Собака Баскервіллів

The Man on the Tor

           Atlastmyfootwasonthethresholdofhishidingplacehissecretwaswithinmygrasp. 

           AsIapproachedthehut,walkingaswarilyasStapletonwoulddowhenwithpoisednethedrewnearthesettledbutterfly,Isatisfiedmyselfthattheplacehadindeedbeenusedasahabitation. Avaguepathwayamongthebouldersledtothedilapidatedopeningwhichservedasadoor. Allwassilentwithin. Theunknownmightbelurkingthere,orhemightbeprowlingonthemoor. Mynervestingledwiththesenseofadventure. Throwingasidemycigarette,Iclosedmyhanduponthebuttofmyrevolverand,walkingswiftlyuptothedoor,Ilookedin. Theplacewasempty. 

           ButtherewereamplesignsthatIhadnotcomeuponafalsescent. Thiswascertainlywherethemanlived. SomeblanketsrolledinawaterprooflayuponthatverystoneslabuponwhichNeolithicmanhadonceslumbered. Theashesofafirewereheapedinarudegrate. Besideitlaysomecookingutensilsandabuckethalf-fullofwater. Alitterofemptytinsshowedthattheplacehadbeenoccupiedforsometime,andIsaw,asmyeyesbecameaccustomedtothecheckeredlight,apannikinandahalf-fullbottleofspiritsstandinginthecorner. Inthemiddleofthehutaflatstoneservedthepurposeofatable,anduponthisstoodasmallclothbundlethesame,nodoubt,whichIhadseenthroughthetelescopeupontheshoulderoftheboy. Itcontainedaloafofbread,atinnedtongue,andtwotinsofpreservedpeaches. AsIsetitdownagain,afterhavingexaminedit,myheartleapedtoseethatbeneathittherelayasheetofpaperwithwritinguponit. Iraisedit,andthiswaswhatIread,roughlyscrawledinpencil: 

           Dr.WatsonhasgonetoCoombeTracey. 

           ForaminuteIstoodtherewiththepaperinmyhandsthinkingoutthemeaningofthiscurtmessage. ItwasI,then,andnotSirHenry,whowasbeingdoggedbythissecretman. 

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