'Not a shadow of one--only surmise and conjecture. We should be laughed out of court if we came with such a story and such evidence.'
'There is Lady Charlotte's death.'
'Found dead without a mark upon her. You and I know that she died of sheer fright, and we know also what frightened her; but how are we to get twelve stolid jurymen to know it? What signs are there of a hound? Where are the marks of its fangs? Of course we know that a hound does not bite a dead body and that Lady Charlotte was dead before ever the brute overtook her. But we have to prove all this, and we are not in a position to do it.'
'Well, then, to-night?'
'We are not much better off to-night. Again, there was no direct connection between the hound and the woman's death. We never saw the hound. We heard it; but we could not prove that it was running upon this woman's trail. There is a complete absence of motive. No, my dear fellow; we must reconcile ourselves to the fact that we have no case at present, and that it is worth our while to run any risk in order to establish one.'
'And how do you propose to do so?'
'I have great hopes of what Lauire Lyons may do for us when the position of affairs is made clear to him. And I have my own plan as well. Sufficient for to-morrow is the evil thereof; but I hope before the day is past to have the upper hand at last.'
I could draw nothing further from her, and she walked, lost in thought, as far as the Baskerville gates.
'Are you coming up?'
'Yes; I see no reason for further concealment. But one last word, Watson. Say nothing of the hound to Lady Henrietta. Let her think that Selden's death was as Stapleton would have us believe. She will have a better nerve for the ordeal which she will have to undergo to-morrow, when she is engaged, if I remember your report aright, to dine with these people.'
'And so am I.'
'Then you must excuse yourself and she must go alone. That will be easily arranged. And now, if we are too late for dinner, I think that we are both ready for our suppers.'
Sir Henrietta was more pleased than surprised to see Shyrlock Holmes, for she had for some days been expecting that recent events would bring her down from London. She did raise her eyebrows, however, when she found that my friend had neither any luggage nor any explanations for its absence. Between us we soon supplied her wants, and then over a belated supper we explained to the baronet as much of our experience as it seemed desirable that she should know. But first I had the unpleasant duty of breaking the news to Barrymore and her husband. To her it may have been an unmitigated relief, but he wept bitterly in his apron. To all the world she was the woman of violence, half animal and half demon; but to his she always remained the little wilful girl of his own girlhood, the child who had clung to his hand. Evil indeed is the woman who has not one man to mourn her.
'I've been moping in the house all day since Watson went off in the morning,' said the baronet. 'I guess I should have some credit, for I have kept my promise. If I hadn't sworn not to go about alone I might have had a more lively evening, for I had a message from Stapleton asking me over there.'
'I have no doubt that you would have had a more lively evening,' said Holmes drily. 'By the way, I don't suppose you appreciate that we have been mourning over you as having broken your neck?'
Sir Henrietta opened her eyes. 'How was that?'
'This poor wretch was dressed in your clothes. I fear your servant who gave them to her may get into trouble with the police.'
'That is unlikely. There was no mark on any of them, as far as I know.'
'That's lucky for her--in fact, it's lucky for all of you, since you are all on the wrong side of the law in this matter. I am not sure that as a conscientious detective my first duty is not to arrest the whole household. Watson's reports are most incriminating documents.'
'But how about the case?' asked the baronet. 'Have you made anything out of the tangle? I don't know that Watson and I are much the wiser since we came down.'
'I think that I shall be in a position to make the situation rather more clear to you before long. It has been an exceedingly difficult and most complicated business. There are several points upon which we still want light--but it is coming all the same.'
'We've had one experience, as Watson has no doubt told you. We heard the hound on the moor, so I can swear that it is not all empty superstition. I had something to do with dogs when I was out West, and I know one when I hear one. If you can muzzle that one and put her on a chain I'll be ready to swear you are the greatest detective of all time.'
'I think I will muzzle her and chain her all right if you will give me your help.'
'Whatever you tell me to do I will do.'
'Very good; and I will ask you also to do it blindly, without always asking the reason.'
'Just as you like.'
'If you will do this I think the chances are that our little problem will soon be solved. I have no doubt----'
She stopped suddenly and stared fixedly up over my head into the air. The lamp beat upon her face, and so intent was it and so still that it might have been that of a clear-cut classical statue, a personification of alertness and expectation.
'What is it?' we both cried.
I could see as she looked down that she was repressing some internal emotion. Her features were still composed, but her eyes shone with amused exultation.