The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-27

lying spur OF the moor. lay in front OF us.
On the summit. hard and clear like IN
equestrian statue upon itS pedestal. was
a mounted soldier. dark and stern. his rife
poised ready over his forearm. He was
watching the road along which we Travelled.
what Is this, Perkins, asked Doctor
Mortimer.
Our driver half turned in his seat.
There's a convict escaped from Prince
town. sir. He's been out three days now
and the Warders watch every road and
every station. but they've had no sight OF
him yet. The farmers about here don
like IL. sir. and that's a fact"
We'll. ! understand that they get 10 II
they can give information"
Yes. sir. but the chance Of IS IS but
a poor thing compared to the chance OF
having your throat cut. You see. II isn't
like any ordinary convict. This is a man
that would stick at nothing"
"Who Is he, them
1T is Selden. the Noting Hill murderer"
I remember the case well. for II was one
IN which Holmes had taken an interest on
account OF the peculiar ferocity Of the
crime and the wanton brutality which had
marked all the actions OF the assassin. The
Communication OF his death sentence had
been due to some doubts as 20 his com
plete sanity. so atrocious was his conduct.
Our ~wasonette had topped n rise and in
front OF Us rose the huge expanse OF the
moor. notified with gnaried n craggy
cairns and tors A cold wind swept down
from It and set Us shivering. Somewhere
there. on that desolate plain. was lurking
this fendish man, hiding in a burrow Ike
q wild beast. his heart full OF m~alignancy
against the whole race which had cast him
out. 1t needed but this to complete the
grim suggeStivensss OF the barren waste.
the chilling wind and the darkling sky.
Even Baskerville fell silent and pulled his
overcoat moro closely around him.
We had left the fertile country behind
and beneath US. We looked back on Il
now, the slantlEg rays OF a low sun turn
ing the streams to threads Of gold and
glowing on the red earth new turned by
the pillow and the broad tangle Of the wood
lands. The road In front OF US grew bleak
eT and wilder over huge russell and olive
slopes. sprinkled with giant boulders. Now
and then We passed q moorland cottage,
walled and rooted with stone. with no
ereeper 10 break is harsh outline. Sudden
ly VI looked down Into 3 cup-like depres-
sIon. patched with stunted oaks and frs.
which had been twisted and bent by the
fury OF years Of storm. Two high, narrow
towers rose over the trees The driver
pointed with his whip
Baskerville Hail." said he
Its master had risen and was staring
with flushed cheeks and shining eyes \
few minutes later We had reached the lodge
gates. q maze OF fantastic tracery in
wrought iron. with weathsr-bitten pillars
on either side. blotched with lichens. and
surmounted by the boars' heads Of the
Baskeryillss. The lodge was q ruin OF
black granite and barred ribs OF ~rafters.
but facing II was a new building. half con-
structsd. the first fruit OF Sir Charles's
South African gold.
Through the gateway we passed into the
avenue, where the wheels were again
hushed amid the leaves. and the old trees
--A
our heads. Baskerville shuddered as he
looked up the long. dark drive to where
the house gllmmersd like g ghost at the
farther end
was II thereT' he asked in 4 low voice.
NO, no: the YeH Alley Is on the other
side"
The young heir glanced round with a
gloomy face.
Its no wonder my uncle felt as II trouble
were coming on him In such a place as
this said he. Its enough 10 scare any
man I'll have q row OF electric lamps NJ
here inside Of six months, and you won't
know il again. with a thousand candle
power Swan and Edison right here in fEont
OF the hall door"
The avenue opened into broad expanse OF
turf. and the house lay before US. In the
fading light I could see that the center
was a heavy block OF building. from which
a porch projected. The whole front was
dra2ed in ivy. with q patch clipped bare
here and there where a Window or a coat
of-arDS broke through the dark veil
From this central block rose the twin
towers ancient, crelelaIed and pierced with
many loopholes. To right and left OF the
turrets were more modern wings Of black
granite. A dull light shone through heavy
nulioned windows, and from the high
chimneys which rose from the steep. high
angled roof there sprang q single black
column OF smoke
Welcome, Sir HenryI Welcome, to Bas-
kerviIIe Hair
A tall man had stepped from the shadow
OF the porch to open the door OF the wag-
onette- The figure OF q woman was stl-
houetted against the yellow light OF the
hall. She came out and helped the man to
hand down our bags
You don't min my driving straight
home. SG HENRY said Doctor Mortimer.
MY wife is expecting me"
surely you will stay and have some
6innerT'
NO; I must 20. I shall probably md
come work awaiting me- 1 would stay to
show you over the house. but Barrymore
will be a better guide than i. Good-by. and
never hesitate night or day to send for me
II I can be Of service"
The wheels died away down the drive.
while Sir Henry n I turned into the hall.
and the door clanged heavily behind US.
II was q fns apartment in which we found
ourselves large, lofty and heavily rsftered
with huge baIks OF age-blackened oak
In the great old-fashionsd areplacs
behind the high Iron dogs q