HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1907-09-12, Page 7• The perpetuuAlcharm
of freshness and crispness
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ciousness — is in every
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tont .:
TAI,+ WINGII.A i TIMES, S PTTMI3ER 12, 1907
The Hound of the
a k rvil1e
Another Adventure of Sherlock Holmes..
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.
Author of "The Green Flag" and °The Great Boer WW.r't
Copyright (190.2) by A. Conan Doyle,
-h+++#+++ 4 + 4 4 #++++++#-++++++4.4-#+$'4-#'1-44+ "#'+s
;crazy state and eventually fallen over
:sere and broken his neck."
"That seems the most reasonable
theory," said Stapleton, and he gave a
;sigh which I took to indicate Ms re-
lief. "What do you think about it, Mr.
'Sherlock Holmes?"
My friend bowed his compliments.
"Yon are quide at identification,"
said he.
'We 149e bden expecting you in
'these parts since Dr. Watson came
',down. You are in time •to see a tra-
gedy."
"Yes, indeed, I have no doubt that
my friend's explanation will cover the
facts. I will take an unpleasant remem-
brance back to London with me to-
morrow."
"Ob, you return to -morrow?"
"That Is my intention"
"I hope your visit has cast some
light upon those occurrences which
have puzzled us?"
Holmes shrugged his shoulders.
"One cannot always have the suc-
cess for which one hopes. An investi-
gator needs facts, and not legends or
rumors. It has not been a satisfactory
case." ,
My friend spoke in his frankest and
most unconcerned manner. Stapleton
still looked hard at him. The „he turn -
•ed to me.
"I would suggest carryine".his poor
fellow to my house, but It would give
my sister such a fright that I do not
feel justified in doing it. I think that
if we put something over his face lie
will be safe until morning."
And so it was arranged. Resisting
'Stapleton's offer of hospitality. Holmes
and 1 set off to Baskerville Hall, leaving
the naturalist to return alone. Look-
ing- back we saw the figure moving
slowly away over the broad moor, and
behind hint that one black smudge on
the silvered slope which showed where
the man was lying wlio had come so
horribly to his end.
CHAPTER XIII,
"We're at close gri s at 1ast,
said
d
Holmes, as we walked together across
the moor. "What a nerve the fellow
bas! How he pulled himself together
in the face of what must have been a
paralyzing shock when he found that
the wrong man had fallen a victim to
bus plot. I told you in 1ondon, Watson,
and I tell you now again, that we have
never had a foeman more worthy of
our steel."
"I am sorry that he has seen you,"
"And so was I a first. But there was
no getting out of it."
"What effect do you thins: it will
bave upon his plans, now that be
:chows you are here?"
e."It may cause him to be more cau-
tious, or it may drive him t�`iS deeper
ate measures at once. Like most clever
criminals, he may be too confident in
tris own cleverness and imagine that
ate has completely deceived us."
"Why should we not arrest him at
once?"
"My dear Watson, you 'were born
to be a man of action. Your instinct is
always to do something energetic, But
-supposing, for argument's sake, that
We had him arrested to -night, what on
earth the better off should we be for
-that? We couldprove nothing against
him. There's the devilish cunning of
it! It"dre were acting through a human
agent we could get some evidence, but
if we were to drag this great dog tc
the light of day it would not help us
in putting a rope round the neck of its
master."
"Surely we have a case."
`"helot a ahadow of one—only surmise
stand conjecture. We should be laughed
scut of court if we came with such a
iatory and suck evidence."
"There is Sir Charles's death."
"Found dead without a mark upon
Id'ilm. You and I know that he died of
e�ssheer fright, and we know also what
iC Ightened him; but how are tee to
'5C
44)4' MOONEY•BISCUafrEJtr'CANDY CIl'
STRATF,Ott 'GAP.. l A N;
Ile stood upon a chair and curved his right
arm over the broad kat.
get twelve stolid jurymen to know it?
What signs0
are there f a hound?
