The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-07

what does it mean!
Holmes had sprung to his feet. and
saw his dark, athletic outline at the
door of the hut his shoulders STOPPING.
his head thrust forward. his face peer
ing into the darkness
"Hush,' he whispered "Hush.''
The cry had been loud on account of
its vehemence. but it had pealed out from
somewhere far off on the shadowy plain.
Now it burst upon our ears, nearer,
louder more urgent than before.
Where is it?" Holmes whispered; and
l knew from the thrill of his voice that
he, the man of iron, was shaken to the
soul Where is it, Watson?"
There, 1 think. I pointed into the
darkness
"No, thcre.'
Again the agonized cry swept through
the silent night, louder and much nearer
than ever. An a new sound mingled
with it, a deep muttered rumble, musical
and yet menacting. rising and falling like
the low constant murmur of the sea.
The hound'' cried Holmes. Come,
Watson, comet Great heavens, if we
are too late,,
He had started running swiftly over
the moor and | had followed at his heels.
But now from somewhere among the
broken ground Immediately in front OF
us there came one last despairing yell,
and then a dull. heavy thud We halted
and listened. Not another sound broke
the heavy silence OF the MINDLESS night
saw Holmes put his hand to his fore
head like a man distracted. He stamped
his feet upon the ground.
'Ie has beaten us, Watson. We are
too late
mo, no. surely not,''
Fool that I was to hold my hand
And you, Watson, see what comes Of
abandoning your charge But. by heav-
en-. if the worst has happened we'll
avenge him.
Blindly We ran through the gloom blum
dcring against boulders, forcing our way
through gorse bushes, painting up hills
and rushing down slopes, heading always
in the direction whence those dreadful
sounds had come. At every rise Holmes
looked eagerly around him, but the shad-
ows We're thick upon the moor, and moth
ing moved upon its dreary face.
Can you see anything?"
Nothing"
But, harl, what is that?"
A low moan had fallen upon our cars.
There it was again upon our left! On
that side q ridge of rocks ended in u
sheer GILL, NIlltll tNtIibpktl IL SlOnc-
strewn slope One its jagged face was
sprcad-eagled some dark, irregular object.
AS we ran towards it the vague outline
hardened into a definite shape. 1t was
a PROSTATE man face downwards upon
the ground. the head doubled under him
at a horrible angle. the shoulders rounl
ed and the body hunched together as +
in the act of throwing a summersault.
So grotesque was the attitude shat
could not for the instant realize that
that moan had been the passing OF his
soul. Not n whisper. not a rustic. rose
now from the dark figure over which we
stopped. Holmes laid liz hand upper him
and held II up lS lin. With an cXclam2' ior
OF horror. Tn CLEAN or tie ::tatoll
which he struck shone upon his clothed
fingers and upon the CHASTITY on-'' which
widened slowly fcom the crushed skull
of the ctim. And it snnEc r.'or sa'r"
thing else which turned Cur hearts sick
and faint within lls-the body Of Sir Hen
ry Baskerville.
There was no chance of either of us
forgetting that peculiar ruddy tweed
suit-the very one which he had worn on
the first morning that we had seen him
in Baker Street We caught the one
clear glimpse of it, and then the match
and went out. even as the hope
had gone out Of our souls. Holmes
groaned, and his face glimmered white
through the darkness.
''The brute the brute'' I cried with
cIenched hands ooh, Holmes, I shall
never forgive mysell for having left him
to his fate
Il am more to blame than YOU, Watson.
IN order to have my case well rounded
and complete, l have thrown away the
life of my clent9 1t is the greatest blow
which has fallen me in my career But
how could I llnow-how could I know
that he would risk his life along upon
the moor in the face OF all my warn