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

would that very night render his body and
soul 10 the Powers OF Evil IL he might but
overtake the wench. And while the reyel-
ers stood aghast At the fury Of the man.
one more wicked or. It may be. more drunk
en- than the rest. cried out that they should
put the hounds upon her. Whereat Hugo
ran from the houSe. crying to his Erooms
that they should saddle his mare and UNI
kennel the pack. end giving the hounds q
kerchief OF the maids. he swung them 10
the line. and so on full cry In the moon
light over the moor.
Now. for some space the r~svelers stool
agape. unable 10 understand al that had
been done in such haste. But n their b.
unused wits aWoke 90 the natur. of the
deed which WAS like 20 De- done upon the
moorlsnds- Everything was now On an up
."ra~ cIlI."g Tor ,hei- pistols. some Tor
their horses. and some for another fash
OF wine But at length some sens. came
back to tho crazei mirls. the whole OF
them. thirteen in number. took horse and
started IN pursuit The moon sh0ne Cls4r
above them. and they rode swiftly abreast,
fak!ng h a course whick the mail must
needs have taken II she were 20 reach nee
own home.
They mad gone a mile or two when they
passed one OF the night shepherds upon the
moorlands. and they cried TO him To- know
II he had seen the hunt. And the man. as
the story goes as so crazeI with fear that
he could scarce speak. but at last he said
that he had indeed seen the unhappy maid
en-. with the hounds upon her track. But
/ have seen more than that said he. for
HUGO RaeEa-r-fTa raguaa -. ,-.- III Nr--n-
mare. and there ran mute behind him such
a hound Of hell as God forbid should ever
bs at my heels So the drunken Sluires
cursed the shepherd and rode EDWARDS. But
soon their skins turned cold. for there came
q galloping across the moor. and the black
mare dabbled with white froth. went past
with trailing bride and empty saddle. Then
the jewellers rode close together. fer a great
fear was on them. but they still followed
over the moor. though each. had ne been
alone. would have been right glad TO have
turned his horses head. Il ding slowly in
this fashion they came at last upon the
hounds. These. though known Tor their
valour and their breed. were whimperiug
In a cluster at the head OF a deep dip or
goyal. as we call Il. upon the moor. some
Sinking away and some. with starting
hackles and staring eyes. gazing down tile
narrow valley before them.
The company had come to a halt. more
sober men. as you may guess. than when
they started. The most OF them would by
no means advance. but three II them. the
bOldest. or il may lie the most drunken.
rode forward down the gCyaL Now. IL
opened into a broad space IN which stood
two OF those great stones. sJl To- De seen
there, which were set by certain forgot
ten peoples In the days ~ old. The moon
was shining bright upon the clearing. and
there In the center lay the unhappy maid
where she had fallen. dead OF fear and OF
But IL was not the sight OF her
body. nor yet was Il that - the body II
Hugo Baskerville lying near her. which
raised the lair upon the heads Of these !
three dareuevil roysterers. but Il was that.
standing over Hugo. and pluckinE At his
throat. there stood q foul thing. "a great. I
black beast. shaped like a hound. yet larger /
any hound that ever mortal eve has
upon And even as they looked the /
thing tore the throat out Of Hugo Easker-
vile. on which. as il turned its blazing
eyes and dripping jaws upon them. the
three shTieked with fear and rode for dear
life. still screaming. across the moor. one. ,
L is said. died that very night OF what he
seen. and the other twain We're but
broken men for the rest Of thsIr DAYS.
Such Is the tale. my sons. OF the coming
n the hound which Is said To have plagued
he family so sorely ever since. II / have
set IL down II IS because that which is
known hath less Terror fhan that
IL but limited at and GUESSED. Nor
an it be denied that many OF the family
AVE been unhappy In their deaths. which
lave been sudden. bloody. and mysterious.
may we shelter ourselves in the in
goodness OF Providence, which would
Tot forever punish the innocent beyond that
bird or fourth generation which Is threat
ned in Holy Writ To that Providence. my
ons. l hereby commend you. and counsel
'ou by way OF caution TO forbear from
rossing the moor in those dark hours
when the powers OF evil are exalted.
This from Hugo Baskerville to his sons
and John. with Instructions that
hey say nothing thereof to their sister
slzabethO"
When Doctor Mortimer had finished read
ng this singular narrative he pushed his
upon his forehead and stared
cross at Mr.. Sherlock Holmes. The latter
awned and tossed the end OF his cigarette
Ito the fire.
"Weilg" said he.
do you not find It interesting- -
T a collector OF fairly tales"
Doctor Mortimer drew a folded uewspa-
er out Of his pocket.
Now. Mr.. Holmes. we will give you
a Little more recent. This is the
County Chronicle Of May "A. Of this
ear. II is a short account OF the facts
licited az the death OF Sir Charles Basker-
lille. which occurred a few days before that
ate" (
My friend leaned a little forward and his
became intent our visitor re-
djusted his glasses and began: ,
The recent sudden death OF Sir Charles /
askerviile. whose name has been men, {
oned as the probable Liberal candidate !