Where are the marks of its fangs? Of
ccurse, we know that a hound does
not bite a dead body and that Sir
Charles was dead before ever the
brute overtook him. But we have to
prove all this, and we are not in, a
position to do it."
"Well, then, to -night?"
"We are not much better off to-
night. Again, there was no direct con•
uection between the hound and the
man's. death. We never saw the hound.
We heard it; but we, could not prove
that it was running upon this man's
trail, There is a complete absence of
motive. No, my dear fellow; we must
reconcile ourselves to the fact that we
have no case at present, and that it
is worth our while to run any risk in
order to establish one."
"And how do you propose to do so?"
"I have great hopes of what Mrs.
Laura Lyons may do for us when the
Position of affairs is made clear to her,
And I have my own plan as well. Suffi-
cient for to -morrow is the evil thereof;
but I hope before the day is past to
have the upper hand at last." •
I could draw nothing further from
him, and he walked, lost in thought, as
far as the Baskerville gates.
"Are you coming up?"
"Yes; I see no reason for further'
concealment. But .one last word, Wat-
son. Say nothing of the hound to Sir
Henry. Let him think that Selden's
death was as Stapleton would have us
believe. He will hale a better nerve
for the ordeal which he will have to
undergo to -morrow, when he is en-
gaged, if I remember your report
aright, to dine with these people."
"And so am I."
Then you must excuse yourself and
he must go alone. That will be easily
arranged. And now, if we are too late
for dinner, I think that we are both
ready for our suppers."
Sir Henry was more pleased than
surprised to see Sherlock Holmes, for
he had for some days been expecting
that recent events would bring hint.
down from London. He did raise his
eyebrows, however, when he found
that my friend had neither any lug-
gage nor any explanations for its ab -
se Between u" we soon supplied
nee. s nn
his wants, and then over a belated sup-
per we explained to the baronet as
much of our experience as it seemed
desirable that he should know. But
first I bad the unpleasant duty of
breaking the news to Barrymore and
his "wife. To him it may have been an
unmitigated relief, but she wept bitter-
ly in her apron. To all the world he
was the plan of 'violence, half anlma'
and half demon; but to her he always
remained the little wilful boy of her
own girlhood, t e child who had cluing
to her hand. Evil indeed is the man
who has not one woman to mourn hint,
"I've been moping in the house all
day since Watson went off in the morn -
lag," said'tbe baronet. "I guess 1
should have some credit, for I have
kept my promise. If I hadn't sworn not
to go about alone I might have had a
More lively evening, for I had a. mes-
sage front Stapleton asking the over
there."
"I have no doubt that you would
have had a more lively evening," said
Holies, drily. "By the way, I don't
suppose you appreciate that we have
been mourning over you as having
broken your neek?"
Sir Henry opened his Dyes. "How
was that?"
"This poor wretch WAS dressed in
your clothes. I fear your servant Who
gave theta to him may get Into trouble
with the police."
"That' it unlikely. There was no
Mark on any of them,, as far at I
know."
"That's lncky for fact, it's
Lucky for all of you, since you are all
on the among side of the law in this
matter, I ant not sure that as a con•
seientieus detective my lust duty its
no,t.to,;arreat he. atbal$ astehofAd.
Watson's reports ai•e most ittcrintlaa,
ting documents."
"But how about the case?" «asked
the baronet. "Have you made anything
out of the tangle? I don't knew that
Watson and I aro much the wiser
since we came dawn."
"I think that I shall bo in a position
to snake the situation rattier more
clear to yon before long. It has been
an exceedingly dfillcult and most gone
plicated business. There are several
points upon which we still want light—
but
ight—but it is coming all the same."
"We've had one experience, as Wat-
son has no doubt told you. We heard
the hound on the moor, so I cau swear
that it, is not all empty superstition. I
had something to do with dogs when I
was out West, and I know one when I
hoar one. If you can muzzle that ono
and put hien on a chain I'll be ready
to swear you aro the greatest detective
of all time."
"I think I will muzzle Bins and chain
him all right if you will give me your
help,"
tVbatever you tell me to do I will
do."
