BaskervilleHall,Oct.15th.
MYDEARHOLMES,
IfIwascompelledtoleaveyouwithoutmuchnewsduringtheearlydaysofmymissionyoumustacknowledgethatIammakingupforlosttime,andthateventsarenowcrowdingthickandfastuponus.InmylastreportIendeduponmytopnotewithBarrymoreatthewindow,andnowIhavequiteabudgetalreadywhichwill,unlessIammuchmistaken,considerablysurpriseyou.ThingshavetakenaturnwhichIcouldnothaveanticipated.Insomewaystheyhavewithinthelastforty-eighthoursbecomemuchclearerandinsomewaystheyhavebecomemorecomplicated.ButIwilltellyouallandyoushalljudgeforyourself.
BeforebreakfastonthemorningfollowingmyadventureIwentdownthecorridorandexaminedtheroominwhichBarrymorehadbeenonthenightbefore.Thewesternwindowthroughwhichhehadstaredsointentlyhas,Inoticed,onepeculiarityaboveallotherwindowsinthehouse—itcommandsthenearestoutlookontothemoor.Thereisanopeningbetweentwotreeswhichenablesonefromthispointofviewtolookrightdownuponit,whilefromalltheotherwindowsitisonlyadistantglimpsewhichcanbeobtained.Itfollows,therefore,thatBarrymore,sinceonlythiswindowwouldservethepurpose,musthavebeenlookingoutforsomethingorsomebodyuponthemoor.Thenightwasverydark,sothatIcanhardlyimaginehowhecouldhavehopedtoseeanyone.Ithadstruckmethatitwaspossiblethatsomeloveintriguewasonfoot.Thatwouldhaveaccountedforhisstealthymovementsandalsofortheuneasinessofhiswife.Themanisastriking-lookingfellow,verywellequippedtostealtheheartofacountrygirl,sothatthistheoryseemedtohavesomethingtosupportit.ThatopeningofthedoorwhichIhadheardafterIhadreturnedtomyroommightmeanthathehadgoneouttokeepsomeclandestineappointment.SoIreasonedwithmyselfinthemorning,andItellyouthedirectionofmysuspicions,howevermuchtheresultmayhaveshownthattheywereunfounded.
ButwhateverthetrueexplanationofBarrymore’smovementsmightbe,IfeltthattheresponsibilityofkeepingthemtomyselfuntilIcouldexplainthemwasmorethanIcouldbear.Ihadaninterviewwiththebaronetinhisstudyafterbreakfast,andItoldhimallthatIhadseen.HewaslesssurprisedthanIhadexpected.
“IknewthatBarrymorewalkedaboutnights,andIhadamindtospeaktohimaboutit,”saidhe.“TwoorthreetimesIhaveheardhisstepsinthepassage,comingandgoing,justaboutthehouryouname.”
“Perhapsthenhepaysavisiteverynighttothatparticularwindow,”Isuggested.
“Perhapshedoes.Ifso,weshouldbeabletoshadowhimandseewhatitisthatheisafter.IwonderwhatyourfriendHolmeswoulddoifhewerehere.”
“Ibelievethathewoulddoexactlywhatyounowsuggest,”saidI.“HewouldfollowBarrymoreandseewhathedid.”
“Thenweshalldoittogether.”
“Butsurelyhewouldhearus.”
“Themanisratherdeaf,andinanycasewemusttakeourchanceofthat.We’llsitupinmyroomtonightandwaituntilhepasses.”SirHenryrubbedhishandswithpleasure,anditwasevidentthathehailedtheadventureasarelieftohissomewhatquietlifeuponthemoor.
ThebaronethasbeenincommunicationwiththearchitectwhopreparedtheplansforSirCharles,andwithacontracto