The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-13

can canoes. and IN my anxiety to obligs
the Pope I lost touch with several interest
Ing English cases. This article. you say,
contains all the public factsr'
1t does"
Then let me have the private ones" He
leaned back. put his hnger-tips together.
and assumed his most impasslve and judi
cal expression.
In doing So" said Doctor Mortimer. who
had begun L. show signs OF some strong
emotiOnJ 7 am telling that which l have
not coudded 10 any one. My motive for
Withholding il from the Coroners inquiry Is
that q man Of science shrinks from placing
himself in the public position Of seeming
TO Iudorse q popular superstitution- I had
the further motive that Baskerville Hall. as
the paper says. would certainly remain IN
tsnauted II anything were done to increase
its already rather Trim reputation For both
these reasons thought that I was JUSTIFIED
in telling rather less than I knew. since no
practical good could result from 1t. but
with Won there is no reason why 1 should
not be perfectly frank.
The moor Il very sparsely Inhabited.
and those who live near each other are
thrown very much together. For this rea-
son I saw a good deal OF Sir Charles
baskerville. With the exception Of Mr.
FARMLAND. OF Latter Han. and Mr.. Sta
rr.r,1 tho naturalist. there are no other
men " education within many miles SIR
Charles MAS 4 retiring man. but the chance
o. his Illness brought Us together. and a
community Of interests in science Kept US
50. He had brought back much scientific
information from South Africa, and many
q charming evening We have spent together
discussing the comparative anatomy or
.E. n..-Er~a- 0-a The HofFaufNf
Within the last few months II became
Increasingly plain to me that Sir Charles'S
nervous system was strained to the break
ing point. lie had taken this legend which
/ have read you exceedingly to heart-eo
much 50 that. although he would walk In
HIS own grounds. nothing would induce him
to go out upon the moor at night. Incredi-
bic as IL may appear TO you. Mr.. Holmes,
he was honestly convinced that a dreadful
fate overhuus his family. and certainly the
records which he was able TO give OF his
were not encouraging. The idea
OF some CHASTITY presence constantly haunt
Cd him. and on more than one occasion he
asked me whether I had on my medical
journeys at night ever seen any strange
creature or heard the bayinx OF Q hound.
The latter question he put to me several
and always with a voice which vi
brated with excitement.
Il can well remember driving up to his
house in the evening. some three weeks be-
fore the fatal event. He CHANGED TO be a
his hall door. I had descended from my
zig and was standing in front OF him. when
! saw his eyes fix themselves over my
shoulder. and stare past me with an az
preston OF the most dreadful horror. I
whiSked round and had just time to catch
a glimpse OF something which I took to %
a large. black calf passing at the head OF
the drive. So excited and alarmed was he
hat l was compelled 70 go down to the
spot where the animal had been and look
around for 1t. II was gone. however. and
the incident appeared to make the worst
aim all the evening. and II was on that oc-
aston, to explain the emotion which he
lsd shown. that he conhded to my keep
ug that narrative which read to you
when FIRST came. I mention this small
rtSuie because IL assumes some Importance
n view Of the tragedy which followed, but
was convinced At the time that the mat
er was entirely trivial and that his excite
n"nt had ro Justification.
1T was at Iy advice that Sir Charles
vas about tr ~ 10 London. His heart
vas. 1 knew. affected. and the constant
.nXiety On which he lived. however chimer-
cal the cause az it might be. was evidently
.aviuE a serious effect upon hiA health. L
bought that n few months among the DIS
~ractious Of town would send him back a
man. Mr.. Stapleton. a mutual friend
Who was much concerned at his state OF
Iealth. was OF the same opinion. a I the
instant came this terrible catastrophe.
on the night OF Sir Charles's death Bar
whore. the butler. who made the discov-
~. sent Perkins. the groom. on horseback
D me. and as ! was sitting up late I was
BILE TO reach Baskerville Hall within an
our OF the event. ! checked and corroo-
rated all the facts which were mentioned
I the inquest. I followed the footsteps
own the Yey alley. l saw the spot at the
ioOr gate where he seemed to have waited.
remarked the change In the shape OF the
rints after that point. ! noted that there
ere no other footsteps save those OF Bar
whore on the soft gravel. and finally 1
lrefully examined the body. which had not
cen touched until my arrival. Sir Charles
" on his face. his arms out. his fingers
1g into the ground. and his features con-
ulsed with some strong emotion TO such
n extent that l could hardly have sworn
his Identity. There was certainly no
nysical injury OF any kind. But one false
atement was made by Barrymore. at the
quest. file said that there were no traces
con the ground around the body. He did
II observe any. But 1 did-some little
stance OF. but fresh and clear"
Footprints"
Footprints"
"A mans or a woman's?"
Doctor Mortimer looked strangely At us
II an Instant, and his voice sank almost
a whisper as he answered.:
Mr.. Holmes. they were the footprints OF
gigantic hound,'
Go be continued next Suuday.)