The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-20
WAS AWARE OF A BUsHT BLACK BEARD AND A PAIR O PIERCING BLACK YES
TURNED CPO US

safe abode for Il Baskerdne-that Is your
opinIon7"
"At least I might go the length OF saying
that there is some evidence that this may
be So"
Exactly. But surely, II your supernat-
ural theory be correct, It could work tbs
young man evil in London as easily as in
Devonshire. A devil with merely local pow
ers like a parish vestry would be too in
conceivable a thing"
You put the matter more fippa-tly. Mr..
Holmes, than you would probably do II YOU
were brought into bSrsonaI contact with
these things. Your advice, then. as I IN
derstand It, Is that the young man will r.
as safe in Devonshire as in London. He
comes in fifty minutes What would you
recommend"
Il recommend. sir. that you take a cab.
cali of your spaniel who is scratching at
my front door. and proceed to Waterloo to
meet Sir Henry Baskerville"
And them"
And then you viii say nothing to HIM
at all until I have made up my mind about
How long will It take you to make up
your mind?'
"Twenty-four hours. At 10 o'clock to-
morrow, Doctor Mortimer, I will be much
obliged TO you II you viii call upon me here
and It will be OF help TO me in my plan for
the future II you Will bring Sir Henry Bas-
kerville with you"
81 will do so. Mr.. Holmes" He scrubbed
the appointment on his shirt cuff and hur-
lied OF in his strange. peering. absent
minded fashion. Holmes stopped him at
the head Of the stair.
only one more question. Doctor Mor:i-
mer. You say that before Sir Charles Bas-
kerville's death several people saw this ap-
partition upon tie moor"
Three people did"
Did any see It after7"
II nave not heard Of any"
Thank you. Good morning"
Holmes returned to mis- seat with hat
quiet look OF inward satisfaction which
meant that he had & congenial task before
him.
Going out. watEonT'
Unless / can help you"
mo. my dear fellow. It is at the hour Of
action that I turn to you for aid. But this
is splendid. really unique from some points
of view. When you pass Bradley's would
you ask him TO send up a pound OF the
strongest shag tobacco7 Thank you.
II would be well II you could make IT con-
venient not to return before evening. Then
I should be very glad to compare impress
sions as to this most interesting problem
which has been submitted to US this morn
ing"
I knew that secIusion and solitude were
very necessary for my friend IN those hours
OF intense mental concentration during
which he weighed every particle OF evil
dence. constructed alternative theories. ball
snced one against the other and made up
his mind as 20 which points were essential
and which immaterisL. !. therefore. spent
the day at my club and did not return to
Baker street until evening. 1t was nearly
8 o'clock when ! found myself In the sit
tinG-room once more.
My first impression as I opened the door
was that a fire had broken out, for the
room was SO filled with smoke that the
light Of the lamp upon the table was
blurred By It As I entered, however. my
fears were set at rest, for IL was the acrii
fumes OF strong. coarse tobacco which took
me by the throat and set me coughing.
Through the haze 1 had a vague vision of
Holmes in his dressing gown coiled up IN
IN armchair with his black clay pipe be-
tween his lips. Several rolls Of paper lay
around him.
Caught cold, wRtsonr' said he.
NO: it's this poisonous atmosphere"
Il suppose II is pretty thick. now that
you mention it,
Thick 1t IS intolerable."
open the window. then. You have been
at your club all day. I perceive"
My dear Holmesr
Am I rtghtT"
Certainly. but how
He laughed at my bewndsred expression.
There is . delightful freshness about
you. Watson. which makes Il q pleasure 10
exercise any small powers which 1 possess
at your expense. A gentleman goes forth
on a showery and miry day. He returns
immaculate in the evening, with the gloss
snll on his hat and boots. He has been a
fixture. therefore, all day. He is not a man
he have been? Is Il not obvious?"
wen, II Is rather obvious"
The world IL full OF obvious things which