The Adventure of the Devils Foot | Page 9

eager voice whether he had made any advance
in his reconstruction of this mysterious episode. "The county police are utterly at fault,"
said he, "but perhaps your wider experience has suggested some conceivable explanation.
My only claim to being taken into your confidence is that during my many residences
here I have come to know this family of Tregennis very well--indeed, upon my Cornish
mother's side I could call them cousins--and their strange fate has naturally been a great
shock to me. I may tell you that I had got as far as Plymouth upon my way to Africa, but
the news reached me this morning, and I came straight back again to help in the inquiry."
Holmes raised his eyebrows.
"Did you lose your boat through it?"
"I will take the next."
"Dear me! that is friendship indeed."
"I tell you they were relatives."
"Quite so--cousins of your mother. Was your baggage aboard the ship?"
"Some of it, but the main part at the hotel."
"I see. But surely this event could not have found its way into the Plymouth morning
papers."
"No, sir; I had a telegram."
"Might I ask from whom?"
A shadow passed over the gaunt face of the explorer.
"You are very inquisitive, Mr. Holmes."
"It is my business."

With an effort Dr. Sterndale recovered his ruffled composure.
"I have no objection to telling you," he said. "It was Mr. Roundhay, the vicar, who sent
me the telegram which recalled me."
"Thank you," said Holmes. "I may say in answer to your original question that I have not
cleared my mind entirely on the subject of this case, but that I have every hope of
reaching some conclusion. It would be premature to say more."
"Perhaps you would not mind telling me if your suspicions point in any particular
direction?"
"No, I can hardly answer that."
"Then I have wasted my time and need not prolong my visit." The famous doctor strode
out of our cottage in considerable ill- humour, and within five minutes Holmes had
followed him. I saw him no more until the evening, when he returned with a slow step
and haggard face which assured me that he had made no great progress with his
investigation. He glanced at a telegram which awaited him and threw it into the grate.
"From the Plymouth hotel, Watson," he said. "I learned the name of it from the vicar, and
I wired to make certain that Dr. Leon Sterndale's account was true. It appears that he did
indeed spend last night there, and that he has actually allowed some of his baggage to go
on to Africa, while he returned to be present at this investigation. What do you make of
that, Watson?"
"He is deeply interested."
"Deeply interested--yes. There is a thread here which we had not yet grasped and which
might lead us through the tangle. Cheer up, Watson, for I am very sure that our material
has not yet all come to hand. When it does we may soon leave our difficulties behind us."
Little did I think how soon the words of Holmes would be realized, or how strange and
sinister would be that new development which opened up an entirely fresh line of
investigation. I was shaving at my window in the morning when I heard the rattle of
hoofs and, looking up, saw a dog-cart coming at a gallop down the road. It pulled up at
our door, and our friend, the vicar, sprang from it and rushed up our garden path. Holmes
was already dressed, and we hastened down to meet him.
Our visitor was so excited that he could hardly articulate, but at last in gasps and bursts
his tragic story came out of him.
"We are devil-ridden, Mr. Holmes! My poor parish is devil- ridden!" he cried. "Satan
himself is loose in it! We are given over into his hands!" He danced about in his agitation,
a ludicrous object if it were not for his ashy face and startled eyes. Finally he shot out his
terrible news.
"Mr. Mortimer Tregennis died during the night, and with exactly the same symptoms as

the rest of his family."
Holmes sprang to his feet, all energy in an instant.
"Can you fit us both into your dog-cart?"
"Yes, I can."
"Then, Watson, we will postpone our breakfast. Mr. Roundhay, we are entirely at your
disposal. Hurry--hurry, before things get disarranged."
The lodger occupied two rooms at the vicarage, which were in an angle by themselves,
the one above the other. Below was a large sitting-room; above, his bedroom. They
looked out upon a croquet lawn which came up to the windows. We had arrived before
the doctor or the police, so that everything was absolutely undisturbed. Let me describe
exactly the