Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-08-05
CHAPTER Nv.

loo, ana tllcy accomplished the Journey
almost in silence. The porter at the hotel
informed him that The detective had been
there that morning. and would probably
call the meNi. but his coming and going
were extremely uncertain. Egerton had
therefore left II notc for him.
When they reached PASSPORT the WELL
known common WAS half hidden By thick
sheets of rain sweeping before IL wild
SOUTHEASTERN. while the heavy. lcadcn-col-
oic,l. threatening waves Numbered along
the beach.
Neither uttered the thoughts which the
sight of the familiar place conjurcd up
in both. 0nrc Il sigh so deep as TO be all
most Il moan. broke from E,erton, and
he said in Il hoarsc tone: What an end
Ing io ii ALL"
-Aftcr Il short halt Mt the hotel they
drove 10 The office of TIE lawyer who had
been instructed TO act for Col. Callandcr,
should his offer of IL reward produce any
result.
MIR. Briggs was Il short. dulnpy man.
with whiSlicrs meeting under his chin,
and Il round, jov!al face. lie rolled some
villa; i'll his wali-indeei, CAV strangers
the impression of being Il scn-going so
licitor.
He was Il little exalted in his own cs-
TEEN by being mixed up with such swells
as Siaiilisl, and Egerton. and by the sort
of halo the whole business had cast
around him. He received them cordially.
VERY glad to see you, gentlemen! The
man-Tom Rilson-alout whom l wrote,
has net come yet. hut he will he here
presently. | don't know that what lie has
to tell is of much Importance. Step into
my private office"
AS he threw an inner door open. a
sailor of ordinary type presented himself
at The entrance of the office.
"Oh. there you are, Ritson! Come
along
They all went into the private room,
where Stana!sh at once took IL chair. Es-
crton remained standing. and the lawyer
rrtreatel L" his usual fortress, the arm
clair behind his kncc-holc table.
The sailor, holding his cap in both
hands somewhat %ncrvorisiy. but with :al
air of some Importance, kept rather close
To the door.
Come. l%titson," said the lawyer, "tell
these gentlemen your story"
RitSon shifted from one foot to the
other. We'll, sir" he began. this was
the way of it. You see. I'm an Eastport
man, and l shipped aboard the Macedo-
llIi, Oue Ol tllt SplulllcECldI ClcSllI ANuNl-
Cation C~ompany's ships, in London Dock
i'll September last. We put in here for a
day and a night, and l had leave to go
and see some of my friends as live out
Westdcnc way, but l WAS to be ut my
post ut seven next morning, as we were
to sail with the tide"
lIgerton muttered IL Northumberland ex-
clamatior of Impotence. and Briggs said
niDlII. s{yOmN got ON my man,
II must tell you it all from beginning
to end" lie said, "or | can't do it no way
"(,ivc him his head" murlmured Stand
ish in Il low tone.
"So." continued Ritson. ''as my aunt's
husband WAS a %jovial. ~llospitahlc chap. l
thought Id not stay there all night, for
maybe I'D drink Il drop too much and
overs,erp myself. We sat talkin' and
chat,in' till past midnight. Then l says
.ood-bY and started to walk into East
port. | had had Il drop. hut only Il drop.
knew what l was about. 1t was dark
when l set out. but by am by the moon
rose. anl by the time l struck the top of
the common there was plenty of light.
%,ilorgli every now and again Il big cloud
wou,d come sailing across the moon.
When / :.ut alongside Il pretty bit of a
lcl>r. ike first yen come 10 after crossing
Me ssul-hiiis from Wcstlcue. l thought
how uu:.t and comfortable everything
looked. and Thought there was Il fain,
g!;nmcr OF light in enc of the lower win
Iows. nigh the near end of the house
Willie I VAS looking and thinking Il figure
comes CIT of II gate nj the side of the
house. carrying Il short ladder on his
shoulder. He put ii down and stood Will
one ANN round it. through the rungs, a:
ii Thinking what he'd do next. There WA:
something so quiet and steadfast ill lii
way that it never struck me he could b,
after amy mischief. though it did seem
hit queer his heing there with a ladder n
;ha, hour. just then the Enstport clock
chimcd out tlree-Quarters-l guessed j
must he quarter To two. and that l haa
hes, make for the town as fast as
could. When l got Il few PAGES off I turn
ed and looked back. but not Il sign of tn
man or the ladder could l see. l got int,
the old Mermaid Tavern, and to bed
Next morning VT sailed"
''l)o You remember the date of this oC
currcncc!" asked Briggs.
ii do. sir. 1t was the twcnty-sccond q
September and the birthday of my aunt
youngest hoy, so we drank an extra glas
of grog To his health. OF course | though
no more about it. We had an uncommo
rough passage across the bay, and we,
Obliged to put into G;ibraltar to ref
Then we Went OF TO Constantinoplc, frol
tlin, to Port Said. and back. and l W.
left behind in hospital. Altogether l ha,
been over SIX months ont Of England, fl
anne home as third officer of Il sma
sailing ship, and it was II terrible slo
tub"
.Vvhcn did you land llerc?' ask,
Stamdisi.
-Four days ago, sir. Then I heard of Il
murder. and the reward. so l came alol
here to tell what l had seen that Nigh
and you can take it all for what it
WORTH"
What was the man like-tic man y
saw with the LADDER continued Stan
ish.
"A tall, straight kind of a chap, abo
-" He paused and gazed hard at +
erton. "About that gentleman's heig
and build"
Egcrton drew himself up to his 4