
of its fangs? Of course we know that a hound does not bite a dead body and that
Sir Charles was dead before ever the brute overtook him. 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 man's death. We never saw the hound. We heard it, but
we could not prove that it was running upon this man'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 Mrs. Laura Lyons may do for us when the position
of affairs is made clear to her. 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 him, and he 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 Sir Henry. Let him think that Selden's death was as
Stapleton would have us believe. He will have a better nerve for the ordeal
which he will have to undergo to-morrow, when he is engaged, if I remember your
report aright, to dine with these people.«
    »And so am I.«
    »Then you must excuse yourself and he 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 Henry was more pleased than surprised to see Sherlock Holmes, for he had
for some days been expecting that recent events would bring him down from
London. He did raise his eyebrows, however, when he found that my friend had
neither any luggage nor any explanations for its absence. Between us we soon
supplied his wants, and then over a belated supper we explained to the baronet
as much of our experience as it seemed desirable that he should know. But first
I had the unpleasant duty of breaking the news to Barrymore and his wife. To him
