Chapter 15. A Retrospection

nLondon,andthatthereforetherewasnochanceforhimthere.HereturnedtoDartmoorandawaitedthearrivalofthebaronet.” “Onemoment!”saidI.“Youhave,nodoubt,describedthesequenceofeventscorrectly,butthereisonepointwhichyouhaveleftunexplained.WhatbecameofthehoundwhenitsmasterwasinLondon?” “Ihavegivensomeattentiontothismatteranditisundoubtedlyofimportance.TherecanbenoquestionthatStapletonhadaconfidant,thoughitisunlikelythatheeverplacedhimselfinhispowerbysharingallhisplanswithhim.TherewasanoldmanservantatMerripitHouse,whosenamewasAnthony.HisconnectionwiththeStapletonscanbetracedforseveralyears,asfarbackastheschool-masteringdays,sothathemusthavebeenawarethathismasterandmistresswerereallyhusbandandwife.Thismanhasdisappearedandhasescapedfromthecountry.ItissuggestivethatAnthonyisnotacommonnameinEngland,whileAntonioissoinallSpanishorSpanish-Americancountries.Theman,likeMrs.Stapletonherself,spokegoodEnglish,butwithacuriouslispingaccent.IhavemyselfseenthisoldmancrosstheGrimpenMirebythepathwhichStapletonhadmarkedout.Itisveryprobable,therefore,thatintheabsenceofhismasteritwashewhocaredforthehound,thoughhemayneverhaveknownthepurposeforwhichthebeastwasused. “TheStapletonsthenwentdowntoDevonshire,whithertheyweresoonfollowedbySirHenryandyou.OnewordnowastohowIstoodmyselfatthattime.ItmaypossiblyrecurtoyourmemorythatwhenIexaminedthepaperuponwhichtheprintedwordswerefastenedImadeacloseinspectionforthewater-mark.IndoingsoIhelditwithinafewinchesofmyeyes,andwasconsciousofafaintsmellofthescentknownaswhitejessamine.Thereareseventy-fiveperfumes,whichitisverynecessarythatacriminalexpertshouldbeabletodistinguishfromeachother,andcaseshavemorethanoncewithinmyownexperiencedependedupontheirpromptrecognition.Thescentsuggestedthepresenceofalady,andalreadymythoughtsbegantoturntowardstheStapletons.ThusIhadmadecertainofthehound,andhadguessedatthecriminalbeforeeverwewenttothewestcountry. “ItwasmygametowatchStapleton.Itwasevident,however,thatIcouldnotdothisifIwerewithyou,sincehewouldbekeenlyonhisguard.Ideceivedeverybody,therefore,yourselfincluded,andIcamedownsecretlywhenIwassupposedtobeinLondon.Myhardshipswerenotsogreatasyouimagined,thoughsuchtriflingdetailsmustneverinterferewiththeinvestigationofacase.IstayedforthemostpartatCoombeTracey,andonlyusedthehutuponthemoorwhenitwasnecessarytobenearthesceneofaction.Cartwrighthadcomedownwithme,andinhisdisguiseasacountryboyhewasofgreatassistancetome.Iwasdependentuponhimforfoodandcleanlinen.WhenIwaswatchingStapleton,Cartwrightwasfrequentlywatchingyou,sothatIwasabletokeepmyhanduponallthestrings. “Ihavealreadytoldyouthatyourreportsreachedmerapidly,beingforwardedinstantlyfromBakerStreettoCoombeTracey.Theywereofgreatservicetome,andespeciallythatoneincidentallytruthfulpieceofbiographyofStapleton’s.IwasabletoestablishtheidentityofthemanandthewomanandknewatlastexactlyhowIstood.ThecasehadbeenconsiderablycomplicatedthroughtheincidentoftheescapedconvictandtherelationsbetweenhimandtheBarrymores.Thisalsoyouclearedupinaveryeffectiveway,thoughIhadalreadycometothesameconclusionsfrommyownobservations. “BythetimethatyoudiscoveredmeuponthemoorIhadacompleteknowledgeofthewholebusiness,butIhadnotacasewhichcouldgotoajury.EvenStapleton’sattemptuponSirHenrythatnightwhichendedinthedeathoftheunfortunateconvictdidnothelpusmuchinprovingmurderagainstourman.Thereseemedtobenoalternativebuttocatchhimred-handed,andtodosowehadtouseSirHenry,aloneandapparentlyunprotected,asabait.Wedidso,andatthecostofasevereshocktoourclientwesucceededincompletingourcaseanddrivingStapletontohisdestruction.ThatSirHenryshouldhavebeenexposedtothisis,Imustconfess,areproachtomymanagementofthecase,butwehadnomeansofforeseeingtheterribleandparalyzingspectaclewhichth