“Aye,” said Lord Woodruff, “but Bradley is confident that this was a young gentleman; he wore a round jacket, with a white collar, and stiff white cuffs with studs in them, for he felt them when he tried to grasp his wrists. No young rustic would be dressed in that fashion, and, taken together with the cap, I fear that it must have been one of your boys.”
“It looks suspicious, certainly,” said the doctor, somewhat perplexed.
“I am very sorry indeed to give you trouble, and to risk bringing any discredit on the school,” said Lord Woodruff. “But you see one of my men has been seriously injured, and that in my service, and if we could find this boy, his evidence would enable us to trace the cowardly ruffian who struck the blow.”
“Then you would want to—to prosecute him, in short.”
“In confidence, doctor, I should be glad not to do so if I could help it, and if he would give his evidence freely it might be avoided. But it may be necessary to frighten him, if we can find him, that is. And, doctor, allow me to say that if this were merely a boyish escapade, a raid upon my pheasants, I should be content to leave the matter in your hands, considering that a sound flogging would meet the case. But my man being dangerously hurt alters the whole business. I owe it to him, and to all others in my employ, not to leave a stone unturned to discover the perpetrator of the outrage, and I call upon you, Dr Jolliffe, to assist me.”
The doctor bowed. “Can your lordship suggest anything you would like done towards the elucidation of this mystery?” he said. “In spite of the jacket and cuffs, I find it difficult to suppose that any Weston boy is in league with poachers. But you may rely on my doing all in my power to aid you in any investigation you may think desirable.”
“I expected as much, and thank you,” replied Lord Woodruff. “It occurred to me, then, that it might be well, as a preliminary measure, to collect the boys together in one room and lay the case before them, promising impunity to the offender, if present, on condition of his turning queen’s evidence.”
“It shall be done at once,” said the doctor. “Will you speak to them, or shall I?”
“It does not much matter,” replied Lord Woodruff. “Perhaps the pledge would come better from me, the natural prosecutor.”
“Very good.”