"Very good; and I w1U ask you also
to do it blindly, without always asking
the reason,"
"Just as you like."
"If you will do this I think the
chances are that our little problem
will soon be solved. I have no doubt
Ile stopped suddeuly and stared fx-
eraly up over soy head into the air. The
lamp beat upon his face, and so intent
was it and so still that it might have
been that of a clear-cut classical
statee, a personification of alertness
and expectation.
"What is it?" we both cried.
I could see as he looked down that
he was repressing some internal emo-
tion, His features were still composed,
but his eyes shone with amused exul-
tation,
"ExLeuse the admiration of a con-
noisseur," said he, as be waved his
hand towards the line of portraits
which covered the opposite wall.
"Watson won't allow that I know any-
thing of art, but that is stere jealousy,
because our views upon the subject
differ. Now, these are a really very
fine series•of portraits."
"Well, I'm glad to hear you say so,"
said Sir Henry, glancing with some
surprise at my friend. "I don't pre-
tend to know much about these things,
and I'd be a better judge of a horse or
a steer than of a picture, I didn't know
that you found time for such things."
"I know what is good when I see it,
and I see it now. That's a I{neller, I'Il
swear, that lady in the blue silk over
yonder, and the stout gentleman with
the wig ought to be a Reynolds. They
are all family portraits, I presume?"
"Every Dver t
Y 0 le.
1, you o
u ku ow the names?"
?"
"Barrymore has been coaching me
in them, and I think I can say my les-
sons fairly well,"
"Who is the gentleman with the
telescope?"
"That is Rear -Admiral Baskerville,
who served. , der Rodney in the West
Indies, The`an with the b ue coat
and the roll of paper is Sir"' William
Baskerville, who was Chairman of
Committees of the House of Commons
under Pitt" .
"And this Cavalier opposite to me—
the one with the black velvet and the
lace?"
"Ah, you havg a right to know about
him. That is the cause of all the mis-
cbief, the wicked Hugo, who started
the Hound of the Baskervilles. We're
not likely to forget him."
I gazed with interest and some sur-
prise upon the portrait.
"Dear me!" said Holmes, "he seems
a quiet, meek -mannered man enough,
but I daresay that there was a lurking
devil in his eyes. 1 had pictured him
as a more robust and ruffianly per-
son"
"There's no doubt about the authen-
ticity, for the name and the date, 1647,
are on the back of the canvas."
Holmes said little more, but the pic-
ture of the old roysterer seemed to
have a fascination for hire, and his
eyes were continually fixed upon it
during supper. It was not until later,
when Sir Henry had gone to his room,
that I was able to follow the trend of
his thoughts. He led me back into the
banqueting -hall, his bedroom candle in
his hand, and he held it up against the
time -stained portrait on the wall.
"Do you see anything there?"
I looked at the broad plumed hat,
the curling love -locks, the white lace"
collar, and the straight, severe face
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which wee framed between them. It
was not a brutal countenance, but it
was prim, hard, and stern, with a
arm -set, thin-lipped month, and a cold-
ly intolerant eye,
"Is it like anyone you know?"
"There is something of Sir Henry
about the jaw."
"Just a suggestion, perbaps. But
wait an instant!" He stood upon a
chair, and holding up thn light in his
left hand he curved bis right arra over
the bread hat and round the long ring-
I�`s.
""Good heavens!" I cried, in amaze-
ment.
The face e4 Stapleton had sprung
out of the canvas.
"Ha, you see it now, My eyes bave
been trained to examine faces and not
their trimmings. It is the first quality
of a criminal investipator that he
should see thrcuga a disguise."
"But this is marvellous. It might be
his portrait"
Yes, it is an interesting instance of
a throwback, which appears to be both
physical and spiritual. A study of fanc-
ily portraits is onongh to convert a
man to the doctrine of reincarnation.
The fellow is a Baslterville—that is
evident."
"With designs upon the succession."
