He is very well, thank you.

We were all rather afraid that after the sad death of Sir Charles the new baronet might refuse to live here. It is asking much of a wealthy man to come down and bury himself in a place of this kind, but I need not tell you that it means a very great deal to the country-side. Sir Henry has, I suppose, no superstitious fears in the matter?

I do not think that it is likely.

Of course you know the legend of the fiend dog which haunts the family?

I have heard it.

It is extraordinary how credulous the peasants are about here! Any number of them are ready to swear that they have seen such a creature upon the moor. He spoke with a smile, but I seemed to read in his eyes that he took the matter more seriously. The story took a great hold upon the imagination of Sir Charles, and I have no doubt that it led to his tragic end.

But how?

His nerves were so worked up that the appearance of any dog might have had a fatal effect upon his diseased heart. I fancy that he really did see something of the kind upon that last night in the Yew Alley. I feared that some disaster might occur, for I was very fond of the old man, and I knew that his heart was weak.

How did you know that?

My friend Mortimer told me.