hatIonlyboughtthepairlastnightintheStrand,andIhaveneverhadthemon.”
“Ifyouhaveneverwornthem,whydidyouputthemouttobecleaned?”
“Theyweretanbootsandhadneverbeenvarnished.ThatwaswhyIputthemout.”
“ThenIunderstandthatonyourarrivalinLondonyesterdayyouwentoutatonceandboughtapairofboots?”
“Ididagooddealofshopping.Dr.Mortimerherewentroundwithme.Yousee,ifIamtobesquiredownthereImustdressthepart,anditmaybethatIhavegotalittlecarelessinmywaysoutWest.AmongotherthingsIboughtthesebrownboots—gavesixdollarsforthem—andhadonestolenbeforeeverIhadthemonmyfeet.”
“Itseemsasingularlyuselessthingtosteal,”saidSherlockHolmes.“IconfessthatIshareDr.Mortimer’sbeliefthatitwillnotbelongbeforethemissingbootisfound.”
“And,now,gentlemen,”saidthebaronetwithdecision,“itseemstomethatIhavespokenquiteenoughaboutthelittlethatIknow.Itistimethatyoukeptyourpromiseandgavemeafullaccountofwhatwearealldrivingat.”
“Yourrequestisaveryreasonableone,”Holmesanswered.“Dr.Mortimer,Ithinkyoucouldnotdobetterthantotellyourstoryasyoutoldittous.”
Thusencouraged,ourscientificfrienddrewhispapersfromhispocketandpresentedthewholecaseashehaddoneuponthemorningbefore.SirHenryBaskervillelistenedwiththedeepestattentionandwithanoccasionalexclamationofsurprise.
“Well,Iseemtohavecomeintoaninheritancewithavengeance,”saidhewhenthelongnarrativewasfinished.“Ofcourse,I’veheardofthehoundeversinceIwasinthenursery.It’sthepetstoryofthefamily,thoughIneverthoughtoftakingitseriouslybefore.Butastomyuncle’sdeath—well,itallseemsboilingupinmyhead,andIcan’tgetitclearyet.Youdon’tseemquitetohavemadeupyourmindwhetherit’sacaseforapolicemanoraclergyman.”
“Precisely.”
“Andnowthere’sthisaffairofthelettertomeatthehotel.Isupposethatfitsintoitsplace.”
“Itseemstoshowthatsomeoneknowsmorethanwedoaboutwhatgoesonuponthemoor,”saidDr.Mortimer.
“Andalso,”saidHolmes,“thatsomeoneisnotill-dispos