Second Report of Dr. Watson

           BaskervilleHall,Oct.15th. 

           MYDEARHOLMES, —IfIwascompelledtoleaveyouwithoutmuchnewsduringtheearlydaysofmymissionyoumustacknowledgethatIammakingupforlosttime,andthateventsarenowcrowdingthickandfastuponus. InmylastreportIendeduponmytopnotewithBarrymoreatthewindow,andnowIhavequiteabudgetalreadywhichwill,unlessIammuchmistaken,considerablysurpriseyou. ThingshavetakenaturnwhichIcouldnothaveanticipated. Insomewaystheyhavewithinthelastforty-eighthoursbecomemuchclearerandinsomewaystheyhavebecomemorecomplicated. ButIwilltellyouallandyoushalljudgeforyourself. 

           BeforebreakfastonthemorningfollowingmyadventureIwentdownthecorridorandexaminedtheroominwhichBarrymorehadbeenonthenightbefore. Thewesternwindowthroughwhichhehadstaredsointentlyhas,Inoticed,onepeculiarityaboveallotherwindowsinthehouse —itcommandsthenearestoutlookonthemoor. Thereisanopeningbetweentwotreeswhichenablesonefromthispointofviewtolookrightdownuponit,whilefromalltheotherwindowsitisonlyadistantglimpsewhichcanbeobtained. Itfollows,therefore,thatBarrymore,sinceonlythiswindowwouldservethepurpose,musthavebeenlookingoutforsomethingorsomebodyuponthemoor. Thenightwasverydark,sothatIcanhardlyimaginehowhecouldhavehopedtoseeanyone. Ithadstruckmethatitwaspossiblethatsomeloveintriguewasonfoot. Thatwouldhaveaccountedforhisstealthymovementsandalsofortheuneasinessofhiswife. Themanisastriking-lookingfellow,verywellequippedtostealtheheartofacountrygirl,sothatthistheoryseemedtohavesomethingtosupportit. ThatopeningofthedoorwhichIhadheardafterIhadreturnedtomyroommightmeanthathehadgoneouttokeepsomeclandestineappointment.