The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 2 (1/2)

”Do you not find it interesting?”

”To a collector of fairy tales”

Dr Mortimer drew a folded newspaper out of his pocket

”Now, Mr Hol a little more recent This is the Devon County Chronicle of May 14th of this year It is a short account of the facts elicited at the death of Sir Charles Baskerville which occurred a few days before that date”

My friend leaned a little forward and his expression becaan:

”The recent sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose name has been mentioned as the probable Liberal candidate for Mid-Devon at the next election, has cast a glooh Sir Charles had resided at Baskerville Hall for a comparatively short period his aenerosity had won the affection and respect of all who had been brought into contact with hi to find a case where the scion of an old county family which has fallen upon evil days is able toit back with hirandeur of his line Sir Charles, as is well known, e sums of money in South African speculation

More wise than those who go on until the wheel turns against theland with them It is only two years since he took up his residence at Baskerville Hall, and it is coe were those schemes of reconstruction and i himself childless, it was his openly expressed desire that the whole countryside should, within his own lifetiood fortune, andhis untienerous donations to local and county charities have been frequently chronicled in these columns

”The circumstances connected with the death of Sir Charles cannot be said to have been entirely cleared up by the inquest, but at least enough has been done to dispose of those ruiven rise

There is no reason whatever to suspect foul play, or to iine that death could be from any but natural causes

Sir Charles was a er, and a man who may be said to have been in some ways of an eccentric habit of mind

In spite of his considerable wealth he was simple in his personal tastes, and his indoor servants at Baskerville Hall consisted of aas butler and the wife as housekeeper

Their evidence, corroborated by that of several friends, tends to show that Sir Charles's health has for some time been impaired, and points especially to soes of colour, breathlessness, and acute attacks of nervous depression

Dr James Mortiiven evidence to the same effect

”The facts of the case are siht before going to bed of walking down the famous yew alley of Baskerville Hall The evidence of the Barrymores shows that this had been his custom

On the fourth of May Sir Charles had declared his intention of starting next day for London, and had ordered Barryht he went out as usual for his nocturnal walk, in the course of which he was in the habit of sar He never returned At twelve o'clock Barry the hall door still open, beca a lantern, went in search of his master The day had been wet, and Sir Charles's footmarks were easily traced down the alley Halfway down this walk there is a gate which leads out on to the moor

There were indications that Sir Charles had stood for some little time here He then proceeded down the alley, and it was at the far end of it that his body was discovered

One fact which has not been explained is the statement of Barrymore that his master's footprints altered their character froate, and that he appeared fro upon his toes One Murphy, a gipsy horse-dealer, was on the reat distance at the time, but he appears by his own confession to have been the worse for drink

He declares that he heard cries but is unable to state frons of violence were to be discovered upon Sir Charles's person, and though the doctor's evidence pointed to an alreat that Dr Mortimer refused at first to believe that it was indeed his friend and patient who lay before him--it was explained that that is a symptom which is not unusual in cases of dyspnoea and death from cardiac exhaustion This explanation was borne out by the post-anic disease, and the coroner's jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence It is well that this is so, for it is obviously of the utmost importance that Sir Charles's heir should settle at the Hall and continue the good hich has been so sadly interrupted Had the prosaic finding of the coroner not finally put an end to the romantic stories which have been whispered in connection with the affair, it ht have been difficult to find a tenant for Baskerville Hall It is understood that the next of kin is Mr Henry Baskerville, if he be still alive, the son of Sir Charles Baskerville's younger brother The younginstituted with a view to inforood fortune”

Dr Mortimer refolded his paper and replaced it in his pocket ”Those are the public facts, Mr Holmes, in connection with the death of Sir Charles Baskerville”

”Imy attention to a case which certainly presents some features of interest I had observed soly preoccupied by that little affair of the Vatican cae the Pope I lost touch with several interesting English cases This article, you say, contains all the public facts?”

”It does”

”Then let er-tips together, and assumed hisso,” said Dr Morti e that which I have not confided to anyone

Myit from the coroner's inquiry is that ahi to indorse a popular superstition I had the further motive that Baskerville Hall, as the paper says, would certainly re were done to increase its already rather griht that I was justified in telling rather less than I knew, since no practical good could result from it, but with you there is no reason why I should not be perfectly frank