om his
pocket, and presented the whole case as he had done upon the
morning before. Sir Henry Baskerville listened with the deepest
attention, and with an occasional exclamation of surprise.

"Well, I seem to have come into an inheritance with a vengeance,"
said he when the long narrative was finished. "Of course, I've
heard of the hound ever since I was in the nursery. It's the pet
story of the family, though I never thought of taking it
seriously before. But as to my uncle's death--well, it all seems
boiling up in my head, and I can't get it clear yet. You don't
seem quite to have made up your mind whether it's a case for a
policeman or a clergyman."

"Precisely."

"And now there's this affair of the letter to me at the hotel. I
suppose that fits into its place."

"It seems to show that someone knows more than we do about what
goes on upon the moor," said Dr. Mortimer.

"And also," said Holmes, "that someone is not ill-disposed
towards you, since they warn you of danger."

"Or it may be that they wish, for their own purposes, to scare me
away."

"Well, of course, that is possible also. I am very much indebted
to you, Dr. Mortimer, for introducing me to a problem which
presents several interesting alternatives. But the practical
point which we now have to decide, Sir Henry, is whether it is or
is not advisable for you to go to Baskerville Hall."

"Why should I not go?"

"There seems to be danger."

"Do you mean danger from this family fiend or do you mean danger
from human beings?"

"Well, that is what we have to find out."

"Whichever it is, my answer is fixed. There is no devil in hell,
Mr. Holmes, and there is no man upon earth who can prevent me
from going to the home of my own people, and you may take that to
be my final answer." His dark brows knitted and his face flushed
to a dusky red as he spoke. It was evident that the fiery temper
of the Baskervilles was not extinct in this their last
representative. "Meanwhile," said he, "I have hardly had time to
think over all that you have told me. It's a big thing for a man
to have to understand and to decide at one sitting. I should like
to have a quiet hour by myself to make up my mind. Now, look
here, Mr. Holmes, it's half-past eleven now and I am going back
right away to my hotel. Suppose you and your friend, Dr. Watson,
come round and lunch with us at two. I'll be able to tell you
more clearly then how this thing strikes me."

"Is that convenie