been his custom. On the 4th of May
Sir Charles had declared his intention of starting next day for
London, and had ordered Barrymore to prepare his luggage. That
night he went out as usual for his nocturnal walk, in the course
of which he was in the habit of smoking a cigar. He never
returned. At twelve o'clock Barrymore, finding the hall door
still open, became alarmed, and, lighting a lantern, went in
search of his master. The day had been wet, and Sir Charles's
footmarks were easily traced down the Alley. Half-way down this
walk there is a gate which leads out on to the moor. There were
indications that Sir Charles had stood for some little time here.
He then proceeded down the Alley, and it was at the far end of it
that his body was discovered. One fact which has not been
explained is the statement of Barrymore that his master's
footprints altered their character from the time that he passed
the moor-gate, and that he appeared from thence onward to have
been walking upon his toes. One Murphy, a gipsy horse-dealer, was
on the moor at no great distance at the time, but he appears by
his own confession to have been the worse for drink. He declares
that he heard cries, but is unable to state from what
direction they came. No signs of violence were to be discovered
upon Sir Charles's person, and though the doctor's evidence
pointed to an almost incredible facial distortion--so great that
Dr. Mortimer refused at first to believe that it was indeed his
friend and patient who lay before him--it was explained that that
is a symptom which is not unusual in cases of dyspnoea and death
from cardiac exhaustion. This explanation was borne out by the
post-mortem examination, which showed long-standing organic
disease, and the coroner's jury returned a verdict in accordance
with the medical evidence. It is well that this is so, for it is
obviously of the utmost importance that Sir Charles's heir should
settle at the Hall and continue the good work which has been so
sadly interrupted. Had the prosaic finding of the coroner not
finally put an end to the romantic stories which have been
whispered in connection with the affair, it might have been
difficult to find a tenant for Baskerville Hall. It is understood
that the next of kin is Mr. Henry Baskerville, if he be still
alive, the son of Sir Charles Baskerville's younger brother. The
young man when last heard of was in America, and inquiries are
being instituted with a view to inf