Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-29

dawn, when we all started as q low
but sharp click came from the direction
Of the gate. Some one had entered the
drive. Again there was long silence.
and I had begun to fear that It was a
false alarm, when stealthy step was
heard upon the other side Of the hut,
and moment later metallic scraping
and clinking. The man was trying to
force the lock. This time his skill was
greater or his tool was better, for there
was sudden snap and the creak Of
the hinges. Then match was struck,
and next instant the steady light from
a candle filed the interior of the hut.
Through the gauzc curtain our eyes
were all rlveted upon the scene within.
The nocturnal visitor was young
man. frail and thin. with black mus.
tache. which intensified the deadly
pallor of his face He could not have
been much above twenty years Of age.
I have never seen any human being
who appeared to be in such pitiablc
fright, for his teeth were visibly chat
tering, and he was shaking in every
limb. lie was dressed like n gentle
man, in Norfolk jacket and knicker.
bockers, with cloth cap upon his
head. We watched him staring round
with frightened eyes. Then he laid
the candle end upon the table and dis
appeared from our view into one Of
the corners. lie returned with large
book. one Of the logbooks which form
ed line upon the shelves. Leaning on
the table, he rapidly turned over the
leaves of this volume until he came to
the entry which he sought. Then, with
an angry gesture Of his clinchcd hand,
corner and put out the light. He had
hardly turned to leave the hut when
Hopkins hand was on the fellows COL
lar, and heard his loud gasp Of ter
ror as he understood that he was taken.
The candle was relit. and there was
our wretched captive, shivering and
covering in the grasp of the detective.
ITe sank down upon the sea chest and
looked helplessly from one Of us to
the other
Now. my fine fellow" said Stanley
Hopkins. who are you and what dc
you want here!"
The man pulled himself together and
faced US with an effort at self compo-
sure.
You are detectives. I suppose" said
he. You imagine am connected with
the death Of Captain Peter Carey.
assure you that am innocent"
We'll see about that" said Hop.
kins. First Of all, what is your
Nance"
at is John Hopley Neligan."
saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange
a quick glance.
"What are you doing here?"
"Can speak confidentially"
mo, certainly not"
"Why should tell your
"lf you have no answer. it may 60
badly with you at the trial."
The young man WINGED.
"Well. will tell you" he snid.
"Why should not? And yet hate to
think of this old scandal gaining a
new lease Of life. Did you ever hear
Of Dawson & Neligan"
Il could see from Hopkins face that
he never had, but Holmes was keenly
interested.
you mean the west country bank
ers." said he. ''They failed for a mil.
lion. ruined half the county families
Of Cornwall and Neligan disappeared"
exactly. Nell gan was my father"
At last we were getting something
between en- abscOnding banker and
Captain Peter Carey pinned against
the wall with one of his own harpoons.
We all listened intently to the young
mans words.
ut was my father who was really
concerned. Dawson had retired.
was only ten years Of age at the time,
but was old enough to feel the shame
and horror of it all. 1t has always
been said that my father stole all the
securities and fed. 1t is not true. II
was his belief II he were given time in
which to realize them all would be
we'll and every creditor paid in full
He started in his little yacht for Nor
way just before the warrant was Is
sued for his arrest I can remember
that last night, when he babe farewell
to my mother. He left us list of the
securities he was taking. and he swOre
that he would come back with his
honor cleared and that none who had
trusted him would suffer Well, nc
word was ever heard from him again
Both the yacht and he vanished utter
~. We believed. my mother and
that lie and it, with the securities tina,
he had taken with him, were Mt the
bottom of the sea. We had a faithful
friend, however. who is bushes:
man. and 1t was he who discovered
some time ago that some Of the SO
curitics which my father had will
him had reappeared on the Londor
market. You can imagine our amaze
ment. spent months in trying t.
trace them. and Mt last, after many
doubtings and difficulties, I discovered
that the original seller had been Cap
tain Peter Carey, the owner Of THU
but.
Naturally, made some inquiries
about the man. found that lie hat
been In command of whaler which
was due to return from the arctic sea,
at the very time when my father wal
crossing to Norway. The autumn O
that year was stormy one. and there