The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-21

heard also that Sir Charles was super
/ stitious and had taken this grim leg
! end very seriously. His ingenious mind
/ instantly suggested a way Dy which
/ the baronet could be done TO .'eaih.
! and yet it would be hardly possible TO
/ bring home the guilt 10 the real mur-
| derer
Having conceived the idea he pro-
| ceeded TO carry il out with considera-
BILE fnesse. An ordinary Schemer would
have been content 20 work with q saw
age hound. The use OF artificial means
TO make the creature diabolical was a
fash OF genius upon his part. The dog
he bought in London from Ross and
Nanglss. the dealers in Fulham Road.
II was the strongest and most savage
in their possession He brought il
down BY the North Devon line and
walked great distance over he moor
SO as 10 get it home without exciting
any remarks. He had already on his
insect hunts learned to penetrate the
Grimpen Mire. and so had found a
safe hiding place for the creature. Here
he kennelled IL and waited his chance.
but it was some time coming. The
cid gentleman could not be deceived
outide OF his grounds at night. Several
times Stapleton lurked about with his
hound, but without avail. II was dur
ing these fruftless quests that he. or
rather his ally. was seen by peasants,
and that the legend of the demon dog
received q new confirmation. He had
hoped that his wife might lure Sir
Charles to his ruin. but here she prov
cd Unexpectedly independent. She
would not endeayor to entangle the old
gentleman in a sentimental attach
ment which might deliver him over to
his enemy. Threats and even. I am
sorry TO say. blows refus-
ed to move her. She
would have nothing to do with 1t, and
for time Stapleton was at dead
lock.
He found away out of his difficult
ties through the chance that Sir
Charles, who had conceived friend
ship for him. made him the minister of
his charity in the case of this unfor-
tunate woman, Mrs Laura Lyons. By
representing himself as a single man
he acquired complete influence over
her, and he gave her to understand
that it the event of her obtaining di-
vorce from her husband he would mar
ry her. His plans were suddenly
brought to a head by his knowledge
! that Sir Charles was about to leave
the Hall on the advice of DR.. Morti-
mer, with whose opinion he himself
pretended to coincide. He must act at
once, or his victim might get beyond
his power. He therefore put pressure
upon Mrs. Lyons to write this letter,
imploring the old man to give her an
interview on the evening before his de-
parture for London. He then, by
specious argument, prevented her from
going, and so had the chance for which
he had waited.
Driving back in the evening from
| CnnrY7 10 he H1rae IN 70 uot
his hound, to treat it with his internal
paint, and to bring the beast round to
| the gate at which he had reason to eX-
| pect that he would find the old gentle
man waiting. The dog. melted by it's
master, sprang over the wicket-gate
and pursued the unfortunate baronet,
who fled screaming down the Yew AL
ley In that gloomy tunnel it must in
deed have been a dreadful sight to
see that huge black creature, with its
flaming jaws and blazing eyes, bound
| ing after its victim. He fell dead at
| the end of the alley from heart dis
| ease and terror. The hound had kept
| upon the grassy border while the baro-
| net had run down the path, so that no
| track but the mans was visible. On
seeing him lying still the creature had
probably approached a sniff at him.
| but finding him dead had turned away
again. 1t was then that it left the
| print which was actually observed by
| DR.. Mortimer. The hound was called off
and hurried away to it's lair in the
| Grimpen Mire, and a mystery was left
| which puzzled the authorities, alarmed
| the countryside, and finally brought
the case within the scope of our OBJ
servation.
$50 much for the death of Sir
Charles Baskerville. You perceive the
devilish cunning of it, for really it
| would be almost impossible to make a
case against the real murderer. His
only accomplice was one who could
| never give him away, and the gro
| tesque, inconceivable nature of the de-
vice only served to make it more effec-
tive. Both of the women concerned in
the case, Mrs. Stapleton and Mrs.
Laura Lyons, were left with a strong
suspicion against Stapleton. Mrs. Sta
pleton knew that he had designs upon
the old man, and also of the existence
of the hound Mrs. Lyons knew neith-
er of these things, but had been inn
pressed by the death occurring
at the time of an uncancelled
appointment which was only
known to him. However, both OF
them were under his influence, and he