The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 17 (2/2)
”I don't say now that he isn't a crazy et the look in his eyes when he ran at , but I y than he has done”
”Did he give any explanation of his conduct?”
”His sister is everything in his life, he says That is natural enough, and I alad that he should understand her value They have always been together, and according to his account he has been a very lonely ht of losing her was really terrible to hi attached to her, but when he saith his own eyes that it was really so, and that she ave him such a shock that for a time he was not responsible for what he said or did
He was very sorry for all that had passed, and he recognized how foolish and how selfish it was that he should iine that he could hold a beautiful woman like his sister to himself for her whole life If she had to leave hihbour like myself than to anyone else But in any case it was a blow to him and it would take him some time before he could prepare himself to meet it He would withdraw all opposition upon his part if I would promise for three months to let thethe lady's friendshi+p during that ti her love This I promised, and so the matter rests”
So there is one of our s to have touched botto
We knohy Stapleton looked with disfavour upon his sister's suitor--even when that suitor was so eligible a one as Sir Henry And now I pass on to another thread which I have extricated out of the tangled skein, the ht, of the tear-stained face of Mrs Barrymore, of the secret journey of the butler to the western latticeCongratulate me, my dear Holent--that you do not regret the confidence which you showed in ht's work been thoroughly cleared
I have said ”by one night's work,” but, in truth, it was by two nights'
work, for on the first we drew entirely blank I sat up with Sir Henry in his roo, but no sound of any sort did we hear except the chiil and ended by each of us falling asleep in our chairs Fortunately ere not discouraged, and we deterht ered the la the least sound It was incredible holy the hours crawled by, and yet ere helped through it by the same sort of patient interest which the hunter ame may wander One struck, and two, and we had aliven it up in despair when in an instant we both sat bolt upright in our chairs with all our weary senses keenly on the alert once e
Very stealthily we heard it pass along until it died away in the distance Then the baronet gently opened his door and we set out in pursuit Already our allery and the corridor was all in darkness Softly we stole along until we had coliure, his shoulders rounded as he tiptoed down the passage Then he passed through the saht of the candle frale yellow bealoo every plank before we dared to put our whole weight upon it We had taken the precaution of leaving our boots behind us, but, even so, the old boards snapped and creaked beneath our tread Sometimes it seemed impossible that he should fail to hear our approach However, the man is fortunately rather deaf, and he was entirely preoccupied in that which he was doing When at last we reached the door and peeped through we found hi at the , candle in hand, his white, intent face pressed against the pane, exactly as I had seen hin, but the baronet is a man to whom the most direct way is always the most natural He walked into the roo up from the ith a sharp hiss of his breath and stood, livid and tre out of the white azed fro here, Barryreat that he could hardly speak, and the shadows sprang up and down froo round at night to see that they are fastened”
”On the second floor?”
”Yes, sir, all the s”
”Look here, Barrymore,” said Sir Henry sternly, ”we have made up our minds to have the truth out of you, so it will save you trouble to tell it sooner rather than later Co at that ?”
The fellow looked at us in a helpless way, and he wrung his hands together like one who is in the last extre no har a candle to the ”
”And ere you holding a candle to the ?”
”Don't ask ive you my word, sir, that it is not my secret, and that I cannot tell it If it concerned no one but myself I would not try to keep it from you”
A sudden idea occurred tohand of the butler
”He nal,” said I ”Let us see if there is any answer” I held it as he had done, and stared out into the darkness of the night Vaguely I could discern the black bank of the trees and the lighter expanse of the ave a cry of exultation, for a tiny pinpoint of yellow light had suddenly transfixed the dark veil, and glowed steadily in the centre of the black square framed by the
”There it is!” I cried
”No, no, sir, it is nothing--nothing at all!” the butler broke in; ”I assure you, sir--”
”Move your light across the , Watson!” cried the baronet ”See, the other nal?
Come, speak up! Who is your confederate out yonder, and what is this conspiracy that is going on?”
The man's face became openly defiant ”It is my business, and not yours
I will not tell”
”Then you leave ood, sir If I must I must”