Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-04-06
CHAPTER VI.

Our prisoners furious resistance die
not apparently indicate any ferocity
in his disposition toward ourselves, fol
on finding himself powerless he smiled
in an affable manner, and expressed
his hopes that he had not hurt any o1
us in the scuffle. Il guess you're go
ing to take me to the police station,
he remarked to Sherlock Holmes. MY
cabs at the door. If you'll loose my
legs I'll walk down to it. I'm not Sc
light to lift as used to be-"
Gregson and Lestrade exchanged
glances as if they thought this propo
sition rather a bold one; but Holme:
at once took the prisoner at his word
and loosened the towel which he haG
bound round his ankles. He rose and
stretched his legs, as though to assure
himself that they were free once more
/ remember that | thought to myself
as eyed him, that / had seldom seer
a more powerfully built man: and his
dark, sunburned face bore an express
sion of determination and energy
which was as formidable as his person
al strength
IF there's a vacant place for a chief
of the police, reckon you are the mar
for it." he said, gazing with undis
guised admiration at my fellow-lodger
''The way you kept on my trail was a
caution"
''You had better come with me,
said Holmes to the two detectives.
81 can drive you," said Lestrade.
"GoodI and Gregson can come inside
with me. You too, doctor; you have
taken an interest in the case, and may
as well stick to u.s."
/ assented gladly, and we all de-
scended together. Our prisoner made
no attempt at escape, but stepped
calmly into the cab which had been
his, and we followed him. Lestrade
mounted the box, whipped up the
horse, and brought US in very short
time to our destination. We were
ushered into a small chamber, where
q police inspector noted down our
prisoners name and the names of
the men with whose murder he had
been charged. The official was a
white-faced, Unconditional man, who
went through his duties in a dull, me-
chanical way. 'The prisoner will be
put before the magistrates in the
course of the week." he said: Sin the
meantime, Mr.. jefferson Hope, have
you anything that you wish to say? L
must warn you that your words will be
taken down and may be used against
you.
'I've got good deal to say" our
prisoner said slowly. 81 want to tell
you gentlemen all about it."
Hadn't you better reserve that for
your trial2' asked the inspector.
81 may never be tried" he answered.
"You needn't look startled. 1t isn't
suicide I am thinking of. Are you a
doctor?" He turned his fierce, dark eyes
upon me as he asked this last question.
Eyes, am," answered.
''Then put your hand here" he said,
with a smile, motioning with his
manacled wrists toward his chest.
/ did SO, and became at once con-
scious of an extraordinary throbbing
which was going on inside. The walls
of his chest seemed to thrill and quiver
as a frail building would do inside
which some powerful engine was at
work. In the silence of the room l
could hear a dull humming and buzz
zing noise which proceeded from the
same source.
why" cried, you have an aortic
aneurism!"
That's what they call it," he said,
placidly. II went to a doctor last
week about it, and he told me that it
was bound TO burst before many days
passed. II has been getting worse for
years. l got it from over-exposure
and under-feeding among the Salt lake
mountains I've done my work now,
and don't'ca how soon | go, but
should like to leave some account of
the business behind me. l don't want
to be remembered as a common cut
throat"
The inspector and the two detectives
had hurried discussion as to the adj
visibility of allowing him to tell his
story.
"Do you consider, doctor, that there
is immediate danger?" the former
asked.
''Most certainly there is" I an
swered.
SIN that case it is clearly our duty,
in the interests of justice, to take his
statement" said the inspector. "You
are at liberty, sir, to give your ac-
count, which again warn you will be
taken down"
''Tll sit down, with your leave" the
prisoner said, suiting the action to the
word. This aneurism of mine makes
me easily tired, and the tussle we had
half an hour ago has not mended mat
ters. I'm on the brink of the grave,
and | am not likely to lie to you.
Every word say is the absolute truth,
and how you use it is a matter of no
consequence to me-"
With these words, Jefferson Hope
leaned back in his chair and began the
following remarkable statement. He
spoke in a calm and methodical man
ner, as though the events which he
narrated were commonplace enough.
/ can vouch for the accuracy of the
subjoined account, for / have had ac-
cess to Lestrade's notebook, in which
the prisoners words were taken down
exactly as they were uttered.
''It don't much matter to you why
hated these men," he said; ''it's enough
that they were guilty of the death Of
two human beings-a father and a
daughter-and that they had, there
fore, forfeited their own lives. After
the lapse of time that has passed since
their crime, it was impossible for me
to secure conviction against them in
any court / knew of their guilt,
though, and determined that should
be judge, jury and executioner all
rolled into one. You'd have done the
same, if you have any manhood in you,
If you had been in my place.
THAT girl that / spoke of was to
have married me twenty years ago.
She was forced into marrying that
same Drebber, and broke her heart
over it. took the marriage ring from
her dead finger and vowed that his
dying eyes should rest upon that very
ring and that his last thoughts should
be of the crime for which he was pun.
ished. l have carried it about with me
and have followed him and his ac.
complice over two continents until
caught them. They thought to tire
me out, but they could not do it. If
die tomorrow, as is likely enough, l
die knowing that my work in this
world is done, and well done They
have perished, and by my hand. There
is nothing left for me to hope for or to
desire.
'sThey were rich and T yvas moor So
that it was no easy matter for me to
follow them. When | got to London
my pocket was about empty and