The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 23 (1/2)
My feelings towards hi friendly after what I had heard of his treathter, but I was anxious to send Perkins and the wagonette hohted and sent a e to Sir Henry that I should walk over in ti-rooreat day for me, sir--one of the red-letter days of ht off a double event I mean to teach them in these parts that law is law, and that there is a man here who does not fear to invoke it I have established a right of way through the centre of old Middleton's park, slap across it, sir, within a hundred yards of his own front door What do you think of that? We'll teach these hts of the commoners, confound them! And I've closed the here the Fernworthy folk used to picnic These infernal people seehts of property, and that they can shere they like with their papers and their bottles Both cases decided, Dr Watson, and both in my favour I haven't had such a day since I had Sir John Morland for trespass because he shot in his oarren”
”How on earth did you do that?”
”Look it up in the books, sir It will repay reading--Frankland v
Morland, Court of Queen's Bench It cost ot ood?”
”None, sir, none I am proud to say that I had no interest in the matter I act entirely from a sense of public duty I have no doubt, for exaht
I told the police last tiraceful exhibitions The County Constabulary is in a scandalous state, sir, and it has not afforded me the protection to which I a the matter before the attention of the public I told theret their treatment of me, and already my words have come true”
”How so?” I asked
The oldexpression ”Because I could tell the would induceround for soossip, but now I began to wish to hear h of the contrary nature of the old sinner to understand that any strong sign of interest would be the surest way to stop his confidences
”So case, no doubt?” said I with an indifferent manner
”Ha, ha, my boy, a very much more important matter than that! What about the convict on the moor?”
I stared ”You don't mean that you knohere he is?” said I
”I may not know exactly where he is, but I am quite sure that I could help the police to lay their hands on him Has it never struck you that the way to catch that ot his food and so trace it to hi uncomfortably near the truth ”No doubt,” said I; ”but how do you know that he is anywhere upon the moor?”
”I know it because I have seen with er who takes him his food”
My heart sank for Barry to be in the power of this spiteful old busybody But his next reht from my mind
”You'll be surprised to hear that his food is taken to hihthe sa except to the convict?”
Here was luck indeed! And yet I suppressed all appearance of interest A child! Barrymore had said that our unknoas supplied by a boy It was on his track, and not upon the convict's, that Frankland had stuht saveand weary hunt But incredulity and indifference were evidently est cards
”I should say that it was much more likely that it was the son of one of theout his father's dinner”
The least appearance of opposition struck fire out of the old autocrat
His eyes looked ray whiskers bristled like those of an angry cat
”Indeed, sir!” said he, pointing out over the wide-stretching moor ”Do you see that Black Tor over yonder? Well, do you see the low hill beyond with the thornbush upon it? It is the stoniest part of the whole moor
Is that a place where a shepherd would be likely to take his station?