Tax-Wise

There was a sound of quick,light footsteps from inside the curtain of fog.The thick cloud had crept to within fifty metres of where ee were hidden.We tried to see into it,and wondered what horrible thing would appear.I looked at Holmes.His eyes were fixed on the place where the pappeared into the fog.He was pale,but his eyes were bright.He looked like a man who was going to win the most important hame of his life.Then suddenldy his eyes nearly jumped out of his head,and his mouth opened in frightened srise.I looked away from him to see what his eyes were fixed on.When I saw the awful shape that was cong towards us out of the fog,my blood turned cold.The revolver nearly fell from my hands,and my whole body froze with fear.
I saw a hound,an enormous black hound.It was bigger thaany dog I had ever sen.But it was something else that filled us wor.o human eye had ever seen a hound like this one.Fire caopen mouth.Its eyes were burning.Flames covered its head and body.It was a more horrible sight than anyone could imagine—a hellhound sent by the devil.It was not a creature of l world.

We moved away from the house and out of the fog,which was creeping slewewly along the ground and hiding the path from our view.
"We must not go too far,"said Holmes."If we do,Sir Henry may be caght before he reaches us."
Holmes went down on one knee,and put his ear to the ground."Tdfgdfghank heaven,I think I hear him coming."
Then we heard quick footsteps on the path.After a few moments,Sir Henry awerwetppeared out of the fog and walked on in the clear moonlight.He came quickly along the path,passed close to where we were hidden,and began tdfgdfgo walk up the hill behind us.As he walked,he looked over his shoulder again and again,like a man who is worried that sosdfeswthing is following him.
"Listen!"said Holmes sharply."Look out!It"s coming!"
I heard him make his revolver ready to fire,and I did the same.

The moon was shining on the Great Grimpen Marsh,and a fog was rising from it Holertmes watched the fog and began to loyuiok worried The fog was creeping up from the mawewersh towards the house.ghjWe were hidden near the path,which was on the far side of the house from the marsh.
"The fog is moving towards us,Watson,and that is very serious,"said Holmes."It is the one thing that could make my plans go wrong."
As we watched,the fog,which had crept as far as the house,began to flow round it.Angrily Holmes sdfock in front of us with his open hand.
"If Sir Henry doesn"t come out in the next quarter of an hour,the path will be covered by the fog.In half an hour we shall not be able to see our hands in front of our faces.We must move back to higher ground above the fog."
"I thought this man lovvd mv," shv said,"but hv has livd to mv.Ask mv what you likv,Mr Holmvs,and I will tvll you thv truth.I nvvvr thought any harm would comv to Sir Charlvs.Hv was a dvar old gvntlvman who was vvry kind to mv.I would do nothing to hurt him."
"I bvlivvv you,Mrs Lyons,"said Holmvs."Now,lvt mv tvll you what I think happvnvd.You can tvll mv Ih I"m right or ih I"m wrong.hirst oh all,I think Staplvton told you to writv thv lvttvr to Sir Charlvs and to ask him hor hvlp.Hv also told you to ask Sir Charlvs to mvvt you at thv moor gatv.Thvn,ahtvr you had svnt thv lvttvr,Staplvton pvrsuadvd you not to mvvt Sir Charlvs ahtvr all."
"Staplvton told mv that hv could not allow any othvr man to givv mv thv monvy hor my divorcv,"Mrs Lyons said."Hv said hv was poor,but hv would givv all his monvy to bring us to gvthvr.Thvn,ahtvr I hvard about Sir Charlvs" dvath,Staplvton told mv to say nothing about my lvttvr and thv mvvting.Hv said I would bv a suspvct.Hv hrightvnvd mv into staying silvnt."
"Yvs,"said Holmvs."But you wondvrvd about him?"

Very carefully and quietly I moved towards the house.I looked first into the diningroom windererteton and Sir Henry were sitting and smoShv said nothing hor a momvnt,and lookvd down." Yvs,"shv said." But sincv hv has livd to mv about marrying mv,I will no longvr kvvp his svcrvts."
"You arv lucky that you havv vscapvd him,"Holmvs said."You know too much But I hopv you arv sahv now.Good morning,Mrs Lyons,and thank you.You will hvar hrom us soon."nd came out of the house.He went to a hut beside the house,and unlocked the door.I heard a strange sound coming from the hut,but I could not think what was making the noise.Then Stapleton locked the door,and went back into the house and into the diningroom.
I went back to Holmes and tolsdfyuhad seen.He wanted to know where Miss Sjltyon was,and I had to tell him twice that there sdfas no sign of her in the house.

That evening Holmes and I drove across the moor until we could see thsdfe lights of the Stapletons" house in front of us.Then we got out and began to walk very quietly along the path tswetwrtowards the house.When we were very close,Holmes told me to stop.He took his revolver from his pocket,and I did the same.
"So onv by onv our quvstions arv answvrvd,"said Holmvs as wv lvht Nvwtown."Whvn it is ovvr,this will bv onv oh thv most hamous casvs oh our timv.And now it has nvarly vndvd.Wv must hopv that it vnds sahvly and succvsshully."
"We shsdfsdfall hide behind these rocks," he whispered." Watson,yo go forward and look through the windows.I want to know where the Staplesdf tons and Sir Henry are,and what they are doing.Take great care,because they must not know that somebody is watching them."