feelings towards him,' ejaculated Loveday.
    Â Â Mr Dyer went on: 'But, in spite of his high wages, he doesn't appear to have troubled much about his duties as lodge-keeper, for they were performed, as a rule, by the gardener's boy, while he took his meals and passed his time at the house, and, speaking generally, put his finger into every pie. You know the old adage respecting the servant of twenty-one years' standing: "Seven years my servant, seven years my equal, seven years my master". Well, it appears to have held good in the case of Mr Craven and Sandy. The old gentleman, absorbed in his philological studies, evidently let the reins slip through his fingers, and Sandy seems to have taken easy possession of them. The servants frequently had to go to him for orders, and he carried things, as a rule, with a high hand.'
    Â Â 'Did Mrs Craven never have a word to say on the matter?'
    Â Â 'I've not heard much about her. She seems to be a quiet sort of person. She is a Scotch missionary's daughter; perhaps she spends her time working for the Cape mission and that sort of thing.'
    Â Â 'And young Mr Craven: did he knock under to Sandy's rule?'
    Â Â 'Ah, now you're hitting the bull's eye and we come to Griffiths' theory. The young man and Sandy appear to have been at loggerheads ever since the Cravens took possession of Troyte's Hill. As a schoolboy Master Harry defied Sandy and threatened him with his hunting crop; and subsequently, as a young man, has used strenuous endeavours to put the old servant in his place. On the day before the murder, Griffiths says, there was a terrible scene between the two, in which the young gentleman, in the presence of several witnesses, made use of strong language and threatened the old man's life. Now, Miss Brooke, I have told you all the circumstances of the case so far as I know them. For fuller particulars I must refer you to Griffiths. He, no doubt, will meet you at Grenfell – the nearest station to Troyte's Hill – and tell you in what capacity he has procured for you an entrance into the house. By-the-way, he has wired to me this morning that he hopes you will be able to save the Scotch express to-night.'
    Â Â Loveday expressed her readiness to comply with Mr Griffiths' wishes.
    Â Â 'I shall be glad,' said Mr Dyer, as he shook hands with her at the office door, 'to see you immediately on your return – that, however, I suppose, will not be yet awhile. This promises, I fancy, to be a longish affair?' This was said interrogatively.
    Â Â 'I haven't the least idea on the matter,' answered Loveday. 'I start on my work without theory of any sort – in fact, I may say, with my mind a perfect blank.'
    Â Â And anyone who had caught a glimpse of her blank, expressionless features, as she said this, would have taken her at her word.
    Â Â Grenfell, the nearest post-town to Troyte's Hill is a fairly busy, populous little town – looking south towards the black country, and northwards to low, barren hills.