TheextractfrommyprivatediarywhichformsthelastchapterhasbroughtmynarrativeuptotheeighteenthofOctober,atimewhenthesestrangeeventsbegantomoveswiftlytowardstheirterribleconclusion.Theincidentsofthenextfewdaysareindeliblygravenuponmyrecollection,andIcantellthemwithoutreferencetothenotesmadeatthetime.IstartthemfromthedaywhichsucceededthatuponwhichIhadestablishedtwofactsofgreatimportance,theonethatMrs.LauraLyonsofCoombeTraceyhadwrittentoSirCharlesBaskervilleandmadeanappointmentwithhimattheveryplaceandhourthathemethisdeath,theotherthatthelurkingmanuponthemoorwastobefoundamongthestonehutsuponthehillside.WiththesetwofactsinmypossessionIfeltthateithermyintelligenceormycouragemustbedeficientifIcouldnotthrowsomefurtherlightuponthesedarkplaces.
IhadnoopportunitytotellthebaronetwhatIhadlearnedaboutMrs.Lyonsupontheeveningbefore,forDr.Mortimerremainedwithhimatcardsuntilitwasverylate.Atbreakfast,however,IinformedhimaboutmydiscoveryandaskedhimwhetherhewouldcaretoaccompanymetoCoombeTracey.Atfirsthewasveryeagertocome,butonsecondthoughtsitseemedtobothofusthatifIwentalonetheresultsmightbebetter.Themoreformalwemadethevisitthelessinformationwemightobtain.IleftSirHenrybehind,therefore,notwithoutsomeprickingsofconscience,anddroveoffuponmynewquest.
WhenIreachedCoombeTraceyItoldPerkinstoputupthehorses,andImadeinquiriesfortheladywhomIhadcometointerrogate.Ihadnodifficultyinfindingherrooms,whichwerecentralandwellappointed.Amaidshowedmeinwithoutceremony,andasIenteredthesitting-roomalady,whowassittingbeforeaRemingtontypewriter,sprangupwithapleasantsmileofwelcome.Herfacefell,however,whenshesawthatIwasastranger,andshesatdownagainandaskedmetheobjectofmyvisit.
ThefirstimpressionleftbyMrs.Lyonswasoneofextremebeauty.Hereyesandhairwereofthesamerichhazelcolour,andhercheeks,thoughconsiderablyfreckled,wereflushedwiththeexquisitebloomofthebrunette,thedaintypinkwhichlurksattheheartofthesulphurrose.Admirationwas,Irepeat,thefirstimpression.Butthesecondwascriticism.Therewassomethingsubtlywrongwiththeface,somecoarsen