The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-20
HIS OWN BETRAYER.
BIZ An Ex-FNal1su DETECTIVE.

HIS OWN BEIRAYER.
BY AN Ex-RSGLIsH DETECTIVE.
lt1s now many years ago since l
ind my conirade Joyce were sent TO u
village IN II OF the southern counties
Of Englandsto discover u certain person
who had robted the squire of the place
u a large sum OF money. Our instruc.
lions M.ere to stay there till we sue
seeded: and as the squire was wealthy
and grudgeL no expense, we made
Ourd dwelling in q quiet farm house
where there YVES plenty TO amuse us
u u leisure intervals. We were
quite alone. with the exception of an
Did woman who did the domestic
work and minded the house when we
we're away On duty.
Well, we found tho thief to be q dis
charged footman, whose knowledge
pf the locality had hitherto saved him
from detection, though we proved
much too sharp tor him in the end. 1
need mot trouble you with his after
late. Enough, that l am about to re-
late an event which happened before
he was arrested, and in which l was
accidentally concerned in q very curl
Gus way.
We had made two acquaintanoes
b the our OF our walks abroad.
One was a retired farmer named
Branwell, who lived all by himself
about a mile of. He was q bachelor,
whose relations were said to have
luarreiled with him, but nobody
seemed to know the exact truth, or to
care much about it either. l ascer-
tanned that the first week l was there.
h other acquaintance was named
Cole, and had been a farrler, or some
thing of the kind. 1 had heard of
this Cole as incurably irritable and
morose. and am FREQ to confess that
eumor had not belied him. However,
ne made point of being very civil
Whenever we met him. and would
never letfus pass his cottage without
speaking TO us. He was a heavy
browed man, and his eyes had a
strange iiimy look which always re-
PEELED ME when l met his gaze. l do
not believe he liked me; 1 certainly
did not like him.
Joyce and were sitting one even
ing smoking ourpipes, when I casually
remarked that l.had not seen Bran
well for the last fortnight.
"Neither have l." said Joyce.
That is odd," remarked. 81
think I'll 30 to his cottage tonight.
He may DO in, you know"
I'm goswith you, Elder
lyon had better stay here and let
me go alone" / SAID. HE might
fancy it an intrusion if we both went
together"
Joyce's attentive face relaxed.
.ies. / understand" he answered.
Suppose, then, / follow you In halt
An hour. and meet you outside the cot
tagep Don't refuse me-, Elder, for
won't have it"
So it vas settled. / put on my hat
and started ut a brisk pace down the
road, keep NJ steadily on between tho
black ne Of hedges on one side, and
the open fields on the other. 1t was
ugly night. the wan moon shone at
Intervals through drifting clouds, and
the air was progressively heavy.
Preached the heath; 1 mounted the
there was the cottage, its
gray roof showing dimly against the
sky. The door was unfastened, and
yielded easily to my touch.
] waited q minute and then went in.
Having no lantern, / strucka match
and as it fiared up l saw a piece of
candle on tho window ledge beside me.
l lit the candle, and holding it above
my head advanced slowly into the
middle OF the room. The light showed
me . broken chair, an overturned
table and n bed.
On that bed lay q dead man, whom
l at once identified rs Branwell.
How had he come by his death?
Judging by the gaping. wound in his
throat, he had been fouily nurdered.
and then placed there exactly as / saw
him. ] know not how it was, but the
thought OF suicide never occurred to
for 9 moment. No; l was rs GER
tain he had been slain as IL | had Wit
messed the deed myself. The disor.
dered appearance OF the furniture, the
dark stains on the bed and floor-all
told OF a struggle, who shall a how
fierce and cruel?
no longer hesitated as to the proper
course to. pursue. Before ANYTHING in
the place was disturbed, it was nv
duty to report the occurrence at the
farm and let others doodle what I
should do next.
As these thoughts passed through
any mind. I suddenly folt a breath Of
cold air behind me. and the candle
was knocked out OF my hand.
What did it meanP l had heard no
sound but my own footstep; l had
nothing but the dead man. The
candle was still pickering on the
ground where it fell. Before / could
reach it. u foot striding out Of tho
gloom trod it iiercely down. and the
whole chamber was sunk in darkness.
Istood helpless. like one turned to
stone. All at once there rose, in the
silence, the weird howl of a be-
nighted dog. When this ceased, the
next thing ] remember was a knock.
ing at the door, and the cheerful voice
of Joyce calling me by name.
Come in. for PHYS snke!, / cried.
Il shall go out OF my senses If stop
here much longer" q
STEADY, Elder-what's amissp
Hold mp q second
He bad brought his lantern with