ressionmighteasilyhavebeenerroneous.HowcouldIsettlethepointforever?ObviouslythefirstthingtodowastoseetheGrimpenpostmasterandfindwhetherthetesttelegramhadreallybeenplacedinBarrymore’sownhands.Betheanswerwhatitmight,IshouldatleasthavesomethingtoreporttoSherlockHolmes.
SirHenryhadnumerouspaperstoexamineafterbreakfast,sothatthetimewaspropitiousformyexcursion.Itwasapleasantwalkoffourmilesalongtheedgeofthemoor,leadingmeatlasttoasmallgreyhamlet,inwhichtwolargerbuildings,whichprovedtobetheinnandthehouseofDr.Mortimer,stoodhighabovetherest.Thepostmaster,whowasalsothevillagegrocer,hadaclearrecollectionofthetelegram.
“Certainly,sir,”saidhe,“IhadthetelegramdeliveredtoMr.Barrymoreexactlyasdirected.”
“Whodeliveredit?”
“Myboyhere.James,youdeliveredthattelegramtoMr.BarrymoreattheHalllastweek,didyounot?”
“Yes,father,Ideliveredit.”
“Intohisownhands?”Iasked.
“Well,hewasupintheloftatthetime,sothatIcouldnotputitintohisownhands,butIgaveitintoMrs.Barrymore’shands,andshepromisedtodeliveritatonce.”
“DidyouseeMr.Barrymore?”
“No,sirItellyouhewasintheloft.”
“Ifyoudidn’tseehim,howdoyouknowhewasintheloft?”
“Well,surelyhisownwifeoughttoknowwhereheis,”saidthepostmastertestily.“Didn’thegetthetelegram?IfthereisanymistakeitisforMr.Barrymorehimselftocomplain.”
Itseemedhopelesstopursuetheinquiryanyfarther,butitwasclearthatinspiteofHolmes’srusewehadnoproofthatBarrymorehadnotbeeninLondonallthetime.Supposethatitwereso—supposethatthesamemanhadbeenthelastwhohadseenSirCharlesalive,andthefirsttodogthenewheirwhenhereturnedtoEngland.Whatthen?Washetheagentofothersorhadhesomesinisterdesignofhisown?WhatinterestcouldhehaveinpersecutingtheBaskervillefamily?IthoughtofthestrangewarningclippedoutoftheleadingarticleoftheTimes.Wasthathisworkorwasitpossiblythedoingofsomeonewhowasbentuponcounteractinghisschemes?TheonlyconceivablemotivewasthatwhichhadbeensuggestedbySirHenry,thatifthefamilycouldbescaredawayacomfortableandpermanenthomewouldbesecuredfortheBarrymores.Butsurelysuchanexplanationasthatwouldbequiteinadequatetoaccountforthedeepandsubtleschemingwhichseemedtobeweavinganinvisiblenetroundtheyoungbaronet.Holmeshimselfhadsaidthatnomorecomplexcasehadcometohiminallth