The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 4 (1/2)
”By advising me as to what I should do with Sir Henry Baskerville, who arrives at Waterloo Station”--Dr Mortimer looked at his watch--”in exactly one hour and a quarter”
”He being the heir?”
”Yes On the death of Sir Charles we inquired for this young gentle in Canada From the accounts which have reached us he is an excellent fellow in every way I speak now not as a medical man but as a trustee and executor of Sir Charles's will”
”There is no other claimant, I presume?”
”None The only other kinser Baskerville, the youngest of three brothers of whom poor Sir Charles was the elder The second brother, who died young, is the father of this lad Henry The third, Rodger, was the black sheep of the family He came of the old e, they tell land too hot to hold him, fled to Central America, and died there in 1876 of yellow fever
Henry is the last of the Baskervilles In one hour and five minutes I meet him at Waterloo Station I have had a wire that he arrived at Southa Now, Mr Holmes, ould you advise o to the home of his fathers?”
”It seems natural, does it not? And yet, consider that every Baskerville who goes there meets with an evil fate I feel sure that if Sir Charles could have spoken withthis, the last of the old race, and the heir to great wealth, to that deadly place And yet it cannot be denied that the prosperity of the whole poor, bleak countryside depends upon his presence All the good hich has been done by Sir Charles will crash to the ground if there is no tenant of the Hall I fear lest I should be swayed too much bythe case before you and ask for your advice”
Holmes considered for a little time
”Put into plain words, the matter is this,” said he ”In your opinion there is a diabolical agency which makes Dartmoor an unsafe abode for a Baskerville--that is your opinion?”
”At least Ithat there is some evidence that this may be so”
”Exactly But surely, if your supernatural theory be correct, it could work the young man evil in London as easily as in Devonshi+re A devil with merely local powers like a parish vestry would be too inconceivable a thing”
”You put the matter more flippantly, Mr Holht into personal contact with these things Your advice, then, as I understand it, is that the young man will be as safe in Devonshi+re as in London He comes in fifty minutes What would you recommend?”
”I recommend, sir, that you take a cab, call off your spaniel who is scratching at my front door, and proceed to Waterloo to meet Sir Henry Baskerville”
”And then?”
”And then you will say nothing to him at all until I havewill it take you to make up your mind?”
”Twenty-four hours At ten o'clock toed to you if you will call upon me here, and it will be of help toSir Henry Baskerville with you”
”I will do so, Mr Holmes” He scribbled the appointe, peering, absent-minded fashi+on Holmes stopped him at the head of the stair
”Only one more question, Dr Mortimer You say that before Sir Charles Baskerville's death several people saw this apparition upon the moor?”
”Three people did”
”Did any see it after?”
”I have not heard of any”
”Thank you Good-”