 across at Mr. Sherlock Holmes. The
latter yawned and tossed the end of his cigarette into the fire.
    »Well?« said he.
    »Do you not find it interesting?«
    »To a collector of fairy tales.«
    Dr. Mortimer drew a folded newspaper out of his pocket.
    »Now, Mr. Holmes, we will give you something a little more recent. This is
the Devon County Chronicle of May 14th of this year. It is a short account of
the facts elicited at the death of Sir Charles Baskerville which occurred a few
days before that date.«
    My friend leaned a little forward and his expression became intent. Our
visitor readjusted his glasses and began:
 
        »The recent sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose name has been
        mentioned as the probable Liberal candidate for Mid-Devon at the next
        election, has cast a gloom over the county. Though Sir Charles had
        resided at Baskerville Hall for a comparatively short period his
        amiability of character and extreme generosity had won the affection and
        respect of all who had been brought into contact with him. In these days
        of nouveaux riches it is refreshing to find a case where the scion of an
        old county family which has fallen upon evil days is able to make his
        own fortune and to bring it back with him to restore the fallen grandeur
        of his line. Sir Charles, as is well known, made large sums of money in
        South African speculation. More wise than those who go on until the
        wheel turns against them, he realized his gains and returned to England
        with them. It is only two years since he took up his residence at
        Baskerville Hall, and it is common talk how large were those schemes of
        reconstruction and improvement which have been interrupted by his death.
        Being himself childless, it was his openly expressed desire that the
        whole countryside should, within his own lifetime, profit by his good
        fortune, and many will have personal reasons for bewailing his untimely
        end. His generous donations to local and county charities have been
        frequently chronicled in these columns.
            The circumstances connected with the death of Sir Charles cannot be
        said to have been entirely cleared up by the inquest, but at least
        enough has been done to dispose of those rumours to which local
        superstition has given rise. There is no reason whatever to suspect foul
        play, or to imagine that death could be from any but natural causes. Sir
        Charles was a widower, and a man who may be said to have been in some
        ways of an eccentric habit of mind. In spite of his considerable wealth
        he was simple in his personal tastes, and his
