The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-21

his door!.'
A faint moaning and rus:ling came
from within. Holmes struck the door just
over the lock with the fat of his foot
and 1t few open. Pistol in hand. we all
three rushed into the room.
But there was no sign within 1t OF
that desperate and defiant villain whom
we expected 10 see. Instead we were
faced by an object so strange and so
unexpected that we stood Tor a moment
staring at it in amazenent.
Tho room had been fashioned into
small museum. and the walls were lined
bv n. number of glass-topped cases full
of that collection of butterflies and moths
the formation of which had been the re-
Taxation of this complex and dangerous
man. In the center of this room there
was an upright beam. which had been
placed al some period as support LOT
the old worm-eaten balk of timber which
snanned the roof To this post fig
ure was tied, so swathed and mufiled In
the sheets which had been used to Sc
cure II that one could not for the moment
tell whether is was that of a man or a
woman One towel passed around the
throat and was secured at the back OF
the pillar. Another covered the lower
part of the face, and over 1t two dark
eyes-eyes full OF grief and shame ana
dreadful nuestioning-starcd back at US
In minnie we had torn off the gag, UNI
swathed the bonds. and Mrs. Stapieton
s.,l anon the floor in front of US AS
her beautiful head fell upon her chest
saw tho clear red veal Of whlplash
across her neck.
rho l,r,tor. cried Holmes. "Here. Les
trade. your brandy bottle! Put her in the
chair, She has tainted from ill-usage
and exhaustion.
She opened her eyes again.
rs he safe?' she asked. Has he es-
caped?''
He cannot escape us, madam
NO. no. l did not mean my husband.
Sir Henry? Is he safe?"
Yes
And the hound?"
'It is dead
She gave long sigh of satisfaction
THANK God. Thank God! Oh, this vii
lain. Soc how he has treated me- she
shot he rarms out from her sleeves. and
we saw with horror that they were all
rnottied with bruises. But this is moth
ing-nothing. II is my mind and soul
tina, he has tortured and defiled. ] could
endure it all. ill-usage, solitude. a life
Of deception: everything, as long as
his love. hut now I know that in this
also I have been his dupe and his tool"
She broke into passionate sobbing as she
spoke.
You bear him no good will. madam.
said Holmes Tell us then where we
shall find him. If you have ever aided
him in evil, help US now and so atone"
There is but one place to can have
fed" she answered. There is an old
tin mine on an island in the heart of the
Mire. I twas there that he kept his
hound and there, Also he had made pre-
parations so that he might have a refuge.
That is where he would fly
The fog-banls lay like white wool
against the window. Holmes held the
lamp towards it.
See said he. NO one could find
his way into the Grimpen Mire tonight"
She laugher and clapped her hands. Her
eyes and teeth cleaned with fierce
merriment.
He may find his way in. but never
guiding wands tonight? We planted
them together. he and I, to mark the
pathway through the mire. Oh. if
could only have pluclled them out to-
day Then indeed you would have had
him at your mercy
1t was evident to us that all pursuit
was in vain until the fog had lifted
Meanwhile We left Lestrade in possession
of the house while Holmes and I Went
back with the baronet to Baskerville Hall
The story of the Stapletons could no long.
er be Withheld from him. buthe took
the blow bravely when he learned the
truth about the woman whom he haC
loved But the shock of the nights ad
ventures had shattered his nerves, ant
before morning he lay delirious in higl
The two of them were destined to trave
together round the world before Sill
Henry had become once more the hale
hearty man that he had been before HI
became master of that ill-omened estate
And now / come rapidly to the con
clusion of this singular narrative. If
which | have tried to make the reader
share those dark fears and vague sur.
misses which clouded our lives so long
and ended in so tragic manner. On The
morning after the death of the hound the
fc. had lifted and we were guided b!
Mrs Stapleton to the point where they
! had found a pathway through the bog
II helped us to realize the horror of this
woman's life when we saw the eager
! ness and joy with which she laid us or
! her husbands track. We left her stand
! ing upon the thin peninsula of firm
4 neatly soil which tapered out into the
{ widespread bog From the end of it {
small wand planted here and Their,
showed where the path zig-zagged from
tuft to tuft of rushes among those green
scummeG pits and foul qragmires which
1 barred the way to the stranger. RAM