hound of the baskervilles

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The hound of the Baskerville is a mystery novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a story about how a private investigator, Sherlock Holmes, and his partner Dr. Watson, are hired to solve the murder of Sir Charles Baskerville. While investigating clues about the murder, Holmes and Watson believe that it is more than just a murder. They start to believe that they need to investigate more about the Baskerville curse. The Baskerville curse was a story that Hugo, one of the Baskerville ancestors, invented to protect his fortune.The curse said that if you walked the moore after dark, the hound would come and kill you. With almost all the Baskerville family line gone, Stapleton, otherwise known as Rodger Baskerville Jr, learned of the curse and planned to murder the remaining Baskerville line. Holmes and Watson figured this out by a series of clues and events that went on through the book.

The most important clue that led to figuring out Stapleton was the source of the murders and the 2nd soul survivor of the Baskerville line, was the realization that Stapleton was in fact Rodger Baskerville Jr, Sir Charles Baskerville's nephew. Stapleton had come to town knowing that there were only 3 heirs left of the Baskervilles. This was figured out at dinner while Sir Henry Baskerville, Sherlock and Watson were admiring the portraits of the Baskervilles. Sir Henry gave a little background of each portrait. After everyone retired for the night, Sherlock and Watson went back to the banqueting-hall with a candle. Holding the candle to a picture of Hugo Baskerville, which Sherlock made Watson stare at he realized who shared a resemblance. ""Is it like anyone you know?" "There is something of Sir Henry about the jaw." "Just a suggestion, perhap...

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...utation to South America, where he was said to have died unmarried...." (Doyle, page 264, Chapter 15) In this part of the story, Sherlock Holmes explains that he knew from the point of seeing the family portrait, that Stapleton was responsible for the murder and the tall tale of the Baskerville curse.

In conclusion, the family portrait is the most important piece of evidence. Although it may seem that Stapletons wife could be a major piece of evidence, they would have never even been around to find her tied up, if it wasn't for the portrait they discovered. After finding the portrait this is when they started to keep a close eye on Stapleton. While watching him, they then seen that he had Sir Henry at his house for supper. At this point, all the other clues and evidence fell into place. Without finding the portrait, Rodgers identity would have never been discovered.

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