"Exactly. This chance of the picture
has supplied us with one of our most
obvious missing links. We have him,
Watson, we have him, and I dare
swear that before to -morrow night he
will be fluttering in our net as helpless
as one of his own butterflies. A pin, a
cork, and a card, and we add him to
the Baker Street collection!" He burst
into. one of his rare fits of laughter as
he turned away, from the picture. I
have not heard him laugh often, and it
has always boded ill to somebody.
I was up betimes in the morning, but
Humes was afoot earlier still, for I
saw him as I dressed coming up the
drive.
"Yes, we should have a full day to-
day," he remarked, and he rubbed his
heeds
with the joy of "The
The
nets are all in place, and the drag Is
about to begin. We'll know before the
day is out whether we have caught our
big, lean -jawed pike, or whether he has
got through the meshes."
I e "Have you been on the moor al-
ready?"
"I have sent a report from Grimpea
to Prtacetown as to the death of Sel-
den. I think l can pi'omise that none
of you will be troubled in the matter.
I And I have also communicated with
my faithful Cartwright, who would
certainly have pined away at the door
s of my hut, as a dog does at his mas-
ter's grave, if I had not set his mind
at rest about my safety."
"What is the next move?"
"To see Sir Henry. Ah, here he is!"
"Good morning, Holmes," said the
baronet. "You look like a general who
is planning a battle with his chief of
the staff."
That is the exact situation. Watson
was asking for orders."
"Aud so do 1."
"Very good. You areengaged, as 1;
understand, to dine with our friends
the Stapletons to -night."
"I hope' that you will come also.
They are very hospitable people, and I
am sure that they would be very glad
to see you."
"I fear that Watson and I must go
to London."
' "To London?"
"Yes, I think tbat we should bo
more useful there at the present junc-
ture."
L The baronet's face perceptibly
lengthened.
"I hoped that you were going to see
ine through thle business. The Hall
and the moor are not very pleasant
places when one is alone."
"My dear fellow, you must trust me
implicitly and do exactly what I tell
you. You can tell your friends that we
should hove been happy to have come
with yeti, hut that urgent business re-
quired us to be in town. We hope very
soon to return to Devonshire. Will you
remember to give them that message?"
"If you insist upon it."
"There is no alternative, I assure
you."
baronet'sclou r bow
a i e r
saw thecloudea
that he was deeply hurt by what he
regarded as our desertion,
"When do you desire to go?" he ask-
ed, coldly.
Immediately after breakfast. We
will drive in to Coombe Tracey, but
Watson will leave his things as a
pledge that he will come back to yore
Watson, you will send a note to
Stapleton to tell him that you regret
that you cannot conte."
"I have a good mind to go to Lon-
don with you," said the baronet. "Why
should I stay here alone?"
"Because it is your post of duty, Be-
cause you gave me your word that you
would do as you were told, and I tell
you to stay."
"All right, then, I'll stay,"
"One more direction! I wish you to
drive to Merripit House. Send back
your trap, however, and let them know
that you intend to walk bone."
"To walk across the moor?"
"But that Is the very thing which
you have so often cautioned xne not
to do."
"This time you may do it with safe-
ty. If I had not every confidence in
your nerve and Courage I would not
Suggest it, but it is essential that you
Should do it."
"Thee I will do it."
"And as you value your life do tot
go across- the moor in any dtrectiott
save along the straight path which
leads from MerripitHouse to the
tirintpeu Road, and is your natural
relay borne.
"I will do just what you say." Pacts came out. He frightened me into
"Very good, I should be glad totes reutafning silent."
I was much astounded by this pre --
gram, though I remembered that
Holmes had said to Stapleton on the
nig at before that his vlsit would ter-
minate next day. It had net crossed
my mind, however, that he- would wish
me to go with hfni, nor could I under-
ataud how we could both be absent at
it moment which he himself declared
to bo critical. There was nothing for
it, however, but impiioit'obedience; so
we bade good-bye to our rueful ,friend,
and a couple of hours afterwards we
were at the station of Cootabejsreeey
and had dispatched the trap upon its
rcturu journey. A small boy was wait -
in;; upon the platform.
