The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-21

"A moderate walk along this moor
path brings us TO Merripit house," said
he. Perhaps you will spare an hour
that / may have the pleasure of IN
Producing you 20 my sister"
My first thought was that I should
be by Sir Henry's side. But then ] re-
membered the pile of papers and bills
with which his study table was Uttered.
Twas certain that l could not help him
with those. And Holmes had expressly
said that l should study the neighbors
upon the moor. / accepted Stapleton's
invitation, and We turned together
down the path.
1T is a wonderful place, the moor, -
said he. looking round over the undu-
lating downs. long green rollers. with
crests of jagged granite foaming up
Into fantastic surges. you never tire
of the moor You cannot think the
wonderful secrets which it contains. It
Is so vast, and so barren. and so mys-
terious-"
You know IL well, them"
Il have only been here two years.
The residents would call me a new
conner We came shortly after Sir
Charles settled. But my tastes led me
TO explore every part of the country
round, and l should think that there
are few men who know it better than
1 do"
rs IL so hard to know?"
VERY hard. You see, for example.
this great plain to the north here, with
the queer hills breaking out of IT, Do
you observe anything remarkable
about that?"
1T would be a rare place for a gal
lop"
You would naturally think so, and
the thought has cost several their
lives before now. You notice those
bright green spots scattered thickly
over ito"
Yes. they seem more fertile than the
rest"
Stapleton laughed.
That is Grimpen mire," said he
"a false step yOnder means death TO
man or beast. Only yesterday I saw
one Of the moor ponies wander into IL.
He never came out. ] saw his head
for quite a long time craning out of the
bog hole. but it sucked him down al
last. Even in dry seasons il is a
danger to cross II, but after these
autumn rains IL is an awful place. And
yet 1 can find my way to the very
heart of il and return alive. BY
George. there is another of those mis-
cradle pOniesi"
Something brown was rolling and
| tossing among the green sedges. Then
a long. agOniZed, writing neck shot
upwards and a dreadful cry echoed
over the moor. It turned me cold with
horror, but my companions nerves
seemed TO be stronger than mine.
Its gonei" said he. THE mire has
him. Two in two days. and many
more, perhaps, for they get in the way
Of going there in the dry weather, and
never know the difference until the
mire has them in its clutch. It's 9
bad place, the great Grimpen mire."
And you say you can penetrate ttg'
Eyes, there are one or two paths
which a very active man can take.
have found them out"
But why should you wish to go into
so horrible a place."
"Weu. YOU see the hills beyond
| They are really Islands cut off on al
sides bv the impossible mire. which
has crawled round them in the COURSE
of year. That is where the rare
plants and the butterflies are, if yoJ
| have the wit TO reach them"
ct shall try my luck some day"
/ He looked at me with a surprised
face.
For Gods sake put such an idea
out of your mind" said he. YOU
| blood would be upon my head. I as
sure you that there would not be III,
least chance Of your coming back alive
II is only by remembering certain
/ complex landmarks that am able tC
90 il"
-Halloa." cried, What Is that?"
4 long. low moan. indescribably sad
/ swept over the moor. II filed tbs
! whole air. and yet il was impossible,
/ 10 say whence it came. From a dull
murmur it swelled into a deep roar
and then sank back into melancholy
/ throbbing murmur once again. sta
pleton looked al me with a curiou:
! expression in his face.
Queer place, the moorli said he.
"But what is it,?
The peasants say il is the Hound
OF the Baskervilles calling for its prey
/ I've heard II once or twice before, bui
/ never quite so loud.
/ I looked round. with a chill of fear
/ in my heart. at the huge swelling plain
notified with the green patches o.
/ PUSHES Nothing stirred over the vas
! expanse save a pair Of ravens, which
I croaked loudly from tor behind US
You are an educated man You
/ don't believe such nonsense as that?'
| said l. What do you think is tbs
/ cause Of so strange a sound?"
| Boys make queer noises sometimes
It's the mud settling, or the water ris-
! ing. or something.