The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-03
tn. old man. and knew that his heart was

Sir Charles. and that he died of fright in
consequence"
Have you any better explanation7'
II have not come 10 any conclusion"
Has Mr.. Sherlock Holmes?"
The words took away my breath TOT an
instant, but a glance at the placid face ana
steadfast eyes OF ms companion showed
that no surprise was intended.
at is useless for US 10 pretend that we
do not know you, Doctor Watson" said he.
The records OF your detective have
reached US here, and you could not cele-
brate him without being known yourself.
When Mortimer told me your name ne
could not deny your Identity. II you are
here. then It follows that Sherlock Holmes
Is interesting himself in the matter. and l
am naturally curious 10 know what view
he may take" ,
Il am afraid that I cannot answer that
question"
May I ask II he is going to honor US
with a visit himself?'
He cannot leave town at present He
has other cases which engage his atten-
ton"
What a pity! He might throw some light
on that which is so dark to US. But as to
your own researches, If there Is any posi-
BILE way in which l can be of service TO
you trIst that you will me. II
l had any Indication of the nature of your
suspicious. or how YOU propose to investi-
TNhS Az AoGt. = AiA6Hl PClldpS EVEN uOH
give you some aid or advice"
Il assure you that 1 am simply here upon
a visit to my friend Sir Henry, and that
l need no help of any kind"
Excellent" said Stapleton. You arc
perfectly right to be wary and discreet. /
am justly reproved for what 1 feel was I'M
justiiable intrusion. and 1 promise you that
l VIII not melton the matter again"
We had come to a point where a narrow
grassy path struck off from the main
roac and wound away across the moor. A
steep. boulder-sprinkled hill lay upon the
right which had in bygone days been cut
into a granite quarry. The face which
was turned towards US formed q lark
clin. with ferns and brambles growing In
Its inches. From over q distant rise there
noated a gray plume of smoke.
"A moderate walk along this moor-path
brings us to the Merripit House." said he.
Perhaps you will spare an hour that i
to my sister"
My first thought was that I should
be by Sir Henry's side. But then I
the pile of papers and bill.
with which his study table was III
tered. 1t was certain that I could not beIp
MIN with those. And Holmes had expressly
said that l should study the neigbbors
upon the moor. I accepted Stapleton's tnvt-
tation. and we turned together dow the
path.
1T is q wonderful place, the moor" said
ne, looking over the uEdulatinE downs
long. green rollers, with crests of 1axred
granite foaming up into fantastic surses.
not think the wonderful secrets which
1t contains. 1t Is SO vast and 90 barren and
SO mysterious"
You know 1t well, thenr'
i nave only been here two years. The
residents would call me a newcomer. We
came shortly after Sir Charles settled. Bur
my tastes led me to explore every mart a,
me country round. and I should think that
I do" A
rs it SO hard to known"
very hard You see, for xampl thi.
great plain to the north here, with the
queer hills breaking out of It. Do you OBJ
serve anything remarkable about thatY'
IL would be a rare place for a gallon"
You would naturally thing so, and thu
thought has cost several lives before now
GU notice those bright green spots scat-
tered thickly over itT'
Yes; they seem mora ,.r+u.
rest" ~ she
Stapleton laughed.
TIA is the great Grimpen Mire." said
"A false step yonder means death to
man or beast Only yesterday I saw one of
the moor ponies wander into Il. lie never
out l saw his head for quite a ions
m craned out of a bog hole, but II sucked
nm oo"n at last Even IN dry seasons IL
.s a aansef to cross it. but after these au-
tunin rams IL s an awful place. And wet I
can nnd my way to the very heart of II
ana return alive. BY George, there ia an
other OF those miserable poniesl"
something brown was rolling and tossing
among the green sedges. Then a long, ag-
onized. writing neck shot upwards and a
dreadful cry echoed over the moor II
turned me cold with horro. -
panion's nerves seemed to be stronger tbsr
mine. NH
It's gomez said he. THE mire has him
Two In two days. and many more. perhans
Tor they get In the way of going there IN
the dry weather and never know the DIFFER
ence unsil Inc mdre has them in its clutch.
It's a bad place, the great Grimpe Nire"
And you say you can penetrate it?p =.
Yes; there are one or two paths which a
very active man can lake. 1 have found
them out"
But why should you wish to go into
so horrible a placer"
Well. you see the hills beyond?" They
are really Islands cut OF OF all sides by the
impossible mire, which has crawled round
them in the course Of years. That is where
the rare plants and the butterflies are, IL
you have the wit to reach them"
Il shall try my luck some day"
He looked at me with a surprised face.
wv bdASs put huCu IN lQea out OK
your mind" said he. Your blood would
be upon my head. I assure you that there
would not be the least chance of your COM
ing back alive. 1t is only by remembering
complex landmarks that am able
to do It,"
'Halloa!' I cried. What is that?'
A long, low moan, indescribably sad,
over the moor. 1t filed the whole
air. and yet It was impossible to say
whence 1t came. From a dull murmur 1t
into a deep roar, and then sank
back into a melancholy. throbbing murmur
once again. StapIeton looked at me with a
curious expression in his face.
Queer place, the moorI' said he.
But what is itT'
THE peasants say It is the Hound Of the |
Baskervilles calling for its prey. I've heard
It once or twice before, but never quite SO
1 looked round. with a chill of fear in my
heart, at the huge swelling plain, mottled
the green patches of rushes. Nothing
stirred over the vast expanse save a pair
Of ravens. which croaked loudly from q
tor behind us.
You are. an educated man. You don't
believed such nonsense as that?" said I. |
What do you think is the cause of 80
strange q sound?"
Dogs make queer noises sometimes. It's
|
INC, no; hat was a living voice"
well. perhaps IT was. Did you ever hear
= bittern boomingT"
mo, 1 never did"
TITS a very rare bird-practically extinct
England now. but all things are pos
sible Upon the moor. Yes, I should NOT he 1