eendonetodisposeofthoserumourstowhichlocalsuperstitionhasgivenrise.Thereisnoreasonwhatevertosuspectfoulplay,ortoimaginethatdeathcouldbefromanybutnaturalcauses.SirCharleswasawidower,andamanwhomaybesaidtohavebeeninsomewaysofaneccentrichabitofmind.Inspiteofhisconsiderablewealthhewassimpleinhispersonaltastes,andhisindoorservantsatBaskervilleHallconsistedofamarriedcouplenamedBarrymore,thehusbandactingasbutlerandthewifeashousekeeper.Theirevidence,corroboratedbythatofseveralfriends,tendstoshowthatSirCharles’shealthhasforsometimebeenimpaired,andpointsespeciallytosomeaffectionoftheheart,manifestingitselfinchangesofcolour,breathlessness,andacuteattacksofnervousdepression.Dr.JamesMortimer,thefriendandmedicalattendantofthedeceased,hasgivenevidencetothesameeffect.
“Thefactsofthecasearesimple.SirCharlesBaskervillewasinthehabiteverynightbeforegoingtobedofwalkingdownthefamousyewalleyofBaskervilleHall.TheevidenceoftheBarrymoresshowsthatthishadbeenhiscustom.OnthefourthofMaySirCharleshaddeclaredhisintentionofstartingnextdayforLondon,andhadorderedBarrymoretopreparehisluggage.Thatnighthewentoutasusualforhisnocturnalwalk,inthecourseofwhichhewasinthehabitofsmokingacigar.Heneverreturned.Attwelveo’clockBarrymore,findingthehalldoorstillopen,becamealarmed,and,lightingalantern,wentinsearchofhismaster.Thedayhadbeenwet,andSirCharles’sfootmarkswereeasilytraceddownthealley.Halfwaydownthiswalkthereisagatewhichleadsoutontothemoor.TherewereindicationsthatSirCharleshadstoodforsomelittletimehere.Hethenproceededdownthealley,anditwasatthefarendofitthathisbodywasdiscovered.OnefactwhichhasnotbeenexplainedisthestatementofBarrymorethathismaster’sfootprintsalteredtheircharacterfromthetimethathepassedthemoor-gate,andthatheappearedfromthenceonwardtohavebeenwalkinguponhistoes.OneMurphy,agipsyhorse-dealer,wasonthemooratnogreatdistanceatthetime,butheappearsbyhisownconfessiontohavebeentheworsefordrink.Hedeclaresthatheheardcriesbutisunabletostatefromwhatdirection