ldgofartoexplaineverything.Butwherecouldsuchahoundlieconcealed,wherediditgetitsfood,wherediditcomefrom,howwasitthatnoonesawitbyday?Itmustbeconfessedthatthenaturalexplanationoffersalmostasmanydifficultiesastheother.Andalways,apartfromthehound,thereisthefactofthehumanagencyinLondon,themaninthecab,andtheletterwhichwarnedSirHenryagainstthemoor.Thisatleastwasreal,butitmighthavebeentheworkofaprotectingfriendaseasilyasofanenemy.Whereisthatfriendorenemynow?HasheremainedinLondon,orhashefollowedusdownhere?Couldhe—couldhebethestrangerwhomIsawuponthetor?
ItistruethatIhavehadonlytheoneglanceathim,andyettherearesomethingstowhichIamreadytoswear.HeisnoonewhomIhaveseendownhere,andIhavenowmetalltheneighbours.ThefigurewasfartallerthanthatofStapleton,farthinnerthanthatofFrankland.Barrymoreitmightpossiblyhavebeen,butwehadlefthimbehindus,andIamcertainthathecouldnothavefollowedus.Astrangerthenisstilldoggingus,justasastrangerdoggedusinLondon.Wehavenevershakenhimoff.IfIcouldlaymyhandsuponthatman,thenatlastwemightfindourselvesattheendofallourdifficulties.TothisonepurposeImustnowdevoteallmyenergies.
MyfirstimpulsewastotellSirHenryallmyplans.Mysecondandwisestoneistoplaymyowngameandspeakaslittleaspossibletoanyone.Heissilentanddistrait.Hisnerveshavebeenstrangelyshakenbythatsounduponthemoor.Iwillsaynothingtoaddtohisanxieties,butIwilltakemyownstepstoattainmyownend.
Wehadasmallscenethismorningafterbreakfast.BarrymoreaskedleavetospeakwithSirHenry,andtheywereclosetedinhisstudysomelittletime.Sittinginthebilliard-roomImorethanonceheardthesoundofvoicesraised,andIhadaprettygoodideawhatthepointwaswhichwasunderdiscussion.Afteratimethebaronetopenedhisdoorandcalledforme.“Barrymoreconsidersthathehasagrievance,”hesaid.“Hethinksthatitwasunfaironourparttohunthisbrother-in-lawdownwhenhe,ofhisownfreewill,hadtoldusthesecret.”
Thebutlerwasstandingverypalebutverycollectedbeforeus.
“Imayhavespokentoowarmly,sir,”saidhe,“andifIhave,IamsurethatIbegyourpardon.A