Any orders, sir?"
'"You will take tills train to town,
Cartwright. The moment you arrive
yen will send a wire to Sir Henry Bas-
1erville, In my name, to say that if be
Mule the pocket-l'eolc .which I have
dropped he is to send It by registered
post to Baker Street,"
l "Yrs, sir."
"Alen asst at the .station office It
there Is a message for me."
The boy returned with a telegram,
which Holmes itantied to me. It ran:
"Wire received. Coming down with un•
signed warrant. Arrive five-forty.--
Leetrade."
"That is in answer to mine of this
morning. Ho is the best of the pro-
f^ssicnalq, I think, and we may need
leis usaistance, Now, Watson, I think
that we cannot employ nut' ttmet4bet-
ter than by calling upon your acquaint
ante, errs. Laura Lyons."
Hi; plan of campaign was begin -
ring to be evident. He would use the
l:;'roaet in order to convince the Sta-
ieletetts that we were really gone,
while we should actually return at the
insteet when we were likely to be
reale' a That telegram ftoni I endon.
if mentioned by Sir 1Ieury to the Sta•
elc;ous, must remove the last sus -
pi', ort , from their minds. Already I
seemed to see our nets drawing closer
10n'ul the t lean -jewel pike.
Mrs. Laura Linos was in her office,
end Sherloci:, Holmes opened his in-
terview with a frankness and direct -
/Mee which considerably amazed her.
"I est investigating the cit'c:nmstan-
e"s watch ettCtidnfl the death of the
!'eta Sir Charles i3'sko vale," said he.
"tl : Mend hero- Dr. Watson, has in-
ferred mp of what you bare colmmnal-
c, t^d, and also of what yell bave with -
:tole 1'i cnnnecticn with thnt matter."
"\Vb't l:ave I withheld?" sine asked,
chine:ntl;•.
j "Yee helve confeesod that you asked
Sir Mattes to be at the „ate at ten
neec1:, \\-e know that t'••at was the
plaen :lad hour of bis Beath. You have
I sv!l1 bcl,l what the connection is be
I twerp these events."
"There is no connection."
'"•in thiet ease the c'olncicicnce 'must
indeed :lenet extramc fitlar P.etiv n en ,,I
• think tat we• shall succeed in estab-
IS'ahing a connection after all. I wish
to be perfectly frank with you, firs.
Lyons, We regard this case its one of
murder, and the evidence may impli-
cate not only your friend Mi'. Stapie-
ton. but his wife as well,"
The lady sprcung.froul her chair.
"His wife!" she 'cried..
"The fact is uo longer a secret. The
person who has passed for his ei:;ter
is really leis wife,"
Mrs. Lyons had resumed her seat.
Her hands were grasping the arms of
her chair, and I saw that the pint: nazis
• had turued white with the preszure of
her arip.
"His wife!" she said, again. "His
wife: He is not a married man."
Sherloclt Holmes shrugged his slteul-
ders.
"Prove it to me! Prove it to me!
I And if you can do so—!" The tierce
flash o.f her eyes said more than any
1 words,
"I have come prepared to do so,"
said Holmes, drawing several papers
from his pocket. "Here is a photograph
of the couple taken in York four years
ago. It is indorsed 'Mr. and Mrs. 1an-
delear; but you will have no difficulty
in recognizing him and her also, if you
knew her by sight. Here are three
written descriptions by trustworthy
witnesses of Mr, }tad ;firs. Vandelcnr,
who at that time kept St. Oliver's pt.'-
, vate school. React them, and see if yet.
I can doubt the identity of these peo-
ple,"
She at ns with the set, rigid face of
glanced at them, and then look-
ed np
a desperate woman,
"Mr. Holmes," she said, "this man
had offered me marriage on condition
that I could get a divorce from my
husband. He has lied to me, the villain,
in every conceivable way. Not one
word of truth has he ever told me. And
why—why? I Imagined that all was for
my own sake. But r -ow I see tbat I was
never anything but a tool in bis hands.
