Chapter 10
From Dr. Watson's Diary
October 16th
After Breakfast today, Barrymore spoke to sir Henry in his study. After a while I was called in.
"Barrymore thinks it was unfair of us to go after his brother-in-law."
The butler stood there pale but calm.
"Let me explain, Barrymore," Sir Henry said. "We had to go after him because he's very dangerous and may hurt someone living on the moor. No one's sage until he's caught."
"Sir, I promise you he won't do anything criminal. In a few day he'll be on a ship to south America. Please don't tell the police. He'll wait quietly till the ship is ready."
"What do you say, Watson?"
"If he leaves the country, it's no problem," I replied.
"All right, Barrymore" Sir henry said.
"I really thank you, sir. If he's caught again, my wife would be broken-hearted."
Barrymore was so grateful that he told us something new about his master's death. He said sir Charles had waited at the gate so late at night to meet a woman. A letter in a woman's handwriting had come from the village of Coombe Tracey on the morning of sir Charles's death. Since it was the only letter that came that day, he remembered it clearly. Not long ago his wife was cleaning Sir Charles's study and found piece of the letter in the fireplace. It was not totally burned and read: "Please burn this letter and wait for me at the gate at ten o'clock - L.L."
"And you don't know who L.L. is?" I asked Barrymore.
"No idea, sir. But if we find the lady, we'll learn more about sir Charles death."
"Why, didn't you tell us before, Barrymore?"
"After my wife found the letter, my brother-in-law came, and then I forgot about it. Besides, since a lady is involved, I thought it best to be careful."
I sat with sir Henry and discussed what to do next.
"If we find L.L., it should clear up the mystery," he said.
"Yes, let me write and tell Homes. I think he'll come here soon."
I wrote the report in the hope of seeing Holmes very soon.
October 17th
A whole day of cold rain. As looked at the bleak moor outside I thought about the two men out in the wild. The convict was there suffering for his sins, and maybe the lonely watcher on the hilltop was outside too. In the evening I put on a raincoat and went out for a long walk on the moor. The sky was dark with cloud and a strong wind blew. I walked over to Black Tor, the hilltop where I had seen the stranger, but it was empty. On the way back, Dr. Mortimer's carriage came by and he offered me a ride home.
I asked him if he knew a woman whose initials were L.L. After thinking for a few minutes, he said, "Well, there's Laura Lyons. But she lives in Coombe Tracey."
"Who's she?" I asked.
"She's Frankland's daughter. She marries an artist called Lyons but they weren't happy and he soon left her. Old Frankland didn't want her back home because she married against his wishes."
"So how does she live?"
"Her father doesn't have much money to give her. Some of us tried to help her. Stapleton, Sir Charles and I gave her some money to start a typewriting business."
Dr. Mortimer was getting curious about my questions, so I cleverly changed the subject. All my years with Holmes had taught me something! I would go to Coombe Tracey in the morning to see the mystery lady, Mrs. Laura Lyons.
From Dr. Watson's Diary
October 16th
After Breakfast today, Barrymore spoke to sir Henry in his study. After a while I was called in.
"Barrymore thinks it was unfair of us to go after his brother-in-law."
The butler stood there pale but calm.
"Let me explain, Barrymore," Sir Henry said. "We had to go after him because he's very dangerous and may hurt someone living on the moor. No one's sage until he's caught."
"Sir, I promise you he won't do anything criminal. In a few day he'll be on a ship to south America. Please don't tell the police. He'll wait quietly till the ship is ready."
"What do you say, Watson?"
"If he leaves the country, it's no problem," I replied.
"All right, Barrymore" Sir henry said.
"I really thank you, sir. If he's caught again, my wife would be broken-hearted."
Barrymore was so grateful that he told us something new about his master's death. He said sir Charles had waited at the gate so late at night to meet a woman. A letter in a woman's handwriting had come from the village of Coombe Tracey on the morning of sir Charles's death. Since it was the only letter that came that day, he remembered it clearly. Not long ago his wife was cleaning Sir Charles's study and found piece of the letter in the fireplace. It was not totally burned and read: "Please burn this letter and wait for me at the gate at ten o'clock - L.L."
"And you don't know who L.L. is?" I asked Barrymore.
"No idea, sir. But if we find the lady, we'll learn more about sir Charles death."
"Why, didn't you tell us before, Barrymore?"
"After my wife found the letter, my brother-in-law came, and then I forgot about it. Besides, since a lady is involved, I thought it best to be careful."
I sat with sir Henry and discussed what to do next.
"If we find L.L., it should clear up the mystery," he said.
"Yes, let me write and tell Homes. I think he'll come here soon."
I wrote the report in the hope of seeing Holmes very soon.
October 17th
A whole day of cold rain. As looked at the bleak moor outside I thought about the two men out in the wild. The convict was there suffering for his sins, and maybe the lonely watcher on the hilltop was outside too. In the evening I put on a raincoat and went out for a long walk on the moor. The sky was dark with cloud and a strong wind blew. I walked over to Black Tor, the hilltop where I had seen the stranger, but it was empty. On the way back, Dr. Mortimer's carriage came by and he offered me a ride home.
I asked him if he knew a woman whose initials were L.L. After thinking for a few minutes, he said, "Well, there's Laura Lyons. But she lives in Coombe Tracey."
"Who's she?" I asked.
"She's Frankland's daughter. She marries an artist called Lyons but they weren't happy and he soon left her. Old Frankland didn't want her back home because she married against his wishes."
"So how does she live?"
"Her father doesn't have much money to give her. Some of us tried to help her. Stapleton, Sir Charles and I gave her some money to start a typewriting business."
Dr. Mortimer was getting curious about my questions, so I cleverly changed the subject. All my years with Holmes had taught me something! I would go to Coombe Tracey in the morning to see the mystery lady, Mrs. Laura Lyons.
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