The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 9 (1/2)
”Why, you look very serious over it”
”How do you explain it?”
”I just don't atte that ever happened to htfully
”What do you make of it yourself?”
”Well, I don't profess to understand it yet This case of yours is very complex, Sir Henry When taken in conjunction with your uncle's death I am not sure that of all the five hundred cases of capital importance which I have handled there is one which cuts so deep But we hold several threads in our hands, and the odds are that one or other of the the wrong one, but sooner or later we ht”
We had a pleasant luncheon in which little was said of the business which had brought us together It was in the private sitting-room to which we afterwards repaired that Holo to Baskerville Hall”
”And when?”
”At the end of the week”
”On the whole,” said Holmes, ”I think that your decision is a wise one
I have aed in London, and areat city it is difficult to discover who these people are or what their object can be If their intentions are evil they ht do you a mischief, and we should be powerless to prevent it You did not know, Dr Morti from my house?”
Dr Mortimer started violently ”Followed! By whom?”
”That, unfortunately, is what I cannot tell you Have you ahbours or acquaintances on Dartmoor any man with a black, full beard?”
”No--or, let me see--why, yes Barrymore, Sir Charles's butler, is a man with a full, black beard”
”Ha! Where is Barrye of the Hall”
”We had best ascertain if he is really there, or if by any possibility he ht be in London”
”How can you do that?”
”Give raph form 'Is all ready for Sir Henry?' That will do Address to Mr Barryraph-office? Griood, ill send a second wire to the postram to Mr Barrymore to be delivered into his own hand If absent, please return wire to Sir Henry Baskerville, Northu whether Barrymore is at his post in Devonshi+re or not”
”That's so,” said Baskerville ”By the way, Dr Mortimer, who is this Barrymore, anyhow?”
”He is the son of the old caretaker, who is dead They have looked after the Hall for four generations now So far as I know, he and his wife are as respectable a couple as any in the county”
”At the sa as there are none of the fahty fine ho to do”
”That is true”
”Did Barrymore profit at all by Sir Charles's will?” asked Holmes
”He and his wife had five hundred pounds each”