Why- should I preserve faith with hint
who never kept any with me? Why
should I try to shield him from the
f consequences of his awn wicked acts?
Ask me what you like, mid there is
nothing which I shall hold back. One
i thing I swear to you, anti that is, that
when I wrote the letter I never dream-
ed of any harm to the old getntleman,
who had been my kindest friend."
• "I entirely believe you, madam,"
said Sherlock Relines. "The recital of
these events must be very painful to
you, asiperhl
s it willmake it Past
t
if
tell ,you whirl oecrn•red, and you
can check me if I make any material
t mistake. The %entling of this letter
was suggested to you by Stapiettin?"
"He dictated it."
"I presume that the reason he gave
was that you would receive help from
Sir Charles for the legal expenses con•
nested with your divorce?"
"Exactly."
"And then after yoil had sent the let•
ter lie dissuaded you from keeping the
appointment?"
"He told me that it would hurt his
esel£•rospect that any other man should
and' the money for such an object, end
that though he was 0 poor than htm-
self he would devote his hist penny to
removing the obstacles which divided
' us."
, "Ho appears to he a very consistent
eharacte.r. And then you heard nothing
in
untithl e yopalteu rear"d" the reports of the death
"And he made you swear to sae
nothing about your appointment with
Sir Chat -lee?"
"Ile did. He said that the death was
O. very mysterious one. and that I
shout certainly be suspected if the
tiivay as soon after breakfast at holt "Quite. so. But you hall Veit:sus.
Mtge, so u to reach London itt the Iictons?'.
afterrnooxr," t Silo hesitated and looked t1ow'flsj,
n ,.w. f't til " id'FtY:$e;s.0"A.e: "S>;"!r yi�,•'i ,.r ..y �,:,
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THC ere t4VR cell{ t ", f{CVt Meq,; 4.'r.
rat- tete. ne:te
"I knew l'im," site s+lid. "But if he
had kept faith with nie 'i Should always
have done to with hint."
I think that on the whole you have
had a fortunate escape," eai;i Sherlock
Holmes. `•You have had hint in your
power :ma he anew it, and yet you are
alive.. You have lt'c-a wallaug for .ion.e
mouths very near to the edge of a
Precipice. «c mustst wish
y
au good
morning now, ;firs. Lyons, aid it is
probable that you will , ve'r'y shortly
hear front us again,"
"Our case becomes minuted off, and
. difficulty after difficulty thins away its
frontof us," swiss Holmes, as we stood
waiting for the arrival of the express
from town. "I shall soon be in the. poet -
tion of being able to put into a single
connected narrative one of the most
singular and sensational crimes of mo-
, dern times. Students of criminology
! will remember the analogous incidents
in Godno, in Little Russia, in the year
'60, and of course there are the Ander-
son murders in North Carolina, but
this case possesses some features
which are entirely its own. Even now
we have no clear case against this
very wily man. But I shall be very
much surprised if it is not clear
enough before we go to bed this
night: '
The London express came roaring
into the station, and a small, wiry bull-
dog of a man had sprung from a first-
class carriage. We all three shook
.hands, and I saw at once from the
reverential way in which Lestrade
gazed at my companion that he had
]earned a good deal since the days
when they had first worked together. I
could well remember the scorn which
the theories of the reasoner used then
to excite in the practical man.
"Anything goodte he asked.
"The biggest thing for years," said
Holmes. "We have two hours before
we need think of starting. I think we
might employ it in getting some din-
ner, and then, Lestrade, we will take
the Loudon. fog out of your throat by
giving you a breath of the pure uigltt
air of Dartmoor. Bever been there?
Ah, well, I don't suppose you will for-
get your first visit,"
CHAPTER XIV
One of Sherlock Holmes's defects—
if,` indeed, one may call it a defect—
was that he was exceedingly loth to
communicat his full plans to any
other persointil the instant of their
fulfilment, artly it came no doubt
from his own masterful nature, which
1oled tO dominate and surprise
those
who were around him. Partly also front
his professional caution, which urged
him never to take any chances. The re-
sult, however, was very trying for
those who were acting as kis agents
and assistants. I had often suffered un-
der it, but never more so than during
that ioug drive in the darkness. The
"WHAT IS OYSPEPSA?"
