The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-08
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
Tn odgmlst 0 Gt thor Eyh

Eyes, the lodge-keeper brought it up.
You said that you wished to see me here
to avoid scandal a,
: T thought people would talk III went
And why did you wish to see me?" He
looked across at my companion with de-
spair In his weary eyes, as tho his ques-
ton was already answered.
Yes, said Holmes. answering the look
rather than the words. 'It is so. 1 know
all about Mccarthy
The old man sank his face in his hands.
God help mel he cried. ''But would
harm. I give you my word that would
have spoken out II it went against him
at the assizes." ~
Il am glad to hear you say So" said
II would have spoken now had. it not
been for my dear girl. 1t would break
her heart-it will break her heart when
she hears that am arrested"
ut may not come to that" said Holmes.
i what" L
IT am no official agent /. I understand
| that 1t was your daughter who required
| my presence here, and am acting in her
7 off, however," 49,
81 am dying man." said old Turner.
II have had diabetes for years: My doc
tor says it is a question whether I shall
| live month. Yet would rather die un-
der nay own roof than in JAIL"
Holmes rose and sat down at the table
With his pen IN MS hand ana "a, bundle t% Ea
| truth" he said. II shall jot down the
facts. You will sign it, and Watson here
can witness It, Than could produce
save young Mccarthy. promise you
that shall not use it unless 1t Is abso-
utely needed" ." t
"It's as weu'' said the old man; cts
a question whether shall live TO the as
sizes, SO. it matters little to me, but !
now will make the thing clear to you:
it has been long time in the acting, but
will not take me long to tell.
Carthy. He was devil incarnate. tell
you that God keep you out OF thS
clutches Of such man as he. His grin
has been upon me these twenty years. and
J, he has blasted my ife. III tell you first
how I came to be in his power.
"It was in the early sixties at the dig
gings. was a young chap then. not
I blooded and reckless ready to turn my
2 hand at anything; got among bad COM
: panions, took to drink. had no luck with
, my claim. took to the bush. and in a word
became what you would call over here
: and we had a wild. free life, of it, sticking
D up station from time to time, or stop
r. ping the wagons on the road to the dig
2 gings. Black Jack Of Ballarat was the
l remembered in the colony as the Ballarat
Gang.
Zone day a gold convoy came down
from Balarat to Melbourne. and we lay
4 in wait for it and attacked it. There were
4 six troopers and six Of us, so 1t was
r close thing, but we emptied four OF
}, their saddles at the first volley. Three
t of our boys were killed, however; before
we got the swag. I put my pistol to the
head Of the wagon driver. who was this
e very man Mccarthy. I wish to the Lord
: that had shot him then. but spared
h him, tho saw his wicked little eyes fixed
n on my face, as tho to remember every
s feature. We got away with the gold, be-
g came wealthy men,, and made our way
g over to England without being suspected.
g There I parted from my old pals and de,
Il termined to- settle down to a quiet and
ii respectable life. I bought this estate.
n which CHANGED to be in the market and
g money, to make up for the way in which
" I had earned it. married. too. and tho
my wife died young she left me my dear
n little Alice. Even when she was Just a
Is baby her wee hand seemed to lead me
re-, down the right path as nothing else had
,e ever done. In word. I turned over a
- new leaf and did my best to make up for
the past All was vas going well we when NC
is II had gone up to town about an IN
a vestment and met him in Regent street
m , with hardly a coat to his back or boot
g. to his foot.
IN - Here we are, JaCk, says nc,
ing me on the arm; well be as good as
a family to you. There's two of us. me
err and my son, and you can have the Keep
IN ing of us. If you don't--its a fine, law
abiding country is Enganq ha ana
err "Well, down they came to the West
d. country. there was no shaking them on
and there they have lived rent free on my
, for me, no peace. no forgetfulness; turn
an where I would, there was his cunning
hit grinning face at my elbow. 1t grew
to worse as Alice grew up, FOR ne soon saw q,
past than the police. Whatever ne
wanted, he must have. and whatever !,
ad was I gave him without question, land
lv money, houses. until at last he asked fol
as a thing which could not give fie asNeo
as for Alice.
tv' '.IIis son, you see. had grown up ane
le- so had my girl. and as l was known tt
IS be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke
: " to him that his lad should step into INT
- whole property But there was hrm
,s- | I would not have his cursed stock mixet
ed with mine; not that had any dislike 10
sra the lad, but his blood was in him, ant
that was enough I stood firm. McCar
thy threatened. braved him to do hi
~ worst. We were to meet at the pool MID
ed way between our houses 70 iai faInd o bin
itv talking with his son. so smoked clga
and waited behind tree until ne smoui
he alone. But as listened to his talk a
led that was black anu DltLST III
to come uppermost He was urging n,
-h+ son to marry my daughter with as htti
his1 regard for what she might think as
ola she were slut from off the streets.
drove me mad to think that and all ina
T held most dear should be In the po"e
Of such a man as this Could l not sna
POO the bond? I was already dying ana
Je | desperate man. Tho clear OF nina an
use fairly strong Of limb, I knew that nl
own fate was sealed. But my memor
and nv girl! Both could be saved II
no could but silence that foul tongue. al
&c, 41 - Mr. Holmes L would do, 1t agah
u uns Deenly as / have sinned, ] have led
~ life NJ martyrdom to atone for II. %,
I'M anu that nv girl should be entangled IN tf
~ ~ sane me she's which held me was more Una
10 could suffer, I struck him down with \
the more compunction than II he NAG pee
,rad some foul and venomous beast. ms u
,ich brought back his son; but l mad gains
hoe the cover Of the wood, tho was iorce
tan | 70 90 back to fetch the CLOAK Wnlcn
me had dropped in my flight: Ihat IS u
tile true story, gentlemen. OF all tnat o.
'ent Cured" l.. .,,de. you
NV ia tIn1mes. as the old man signed Il
,mp statement which had been drawn ons.
X. pray that we may never Dc e~pnse0
Iety such a temptation. .4 Al -.
II pray not, sir. And what 90 y
,een MN. .sIn view OF your health. nothing; \.
der. are yourself aware that you WIZ on
Off have to answer for your deco az ni ~. -
de, court than the assizes l VIII Keep W W