The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 26 (1/2)
”It is not the baronet--it is--why, it is hbour, the convict!”
With feverish haste we had turned the body over, and that dripping beard was pointing up to the cold, clearforehead, the sunken anilared upon ht of the candle from over the rock--the face of Selden, the criminal
Then in an instant it was all clear to me I remembered how the baronet had told me that he had handed his old wardrobe to Barrymore Barrymore had passed it on in order to help Selden in his escape Boots, shi+rt, cap--it was all Sir Henry's The tragedy was still black enough, but this man had at least deserved death by the laws of his country I told Hol over with thankfulness and joy
”Then the clothes have been the poor devil's death,” said he ”It is clear enough that the hound has been laid on from some article of Sir Henry's--the boot which was abstracted in the hotel, in all probability--and so ran this , however: How came Selden, in the darkness, to know that the hound was on his trail?”
”He heard him”
”To hear a hound upon the moor would not work a hard man like this convict into such a paroxys wildly for help By his cries heway after he knew the anireaterthat all our conjectures are correct--”
”I presu”
”Well, then, why this hound should be loose tonight I suppose that it does not always run loose upon the o unless he had reason to think that Sir Henry would be there”
”My difficulty is the more foret an explanation of yours, while mine may remain forever a mystery The question now is, what shall we do with this poor wretch's body? We cannot leave it here to the foxes and the ravens”
”I suggest that we put it in one of the huts until we can communicate with the police”
”Exactly I have no doubt that you and I could carry it so far Halloa, Watson, what's this? It's the man himself, by all that's wonderful and audacious! Not a word to show your suspicions--not a word, or ure was approaching us over the ar The uish the dapper shape and jaunty walk of the naturalist He stopped when he saw us, and then caain
”Why, Dr Watson, that's not you, is it? You are the last man that I should have expected to see out on the ht But, dear me, what's this? Somebody hurt? Not--don't tell me that it is our friend Sir Henry!” He hurried past me and stooped over the dead ar fell froers
”Who--who's this?” he stammered
”It is Selden, the hastly face upon us, but by a supreme effort he had overcome his amazement and his disappointment He looked sharply fro affair! How did he die?”
”He appears to have broken his neck by falling over these rocks My friend and I were strolling on the moor e heard a cry”
”I heard a cry also That hat brought me out I was uneasy about Sir Henry”
”Why about Sir Henry in particular?” I could not help asking
”Because I had suggested that he should come over When he did not come I was surprised, and I naturally became alarmed for his safety when I heard cries upon the ain fro else besides a cry?”
”No,” said Holmes; ”did you?”
”No”
”What do you mean, then?”