The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-27
CHAPTER v.

4H.-H"HA $500 - HHs@-- N~eAA - @---@
but ART. " which he had the crudest IDEAS,
FROM our leaving the gallery until we found
Ourselves at the Northumberland Hotel
'Si- IienrS baskerville is upstairs eN-
pecting YOU said the clerk II asked mo
10 show You Up at once when YOU came
Have you any objection to my looking
at your register said Holmes.
Not n the least
The book showed that two names had
Esa added after that Of Baskerville. one
was 7hrophlus Johnson and family Of
Newcastle: the other M-I Oldnore and
maid OF HiGa Lodge. Alton.
surely that must be the same Johnson
whom used 10 know" said Holmes to
the porter. - lawyer, Is he not. gray
headed ard walks with a Hmp?'
NO. sir. this IS Mr.. johnson. the coal
owner. a very active gentleman. not older
than Yourself"
surely you are mistaken about
trader
NO. sir: he has used this hotel for n
years. and he is very well known TO
"Ah. that settles St Mrs. Oldmore.
7 seem 70 remember the name. EKcusS
curiosity bat often in calling upon
friend one finds another"
"She is sn invalid lady, sir. Her husband
was once Mayor OF Gloucester. She always
comes TO Us when she is in town"
Thank YOU; I am afraid I cannot claim
her acquaintance. We have established a
most important fact by these questions,
.NELsols ne C~OlLlIue0f II q low NONCc, Is We
went upstairs together, I'VE know now that
the people who are so interested IN our
friend have not settled down in his own
hotel That means that while they are. as
we have seen. very anxious to watch him
they are equally anxious that he should
not see them. Now. this is q most sug-
Eestivs fact"
what does II suEgestT'
TT su~ggests-halloa, my dear fellow. what
CT earth is the matterT'
As We came round the top Of the stairs
We had run I'D against Sir Henry Basker-
Vile himself. His face WAS flushed with
anger, and he held an old and dusty boot IN
enc Of his hands So furious WaI he that
he could hardly articulate. and when he did
speak Il was In a much broader and more
Western dialect than any which We had
heard from him IN the morning.
Seems to me they are playing ma for q
sucker In this hotel" he cried. They'll IND
they've started IN TO monkey with the
wrong man unless they are careful. BY
thunder, II that chap can't find NY missing
boot there will Be trouble. I can take g joke
with the best. Mr.. Holmes, but they've got
e bit over the mark this time"
Still looking for your boot7T
Yes, sir, and mean to find 1t
But surely. you said that Il was . nsw
brown boot?"
$50 # was. sir. And COW It's an cid blaok
one"
What you don't mean to say
That's Just what I do mean TO say. 7
only had three pairs in the World-the new
brown. the old black, and the patent leath-
ers. which I am wearing. Last night they
took one OF my brown ones, and to-day they
have sneaked one OF the black Well have
you got It? Speak out, man, and don't
stand staringF'
An agitated German waiter had appeared
upon the scene.
ma. sir; I have made inquiry all over the
hotel. but I can hear 10 word OF It."
Wei, either that boot comes back before
shutdown or I'll geo the manager and tell
him that I go right straight out OF this
Lc.-"
TT shall be found. sir-I promise you that
e you VIII have q little patience f. VIII be
fos-z"
Mind It is. for It's the last thing of mine
fIat I'll lose IN this den Of thieves Well.
we'll Mr.. Holmes. you'll excuse my uoub-
ling you about such q rife"
Il think IT'S well worth troubling about"
why. you look very serious oyGz it,"
How do you explain IT."
Il Just don't attempt 10 explain IL It
seems the very maddest, Queerest thing that
ever happened TO ne"
"The queerest perhaps said Holmes,
thoughtfuIly.
VIVA do you make OF II yourseif:''
We'll, 1 don't profess TO understand II
yet. This case of yours Is very complex.
Sir Henry. When taken in conjunction with
your uncle's death I an not sure thai of
all the five hundred cases OF capital i'm
portance which 1 have handled there is one
which cuts so deep. But We hold several
threads In our hands, and the odds arc that
one or other Of them guides US to the truth.
We may waste time IN following the wrong
one, but sooner or later We must CONG W
on the right"
We had a pleasant luncheon. in which lit
tie was said Of the business which had
brought rs together, It was in the private
Stttng-Toom 70 which we afterwards re
paired that Holmes asked Baskerville what
Rere his intentions.
II 90 TO Baskerville Hall"
And when?"
A the end Of the week
ION ths WHOLE" said Holmes, II think
that your decision IS q wise one. I have
ample evidence that you are being logged
IN London and amid tia millions of this
great city It Il difficult to discover who
these people are or what their object can
be. II their intentions are evil they might
do you . mischief. and we should be pow
erless to prevent It. You did not know,
Doctor Mortimer. that you were followed
this morning from my houseT'
Doctor Mortimer started violently.
Followed By whom2"
That, unfortunately. is what I cannot
tell you. Have you among your neighbours
or acCuaintance5 on DartmoOr any man
with z black full beard?'
Moor, let me see-wEy. yes. Barry
more. Sir CharIess butler. is a man with
g full, black beard"
Hal Where il BarrymoreT"
He is in charge Of the Hail"
I'VE had best ascertain II he IL really
there. or If By any possibility he might be
IN London"
How can you do that?"
"Givs me q telegraph form Is all ready
for Sir Henry?' That will do. Address
to Nr. Barrymore. Baskerville Hall. What
IS the nearest telegraph-ohice? Grimpen-
Very good, we VIII send a second wire TO
the P~ost-Afaster, Grimpen: Telegram to
Mr.. Barrymore, TO be delivered into his
own hand. II absent. please return wire
10 Sir Henry Baskerville, Northumberland
Hotel That should let US know before
evening whether Barrymore Is al his post
In Devonshlre or not"
That's So said Baskerville. "Rv the
way. Doctor Mortimer. who is this Barry
more. anyhow
He Is the son Of the old c~aretaker. who
IS dead. They have locked after the Hail
for four generations now. So far as L
know, hs and his wife are as respectable
& couple as any in the country"
AT the same time" said BaskerVfue.
'1ts clear enough that 50 long as there
are none Of the family at the Hall, these
people have g mighty fine home and moth
ing TO do"
THAT is true"
Did Barrymore profit at all by Sir
Charles wil?' asked Holmes
H and his wife had $500 EACH"
Hal Did they know they would re-
eeive this?"