The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-28
CHAPrER xTy.LcoNrIyUED.

Ever minute that white woolly plain
which covered one-half OF the moor was
drifting closer and closer to the house.
ALREADY the first thin wisps of It were curl
ing across. the golden square Of the lighted
window. The farther wall of the orchard
was already invisible. and the trees. were
standing out Of 8 swirl of white vapor. AS
we watched it the fog wreaths came crawl
ing around both corners Of the house and
rolled slowly into one dense bank, on
which the upper floor and the roof fioated
like a strange ship upon a shadowy sea.
Holmes struck his hand passionately upon
the rock in front of US and stamped his feet
in his impotence
IL he isn't out in a quarter OF an hour
the path will be covered in half an hour
we won't be able to zee our hands In front
pf u.s."
! .ishail' We move farther back upon higher
ground7"
Yes; I think It would be as we'll"
So as the fog bank flowed EDWARDS we fell
back before it until we were half a mile
from the house. and still that dense white
sea. with the moon silyering its upper edge,
swept slowly and inexorably on.
W are going too far said Holmes.
dare not take the chance Of his being
overtsken before he can reach US At all
costs we must hold our ground where We
are" He dropped on his knees and clapped
that j hear him coming"
A sound OF quick footsteps broke the ST.
Hence Of the moor. Crouching among the
Stones. we stared intently at the silver
tipped bank IN front of Us. The steps grew
louder, and through the fog. as through n
curtain. there stepped the man whom we
were awaiting. He looked round him in
surprise as he emerged into the clear, star
hit night Then he came swiftly along the
path. passed close to where we lay, and
went on up the long slope behind us.
las he walked he glanced continually over
either shoulder, like q man who Is I'll at
ease.
"Hist!" cried Holmes. and 1 heard the
sharp click of a cooking pistol Look out!
Its comingl'
There was a thin, crisp. continuous pat
ter from somewhere in the heart of that
crawling bank. The cloud was within fifty
yards of where we lay, and we glared at
It. all three, uncertain what horror was
about to break from the heart Of it. / was
al elbow. and / glanced for or in
slant at his face. II was pale and exultant.
his eyes shining brightly in the moonlight
But suddenly they started forward in a
rigid. fixed stare. and his lips parted in
amazement. At the same instant Lestrade
gave a yell OF terror. and threw himself
face downwards upon the ground. / sprang
to my feet, my inert hand grasping my pis-
toll. my mind paralyzed by the dreadful
shape which had sprung out upon us from
the shadows of the fog. A hound II was.
an enormous coai-black hound, but not
such a hound as mortal eyes have ever
seen. Fire burst from its open mouth, It's
eyes glowed with a smouldering glare, its
muzzie and hackles and dewiap were out
lined in Pickering fame. Never in the de-
Hrious dream of a disordered brain could
anything more savage. more appalling.
more hellish be conceived than that dark
form and savage face which broke upon US
out Of the wall OF fog
With long bounds the huge black creature
was ieaping down the track. following
hard upon the footsteps OF our friend. So
paralyzed were we By the apparition that
we allowed him TO pass before We had re-
covered our nerve Then Holmes n J
both fred together. and the creature gave
a hideous howl. which showed that one at
least had hit him. He cid not pause. how
ever, but bounded onwards. Far away on
the path We saw Sir Henry looking back,