Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-23

Because then, again, she would have
l left me. and ! couldn't bear To face
that Even IL she couldn't dove me it
was a great deal to me just TO see her
/ dainty form about the house and 10
I bear tie sound OF her voice
Well" said l. you ci.ll that love,
| Mr. Carruthers, but / should call it
selfishness.
Maybe the two things go together.
/ Anyhow. l couldn't let her go. Be
sides. with this crowd about il was
well that she should have some one
| near TO look after her Then. when the
/ cable came. l knew they We're bound
to make move"
| What cable:''
| Carruthers took telegram from his
| pocket
That's IL" said he
| II was short and concise:
THE old man is dead
Hum said Holmes. Il think l see
I how things worked, and ] can under
| stand how this message would. as You
| say. bring them 10 4 head. But while
| you wait you might tell me what YOU
| can
/ burst into volley of bad Language.
BY heaven said he, If you squeal
| ON US. Bob Carruthers, I'll serve you as
! you served Jack Woodley. You can
| bleat about tho girl TO your hearts
| content, for that's your own affair, but
/ If you round on your pals To this plain
! clothes copper it will be the worst
| days work that ever you did
Your reverence need not be excit-
/ ed" said Holmes. lighting Il cigarette.
1 The case is clear enough against you,
| and all | ask is a few details for my
! private curiosity. However, If there's
/ any difficulty in your telling me III do
| the talking. and then you will see how
/ far You have u chance of holding back
| your secrets. In the first place. three
| Of you came from South Africa on this
game-you. Williamson: you, Carruth-
| ers. and Woodley."
Lie number one" said the old man.
Il never saw either Of them until two
months ago. and | have never been in
Africa in my life. SO you can put that
i'll your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Busy
body Holiness
What he says is true" said Car
ruthers.
We'll, well. two of you came over.
His reverence Is our own homemade
article You had known Ralph Smith
in South Africa. You had reason TO
believe he would not live long. You
found out that his niece would inherit
his fortune. How's at-eh?'
Carruthers nodded and Williamson
swOre
she was next of kin, no doubt. and
you were aware that the old fellow
would make no WILL
Couldn't read or write" said Car
ruthers
so you came over, the two of you,
and hunted up the girl. The idea was
that one of you was TO marry her and
the other have II share of the plumber.
For some reason Woodley was chosen
as the husband. Why was that"
we played cards for her on the
voyage. He won"
Il see. You got the young lady into
your service and there WoodIey was
10 do the counting. She recognized the
drunken brute that he was and would
have nothing 10 do with him. Mean
while your arrangement was rather up
set by the fact that you had yourself
fallen in love with the lady. You
could no longer bear the idea of this
ruffian owning herr"
NO, by George. ! couldn't
There was quarrel between you.
He left you in Il rage and began to
make his own plans independently of
YOU
at strikes me- Williamson. there
isn't very much that we can tell this
gentleman" cried Carruthers. with a
bitter laugh. Yes. we Quarreled. and
he knocked me down. l am level with
him on that. anyhow. Then lost sight
Of him. That was when he picked up
with this east padre here. | found
that they had set up housekeeping to-
gether at this place on the line that
she had 10 pass for the station. ]
kept my eye on her after that, for i
knew there was some devilEy in the
wind. | saw them from time to time,
for | was anxious TO know what they
were after.
1.-TWO days ago WOOdley came up to
my house with this cable. which show
ed that Ralph Smith was dead. He ask
ed me if | would stand by the bargain.
l Salu WOuiu not. he dSheu me II i
would marry the girl myself and give
him share. | said ! would willingly
do SO, but that she would not have the.
He said, Let us get her married first,
and after Il week or two she may see
things Il bit different l said l would
have nothing To do with violence. so he
went off cursiDg. like the foul mouthed
black guard that he was. and swearing
that he would have her yet. She was
leaving me this week end, and / had
got a trap To take her to the station.
but / was so uneasy In nay mind that l
followed her on my bicycle. She had
got start. however. and before |
could catch her the mischief WIS done.
The first thing l knew about il was
when l saw you two gentlemen driving
back in her dogcart."
Holmes rose and tossed the end of his
cigarette into the CRATE. Il have been
very obtuse. Watson" said he. When
in, haf had