The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 9 (2/2)
”Ha! Did they know that they would receive this?”
”Yes; Sir Charles was very fond of talking about the provisions of his will”
”That is very interesting”
”I hope,” said Dr Mortimer, ”that you do not look with suspicious eyes upon everyone who received a legacy from Sir Charles, for I also had a thousand pounds left to me”
”Indeed! And anyone else?”
”There were e number of public charities The residue all went to Sir Henry”
”And how much was the residue?”
”Seven hundred and forty thousand pounds”
Holigantic a sum was involved,” said he
”Sir Charles had the reputation of being rich, but we did not kno very rich he was until we came to examine his securities The total value of the estate was close on to a ht well play a desperate ga that anything happened to our young friend here--you will forgive the unpleasant hypothesis!--ould inherit the estate?”
”Since Rodger Baskerville, Sir Charles's younger brother died unmarried, the estate would descend to the Desmonds, who are distant cousins Jayman in Westreat interest Have you met Mr
James Desmond?”
”Yes; he once came down to visit Sir Charles He is a man of venerable appearance and of saintly life I remember that he refused to accept any settleh he pressed it upon him”
”And this man of simple tastes would be the heir to Sir Charles's thousands”
”He would be the heir to the estate because that is entailed He would also be the heir to the money unless it illed otherwise by the present owner, who can, of course, do what he likes with it”
”And have you made your will, Sir Henry?”
”No, Mr Holmes, I have not I've had no time, for it was only yesterday that I learned how o with the title and estate That was lories of the Baskervilles if he has not h to keep up the property? House, land, and dollars ether”
”Quite so Well, Sir Henry, I a down to Devonshi+re without delay There is only one provision which I o alone”
”Dr Mortimer returns with me”
”But Dr Mortimer has his practice to attend to, and his house is oodwill in the world he may be unable to help you No, Sir Henry, you must take with you someone, a trusty man, ill be always by your side”
”Is it possible that you could come yourself, Mr Holmes?”
”If matters came to a crisis I should endeavour to be present in person; but you can understand that, withpractice and with the constant appeals which reach me from many quarters, it is impossible for me to be absent from London for an indefinite time At the present instant one of thebesmirched by a blackmailer, and only I can stop a disastrous scandal
You will see how io to Dartmoor”