The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 6 (2/2)
Mortiion where we balance probabilities and choose the ination, but we have always some material basis on which to start our speculation Now, you would call it a guess, no doubt, but I am almost certain that this address has been written in a hotel”
”How in the world can you say that?”
”If you examine it carefully you will see that both the pen and the ink have given the writer trouble The pen has spluttered twice in a single word and has run dry three ti that there was very little ink in the bottle Now, a private pen or ink-bottle is seldom allowed to be in such a state, and the combination of the two must be quite rare But you know the hotel ink and the hotel pen, where it is rare to get anything else Yes, I have very little hesitation in saying that could we exa Cross until we found the remains of the ht upon the person who sent this singular e Halloa! Halloa! What's this?”
He was carefully exa it only an inch or two fro it down ”It is a blank half-sheet of paper, without even a water-mark upon it I think we have drawn as much as we can fro else of interest happened to you since you have been in London?”
”Why, no, Mr Holmes I think not”
”You have not observed anyone folloatch you?”
”I seeht into the thick of a dime novel,” said our visitor ”Why in thunder should anyone folloatchelse to report to us before we go into this matter?”
”Well, it depends upon what you think worth reporting”
”I think anything out of the ordinary routine of life orth reporting”
Sir Henry smiled ”I don't know much of British life yet, for I have spent nearly all my time in the States and in Canada But I hope that to lose one of your boots is not part of the ordinary routine of life over here”
”You have lost one of your boots?”
”My dear sir,” cried Dr Mortimer, ”it is only mislaid You will find it when you return to the hotel What is the use of troubling Mr Holmes with trifles of this kind?”
”Well, he askedoutside the ordinary routine”
”Exactly,” said Holmes, ”however foolish the incident may seem You have lost one of your boots, you say?”
”Well, ht, and there was only one in the et no sense out of the chap who cleans theht in the Strand, and I have never had them on”
”If you have never worn them, why did you put them out to be cleaned?”
”They were tan boots and had never been varnished That hy I put them out”
”Then I understand that on your arrival in London yesterday you went out at once and bought a pair of boots?”
”I did a good deal of shopping Dr Mortimer here went round with me
You see, if I am to be squire down there I ot a little careless in ht these brown boots--gave six dollars for them--and had one stolen before ever I had the to steal,” said Sherlock Holmes
”I confess that I share Dr Morti boot is found”
”And, now, gentlemen,” said the baronet with decision, ”it seeh about the little that I know It is tiaveat”