Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-08-12
BY CONAN DOYLE.

ION your head be it, Alicev' cried her
mother; and then, turning to me, i
will tell you all. sir. Do not imagine
that my agitation on behalf Of my
son arises from any fear lest he should
have had a hand in the terrible affair.
He is utterly innocent of it. My dread
is, however, that in your eyes, and the
eyes of others, he may appear to be
compromised His high character, his
profession, his antecadentS, would all
forbid it,"
"'Your best way is to make clean
breast Of the facts I answered. De
pend upon it, if your son Is innocent he
will be none the worse
Perhaps, Alice, you had better
leave us together she said, and her
daughter withdrew. Now, SIR she con-
tinued, I had no intention of telling
you all this. but since NV poor dangh-
tel has disclosed it, have no alterna
tive. Haying once decided TO speak,
/ will tell you all without emitting
any particular.
est is your wiseSt course said I.
Mr.. Drebber has been with us near
ly three weeks. He and his secretary,
Mr.. Stangerson. had been travelling on
the continent. l noticed "COpenha-
gen" label upon each of their trunks,
showing that that had been their last
stopping place. Stangerson was
quiet reserved man, but his employer,
A am sorry to say, was far otherwise.
He was coarse in his habits and brut-
ish in his ways. The very night Of
his arrival he became very much the
worse for drink, and, indeed, after II
o'clock in the day he could. hardly ever
be said to be sober. His manner to-
ward the maid servants was disgusting
ly free and familiar. Worst Of all, he
speedily assumed the same attitude to-
ward my daughter, Alice, and spoke to
her more than once in way which,
fortunately, she is too innocent
to understand On one occasion he ac-
trally seized her in his arms and en-
braced her-an outrage which caused
his unmanly conduct
:" But why did you stand all this?'
/ asked. I suppose that you can get
rid Of your boarders when you wish
Mrs. Charnenticr blllshed at my
pertinent question. Would to God that
I had given him notice on the very
day that he came,' she said. But it
was q sore temptation. They were
and this is the slack season. ! am q
widow and my boy in the navy has
cost me much l grudged to lose the
money acted for the best This last
was too much, however, and l gave
him notice to leave on account of it.
That was the reason Of his going
:" My heart grew light when saw
him drive away. My son is on leave
n Il 4,,I1 Ii
thing of this, for his temper is violent,
and he is passionately fond of his sis
ter. When / closed the door behind
them load seemed to be lifted from
my mind Alas. in less than an hour,
there was a ring at the bell, and
learned that Mr.. Drebbcr had return
ed. He was much excited and evil
IDENTITY the worse for drink He fore
ed his way into the. room, where
was sitting with my daughter, and
made some incoherent remark about
having missed his train. He then turn
ed to Alice and, before my very face,
proposed to her that she should fly
with him. ''You are Of age" he said,
''and there is no law to stop you. I
have money enough and to spare. Nev-
er mind the old girl here. but come
along with me now straight away.
You shall live like a princess" Poor
Alice was so frightened that she
shrunk away from him, but he caught
her by the wrist and endeavored to
draw her toward the door screamed,
and at that moment my son Arthur
came into the room. What happened
then I do not know. / heard oathS
and the confused sounds of scufHe.
[ was too terrified to raise my head.
When / looked up I saw Arthur stand
ing in the doorway laughing, with
stick In his hand. II don't think that
fellow will trouble us again." he said.
IT will just go after him and see what
lie does with himself" With those
words he took his hat and started off
down the street. The next morning
we heard Of Mr.. Drebber's mysterious
death"
''This statement came from Mrs.
Charpentier's lips with many gasps
and pauses At times she spoke SO
low that I could hardly catch the
words I made short hand notes Of all
that she said, however, so that there
would be no possibility of a mistake"
Its quite exciting" said Sherlock
Holmes with a yaWn. what happen
ed neXtY
'When Mrs. Charpentier paused" the
detective continued, II saw that the
whole case hung upon one point. Fix
ing her with my eye in a way which
always found effective with women, I
asked her at what hour her son re-
turned"
I do not know she answered.
Not. known
sc No; he has a latch key, and he let
himself in
After you went to bed?'
Yes
when did you go to bed?
About eleven
/" so your son was gone at least
two hours%
g Yes
" Possibly four or five?
Yes
What was he doing during that
time?
L do not know" she answered,
turning white to her very lips