The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-20
CHAPTER III
The

ANNAAag Al4AE4IEAEL-
You saw this2"
clearly as I see you"
And you said nothing?"
What was the use?"
How was II that no one else saw IT.
The marks were some twenty yards
from the body and no one gave them q
thought. I don't suppose I should have
done so had I not known this legend"
There are many shesp-cogs on the
moor"
NO doubt. but this was no sheep-doE."
You say It vas Larger
Enormous"
Put it had not approached the BODY
NO"
What sort Of night was IT."
Damp and raw"
But not actually rainingT'
No"
What IS the alley like"
There are two lines OF old yew hedge,
twelve feet high and impenetrable. The
walk in the center is about eight feet
across"
rs there anything between the hedges
and the waikiki"
Yes. there is a "trip Of grass about six
feet broad on either side"
II understand that the yew hedge IL
penetrated at one point by a gate?"
Yes. the wicket-gate which leads on to
the moor"
None"
$50 that to reach the Yew Alley one
ether has TO come down # from the house
or else to enter 2; by the moor-gate2"
There IS an exit through a summer
house at the far end"
Had Sir Charles reached this?'
NO; he lay about fifty yards from IT"
Now. tell me-. Doctor Mortimer-and this
IS important-the marks which you saw
were on the path and not on the grassr'
No marks could show on the grass"
Were they OF The same side OF the path
as the moor-gate2"
Yes; they were on the edge Of the path
on the same side as the moor gate"
You interest me exceedingly. Another
point. Was the wicket gate closedT"
CLOSED and padlocked."
How high was IT,
About four feet high"
Then any one could have got over IT."
Yes"
And what marks did you see by the
wicket gate?"
None IN particular"
Good Heaven! Did no one examiner
Yes, I examined myself"
And found nothing"
1T was all very confused. Sir Charles
minutes"
How do ycu know that?"
Because the ash had twice dropped from
his cigar"
Excellent. This is a colleague. Watson.
after our own heart. But the marks?"
He had left his own marks all over that
small patch OF gravel. I could discern no
others"
Sherlock Holmes struck his hand against
his knee with an impatient gesture.
If l had only been therei" he cried. 1T
Is evidently a case OF extraordinary inter-
est. and one which presented immense op-
TO the scientific expert. That
gravel page upon which 1 might have read
20 much has been long ere this mudged
by the rain and defaced by the clogs Of
peasants. Oh. Doctor Mortimer.
Doctor Mortimer, TO think that you should
not have called me inI You have indeed
much TO answer for"
Il could not call you in. Mr.. Holmes. I
without disclosing these facts to the world,
and 1 have already given my reasons for
not wishing to do so. Besides, besides" !
Why Go you hesitate?" I
There is a realm in which the most
acute and most experienced Of detectives !
Is helpless" !
"You mean that the thing is super .
natu-al?" ,
II did not positively say So"
mo. but you evidently think #"
Since the tragedy, Mr.. Holmes. there /
have come to my ears several Incidents I!
which are hard to reconcile with the set
tied order OF nature"
For example?"
II find that before the terrible event oc-
CURED several people had seen a creature
the moor which corresponds with |
this Baskerville demOnd, and which could
not possibly be any animal known to SCI
ence. They all agreed that It was a huge
creature. luminous, CHASTITY and spectral. 1
| have rosS-eXamined these men, one OF
them a hard-headed countryman. one a
.terrier, and one a moorland farmer, who
all tell the same story Of this dreadful
n~~arfeaaa z-a-WT A
hell-hound OF the legend. 1 as
sure you that there is a reign
Of terror in the district and that It Is a
hardy man who will cross the moor at
And you. a trained man Of science, be- !
ieve It to be supernatural"
Il do not know what to believe"
Holmes shrugged his shoulders.
Il AVE hitherto confined my investIga-
ions to this world" said he. In a modest
way l have combated evil, but to take on
he Father OF Evil himself would. perhaps,
70 too ambitious a task. Yet you must ad-
NIT that the footmark il material"
The original hound was material enough
Q tug a mans throat out, and yet he was
as well"
Il see that you nave quite gone over TO
he supernaturalists. But now. Doctor Nor
inner, tell me this. II you hold these views,
Why have you come to consult me at all?
You tell me in the same breath that It is
seless to investigate Sir CharIes's death,
nd that you desire me 10 do IT,"
Il did not say that I desired you to do It"
Then. how can 1 assist your"
by advising me as to what I should do
With Sir Henry Baskerville. who arrives at
Waterloo ~Station"-Doctor Mortimer looked
Z his watch-'in exactly one hour and a
~uarter."
He being the heir?"
Yes. On the death OF Sir Charles we in
.uired for this young gentleman. and found
he had been farming In Canada. From
he accounts which have reached us he is
n excellent fellow in every way. I speak
not as a medical man. but as a trustee
nd executor OF Sir Charless will"
There is no other claimant. / presumed ?"
None. TIL only other kinsman whom we
ave been able to trace was Rodger Basker-
He, the youngest of three brothers of
Thom poor Sir Charles Was the elder. The
econd brother. who died young. is the
ather Of this lad Henry. The third, RodKer-
'as the black sheep OF the family. He
anne Of the old masterfui Baskerville
train. and was the very image, they tell
ne. OF the family picture Of old Hugo. He
England too hot TO hold him, fed to
CENTRAL America and died there in 1875 OF
elbow fever. Henry is the last OF the Bas-
.erviles. In one hour and five minutes I
meet him at Waterloo Station. / have had
wire that he arrived at SOUTHAMPTON this
Now, Mr.. Holmes. what would
GU advise me to do with himr'
why should he not 60 to the home Of
is fath0rsf@
TT seems natural does Il notf And vet.
onsider that every Baskerville who Eoes
here meets with an evil fate. I feel sure
hat II Sir Charles could have spoken with
ne hcN0EA hga 80 - ---