The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-21
natural that the subject should come ,

natural that the subject should come up
for discussion
The whole course of events, said
Holmes. from the point of view OF the
man who called himself Stapleton, was
simple and direct. although to US, VINO
had 10 means in the beginning OF know
ing the motives OF his actions and could
only learn part of the facts, it all APP
peared exceedingly complex. l have had
the advantage of two conversations with
Mrs. Staplcton, and the case has now
been so entirely cleared UP that am not
aware that there is anything which has
remained a secret to us. You VIII ma
few notes upon the matter under the
heading B in my indexed list of cases
'Perhaps you would kindly give me
a sketch Of the course of events from
r1e1Lcry
Certainty. though I cannot guarantee
that carry all the facts in my mind In
tense mental concentration has curious
way of blOttng out what has passed. Inc
barrister who has his case at his fingers
end and is able to argue with an expert
upon his own subject, finds that week
or two Of the courts will drive it all out
Of his head once more. SO each or my
cases displaces the last. and Mile. Carere
has blurred my recollection Of Baskerville
Hall. Tomorrow some other little PROB
lem may be submitted to my notice which
will in turn dispossess the fair French
lady and the infamous Upwood. So far
as the case of the Hound goes. however.
I vii. give you the course of events as
nearly as l can. and you will suggest
ANYTHING which l may have forgotten.
My inquiries show beyond all question
that the family portrait did not lie, and
shat this fellow was indeed Baskerville.
Efe was a son of that Rodger Basker-
Vile, the younger brother of Sir Charles.
who fled with a sinister reputation to
South America, where he was SAID to
have died unmarried. He did. as mat
ter of fact, marry, and had one child.
this fellow, whose real name is the same
as his father. He married Beryl Garcia.
one Of the beauties of Costa Rica. and,
having purloined a considerable sum Of
cubic money, he changed his name to
Vandeleur and fled to England, where
he established a school in the east of
Yorkshire. His reason for attempting this
special line of business was that he had
struck up an acquaintance with a con-
sumptive tutor upon the voyage home.
and that he had used this mans ability
10 make the undertaking success.
fraser. the tutor. died. however and the
school which had begun well sank from
disrepute into infamy. Thee Fandeleurs
found it convenient to change their name
to Stapleton and he brought the re-
Ii9lnS OIL MS loItullc- itS SCileileS ioi Iiie
future and his taste for entomology to
the south of England. I learn at the
British Museum that he was recognized
authority upon the subject. and that the
name of Vandeleur has been permanently
attached to a certain moth which he had,
in his Yorkshire days. been the first to
describe.
I'VE now come to that portion of his
life which has proved to be of such in
;rta to ha aI-;-
IDENTIFY made inquiry. and found that only
| Two lives interviewed between him and a
valuable estate, When he went to Devon
| shire his plans were, I believe. exceeding
| ~: hay but that he meant mischief from
| the first is evident from the way in which
| lie took his wife with him in the charac-
| ter of his sister. The idea of using her
| as a decoy was clearly already in his
| MIND. though he may not have been GER
| tain how the details of his plot were to
| be arranged. He meant in the end to
| have the estate, and he was ready to use
| any tool or run any risk for that end. His
| first act was to establish himself as near
| to his ancestral home as he could. and
| his second was to cultivate a friendship
| with Sir Charles Baskerville and with the
reighbors.
THE baronet himself told him about the
| farnily hound. and so prepared the way
| for his death. Stapleton. as 1 will continue
| to call him. knew that the old mans
| heart was weak and that a shock would
| kill him So much he had learned from
! DR.. Mortimer He had heard also that
| Sir Charles WIS s.Uersutlons ard ha,
| taken this grim legend very seriously His
| ingenious mind instantly suggested 4 way
b.: which the b2ronet could be done tc
| death. and yet it would be hardly pos
sible to bring nome the guilt to the rea
| murderer.
Having conceived the idea he proceed
nnesse. An ordinary schemer would have
been content to work with savage
hound. The use of artificial means tc
! make the creature diabolical was a flash
Of genius upon his part. The dog he
bought in London from Ross and Man
/ gles the dealers in Fulham Road 1t was
the strongest and most savage III theil
possession. He brought it down by tho
| North Devon line ard walked a great dis
tanre over the moor so as to get it home
without exciting any remarks. He hat
already on his insect hunts learned t.
penetrate the Grimpen Mire. and so hat
found a safe hiding-place for the creature
Here he kennelled it and waited hi:
! chance.
| But 1t was some time coming. The ole
gentleman could not be decoyed outsid.
! of his grounds at night. Several time:
| Stapleton lurked about with his hound
but without avail. 1t was during thes.
fruitless quests that he. or rather MS
| ally. was seen by peasants, and that tn.
legend of the demon dog received a new
confirmation. He had hoped that his wifi.
might lure Sir Charles to his ruin bu
here she proved unexpectedly independent