There is no form of disease more pre-
valont than dyspepsia, and none so
peculiar to the high living and rapid
catir;g of the present day mode. of Life.
Among the many symptoms ara :
Variable appetite, fault, gnawing feeling
at the nit of the stomach, with uneatis-
f!ed ceiling for food; heartburn, feeling
of weight and wind in the stomach, had
!meth, bad fnste in the mouth, low
spirits, headache and constipation.
BURbOCK
BLOOD
BITTERS
stents euro the worst ease of dyspepsia,
by regulating the bowels, and toning
up the digestive organs.
Mrs. ';eom. II'. iley. 'West Z.iseomhe,
writes . "1 suffered for years
from dyspepsia and could get no relief
until I started to use Burn:MCI Brom
ntr'rsts. Atter 1 had taken three
bottles 1 vas totaptetedy cured and can
eat atrythirtg now.
great ordeal was in front of us: , t I•
we were about to mate our final eft(
' turd yet Holmes hills eaid eetiting, 1
I could only surmise what his cou
of action would be. ;Uy n<ervt:i thril
With. autielpation when at last 1
Cold wind upon our faces nal the da
void spaces on either lien' of the u
row road told me that v'ee were br
iI
or the moor once `g
tin Eve
strideof thehomeses andevery
turn
the wheels was inking us nearer to c
supreme adventure.
Our conversation was hampered
the presence of the driver of the hi -
wagonette, agonette, so that we n.•rt' forced
talk of tri% la] matters whe•a our net -
were tense with emotion and antic&
tion. It was a relief to nu, after t'
unnatural restraint, schen we at 1•
passed firaukland's house Mal lin
that we were drawing near to the 2
and to the scene of ashen. We did
drive up to the doer, but for do
near the gate of tate avonae. 7
wagonette Wan paid off and ordered'
return to •Coombe Trace;: 'fortliwi
while we started to walk to Berri
house.
'Are yon armed. Lestra'le?"
The little detective smiled,
"As long as 1 have lit;' trousers
have a hip -pocket, and as long a<
have my hip -pocket I hale sometht
. in it,"
"Good! My friend and .i are a'
ready- for emergencies."
"You're mighty close a)sout this
fair, Mr. IIearues, Wine's the ga
now?"
"A. waiting sane,"
"My word, it does not seem a yr
cheerful place," said the rietecti
with a shiver, glanetes round him
.The dein !TPM hoarser and tir7h?,Di> tk+`
there stepped for scan n'e the a weenie
the gloomy slopes of slew hill and
the huge ktltte lir fog h•rric•h !:ay 01
the tiritilpteti :fine. "1 see 1lie ligats
a hen: r ahond of 115."
"That is Merripit iii" :sis,1 t!111 a
of vitt' jOnrney, 1 3111151 ie'.i?nest you
walk on tiptoe anti lot lir talk abo
a whisper.'
We moved eel: to+n.:tt elong t
track as if We were ls,"ift for t
belt:.t', but lIolnt,e: 11513.'.1 ns when 1
wore tthottt two tttui it d yards frc
'•1':1-' will tin,' 8:ti,1 ht". '"Che -s -t' roc
mins Rice right ht 19a1 ,,' :lin :irllnifal.
se Clea:."'
'Wt' are to wit
"YCes, we shall mitt,•• ilii' 1!,tiC! a
bn<•:t home. t:tv Into (hie bollen, 1.
tt'.1ti:e, You hat t' been Itti-'k' tit,+lieu
starve Sun tint, \Sae .m: t':ut you t
the yc4itiotl of the ,tts'.ee.' 1\'but t
these IattieM ,citt.,ut% t t; t'titt end?"
'•f think they :rte the itirehen FV
dews,"
Cats be continued.)