Aluckylongshotofmyrevolvermighthavecrippledhim,butIhadbroughtitonlytodefendmyselfifattackedandnottoshootanunarmedmanwhowasrunningaway.
Wewerebothswiftrunnersandinfairlygoodtraining,butwesoonfoundthatwehadnochanceofovertakinghim.Wesawhimforalongtimeinthemoonlightuntilhewasonlyasmallspeckmovingswiftlyamongthebouldersuponthesideofadistanthill.Weranandranuntilwewerecompletelyblown,butthespacebetweenusgreweverwider.Finallywestoppedandsatpantingontworocks,whilewewatchedhimdisappearinginthedistance.
Anditwasatthismomentthatthereoccurredamoststrangeandunexpectedthing.Wehadrisenfromourrocksandwereturningtogohome,havingabandonedthehopelesschase.Themoonwaslowupontheright,andthejaggedpinnacleofagranitetorstoodupagainstthelowercurveofitssilverdisc.There,outlinedasblackasanebonystatueonthatshiningbackground,Isawthefigureofamanuponthetor.Donotthinkthatitwasadelusion,Holmes.IassureyouthatIhaveneverinmylifeseenanythingmoreclearly.AsfarasIcouldjudge,thefigurewasthatofatall,thinman.Hestoodwithhislegsalittleseparated,hisarmsfolded,hisheadbowed,asifhewerebroodingoverthatenormouswildernessofpeatandgranitewhichlaybeforehim.Hemighthavebeentheveryspiritofthatterribleplace.Itwasnottheconvict.Thismanwasfarfromtheplacewherethelatterhaddisappeared.Besides,hewasamuchtallerman.WithacryofsurpriseIpointedhimouttothebaronet,butintheinstantduringwhichIhadturnedtograsphisarmthemanwasgone.Therewasthesharppinnacleofgranitestillcuttingtheloweredgeofthemoon,butitspeakborenotraceofthatsilentandmotionlessfigure.
Iwishedtogointhatdirectionandtosearchthetor,butitwassomedistanceaway.Thebaronet’snerveswerestillquiveringfromthatcry,whichrecalledthedarkstoryofhisfamily,andhewasnotinthemoodforfreshadventures.Hehadnotseenthislonelymanuponthetorandcouldnotfeelthethrillwhichhisstrangepresenceandhiscommandingattitudehadgiventome.“Awarder,nodoubt,”saidhe.“Themoorhasbeenthickwiththemsincethisfellowescaped.”Well,perhapshisexplanationmaybetherightone,butIshouldliketohavesomefurtherproofofit.TodaywemeantocommunicatetothePrincetownpeoplewheretheyshouldlookfortheirmissingman,butitishardlinesthatwehavenotactuallyhadthetriumphofbringinghimbackasourownprisoner.Sucharetheadventuresoflastnight,andyoumustacknowledge,mydearHolmes,thatIhavedoneyouverywellinthematterofareport.MuchofwhatItellyouisnodoubtquiteirrelevant,butstillIfeelthatitisbestthatIshouldletyouhaveallthefactsandleaveyoutoselectforyourselfthosewhichwillbeofmostservicetoyouinhelpingyoutoyourconclusions.Wearecertainlymakingsomeprogress.SofarastheBarrymoresgowehavefoundthemotiveoftheiractions,andthathasclearedupthesituationverymuch.Butthemoorwithitsmysteriesanditsstrangeinhabitantsremainsasinscrutableasever.PerhapsinmynextImaybeabletothrowsomelightuponthisalso.Bestofallwoulditbeifyoucouldcomedowntous.Inanycaseyouwillhearfrommeagaininthecourseofthenextfewdays.