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But
there
were
ample
signs
that
I
had
not
come
upon
a
false
scent
.
This
was
certainly
where
the
man
lived
.
Some
blankets
rolled
in
a
waterproof
lay
upon
that
very
stone
slab
upon
which
Neolithic
man
had
once
slumbered
.
The
ashes
of
a
fire
were
heaped
in
a
rude
grate
.
Beside
it
lay
some
cooking
utensils
and
a
bucket
half-full
of
water
.
A
litter
of
empty
tins
showed
that
the
place
had
been
occupied
for
some
time
,
and
I
saw
,
as
my
eyes
became
accustomed
to
the
checkered
light
,
a
pannikin
and
a
half-full
bottle
of
spirits
standing
in
the
corner
.
In
the
middle
of
the
hut
a
flat
stone
served
the
purpose
of
a
table
,
and
upon
this
stood
a
small
cloth
bundle
--
the
same
,
no
doubt
,
which
I
had
seen
through
the
telescope
upon
the
shoulder
of
the
boy
.
It
contained
a
loaf
of
bread
,
a
tinned
tongue
,
and
two
tins
of
preserved
peaches
.
As
I
set
it
down
again
,
after
having
examined
it
,
my
heart
leaped
to
see
that
beneath
it
there
lay
a
sheet
of
paper
with
writing
upon
it
.
I
raised
it
,
and
this
was
what
I
read
,
roughly
scrawled
in
pencil
:
--
Dr.
Watson
has
gone
to
Coombe
Tracey
.
For
a
minute
I
stood
there
with
the
paper
in
my
hands
thinking
out
the
meaning
of
this
curt
message
.
It
was
I
,
then
,
and
not
Sir
Henry
,
who
was
being
dogged
by
this
secret
man
.
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He
had
not
followed
me
himself
,
but
he
had
set
an
agent
--
the
boy
,
perhaps
--
upon
my
track
,
and
this
was
his
report
.
Possibly
I
had
taken
no
step
since
I
had
been
upon
the
moor
which
had
not
been
observed
and
reported
.
Always
there
was
this
feeling
of
an
unseen
force
,
a
fine
net
drawn
round
us
with
infinite
skill
and
delicacy
,
holding
us
so
lightly
that
it
was
only
at
some
supreme
moment
that
one
realized
that
one
was
indeed
entangled
in
its
meshes
.
If
there
was
one
report
there
might
be
others
,
so
I
looked
round
the
hut
in
search
of
them
.
There
was
no
trace
,
however
,
of
anything
of
the
kind
,
nor
could
I
discover
any
sign
which
might
indicate
the
character
or
intentions
of
the
man
who
lived
in
this
singular
place
,
save
that
he
must
be
of
Spartan
habits
and
cared
little
for
the
comforts
of
life
.
When
I
thought
of
the
heavy
rains
and
looked
at
the
gaping
roof
I
understood
how
strong
and
immutable
must
be
the
purpose
which
had
kept
him
in
that
inhospitable
abode
.
Was
he
our
malignant
enemy
,
or
was
he
by
chance
our
guardian
angel
?
I
swore
that
I
would
not
leave
the
hut
until
I
knew
.
Outside
the
sun
was
sinking
low
and
the
west
was
blazing
with
scarlet
and
gold
.
Its
reflection
was
shot
back
in
ruddy
patches
by
the
distant
pools
which
lay
amid
the
great
Grimpen
Mire
.
There
were
the
two
towers
of
Baskerville
Hall
,
and
there
a
distant
blur
of
smoke
which
marked
the
village
of
Grimpen
.
Between
the
two
,
behind
the
hill
,
was
the
house
of
the
Stapletons
.
All
was
sweet
and
mellow
and
peaceful
in
the
golden
evening
light
,
and
yet
as
I
looked
at
them
my
soul
shared
none
of
the
peace
of
nature
but
quivered
at
the
vagueness
and
the
terror
of
that
interview
which
every
instant
was
bringing
nearer
.
With
tingling
nerves
,
but
a
fixed
purpose
,
I
sat
in
the
dark
recess
of
the
hut
and
waited
with
sombre
patience
for
the
coming
of
its
tenant
.
And
then
at
last
I
heard
him
.
Far
away
came
the
sharp
clink
of
a
boot
striking
upon
a
stone
.
Then
another
and
yet
another
,
coming
nearer
and
nearer
.
I
shrank
back
into
the
darkest
corner
,
and
cocked
the
pistol
in
my
pocket
,
determined
not
to
discover
myself
until
I
had
an
opportunity
of
seeing
something
of
the
stranger
.
There
was
a
long
pause
which
showed
that
he
had
stopped
.
Then
once
more
the
footsteps
approached
and
a
shadow
fell
across
the
opening
of
the
hut
.
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"
It
is
a
lovely
evening
,
my
dear
Watson
,
"
said
a
well-known
voice
.
"
I
really
think
that
you
will
be
more
comfortable
outside
than
in
.
"
For
a
moment
or
two
I
sat
breathless
,
hardly
able
to
believe
my
ears
.
Then
my
senses
and
my
voice
came
back
to
me
,
while
a
crushing
weight
of
responsibility
seemed
in
an
instant
to
be
lifted
from
my
soul
.
That
cold
,
incisive
,
ironical
voice
could
belong
to
but
one
man
in
all
the
world
.
"
Holmes
!
"
I
cried
--
"
Holmes
!
"