We are very rich in orchids on the moor, though, of course, you are rather late to see the beauties of the place.'
Stapleton had abandoned the chase and came back to us breathing hard and flushed with his exertions.
`Halloa, Beryl!' said he, and it seemed to me that the tone of his greeting was not altogether a cordial one.
`Well, Jack, you are very hot.'
`Yes, I was chasing a Cyclopides. He is very rare and seldom found in the late autumn. What a pity that I should have missed him!' He spoke unconcernedly, but his small light eyes glanced incessantly from the girl to me.
`You have introduced yourselves, I can see.'
`Yes. I was telling Sir Henry that it was rather late for him to see the true beauties of the moor.'
`Why, who do you think this is?'
`I imagine that it must be Sir Henry Baskerville.'
`No, no,' said I. `Only a humble commoner, but his friend. My name is Dr. Watson.'
A flush of vexation passed over her expressive face. `We have been talking at cross purposes,' said she.
`Why, you had not very much time for talk,' her brother remarked with the same questioning eyes.
`I talked as if Dr. Watson were a resident instead of being merely a visitor,' said she. `It cannot much matter to him whether it is early or late for the orchids. But you will come on, will you not, and see Merripit House?'
A short walk brought us to it, a bleak moorland house, once the farm of some grazier in the old prosperous days, but now put into repair and turned into a modern dwelling. An orchard surrounded it, but the trees, as is usual upon the moor, were stunted and nipped, and the effect of the whole place was mean and melancholy. We were admitted by a strange, wizened, rusty-coated old manservant, who seemed in keeping with the house. Inside, however, there were large rooms furnished with an elegance in which I seemed to recognize the taste of the lady. As I looked from their windows at the interminable granite-flecked moor rolling unbroken to the farthest horizon I could not but marvel at what could have brought this highly educated man and this beautiful woman to live in such a place.
`Queer spot to choose, is it not?' said he as if in answer to my thought. `And yet we manage to make ourselves fairly happy, do we not, Beryl?'
`Quite happy,' said she, but there was no ring of conviction in her words.
`I had a school,' said Stapleton. `It was in the north country.
The work to a man of my temperament was mechanical and uninteresting, but the privilege of living with youth, of helping to mould those young minds, and of impressing them with one's own character and ideals was very dear to me. However, the fates were against us. A serious epidemic broke out in the school and three of the boys died. It never recovered from the blow, and much of my capital was irretrievably swallowed up. And yet, if it were not for the loss of the charming companionship of the boys, I could rejoice over my own misfortune, for, with my strong tastes for botany and zoology, I find an unlimited field of work here, and my sister is as devoted to Nature as I am. All this, Dr. Watson, has been brought upon your head by your expression as you surveyed the moor out of our window.'
`It certainly did cross my mind that it might be a little dull - less for you, perhaps, than for your sister.'
`No, no, I am never dull,' said she quickly.
`We have books, we have our studies, and we have interesting neighbours.
Dr. Mortimer is a most learned man in his own line. Poor Sir Charles was also an admirable companion. We knew him well and miss him more than Ican tell. Do you think that I should intrude if I were to call this afternoon and make the acquaintance of Sir Henry?'
`I am sure that he would be delighted.'
`Then perhaps you would mention that I propose to do so. We may in our humble way do something to make things more easy for him until he becomes accustomed to his new surroundings. Will you come upstairs, Dr.
