Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-18

of the progress of the night, and for the
rustic and whisper of fine rain falling
amid the foliage which rooted us in.
Half-past 2 had chimed, and it was the
darkest hour which precedes the dawn,
when we all started a low but sharp
click came from the direction of the gate.
Some one had entered the drive. Again
there was long silence, and had begun
to fear that it was a false alarm when
stealthy step was heard upon the other side
of the hut, and a moment later metallic
scrapng and clinking The man was trying
to force the lock- This time his skill was
!, greater or his tool was better, for there
was a sudden snap and the creak of hinges.
Then match was struck, and the next
instant the steady light from a candle filed
the interior of the hut. Through the gauze
curtain our eyes were all riveted upon the
scene within.
The nocturnal visitor was a young man,
fran and thin, with a black mustache
which intensified the deadly pallor of his
face. He could not have been much above
any human being who appeared to be
In such a pitiable fright, for his teeth
| were visibly chatterng, and he was
shaking in every limb. He was dressed
like gentleman, in Norfolk Jacket and
knickerbockers, with a cloth cap upon his
head. We watched him staring round with
| frightened eyes Then he laid the candle
end upon the table, and disappeared from
our view into one of the corners. He re-
turned with large book, one of the log
books which formed a 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 clenched hand,
| he closed the book, and replaced 1t in the
corner, and put out the light. He had
hardly turned to leave the hut when Hop
| k1ns hand was on the fellows collar, and
i! heard his loud gasp of terror as he I'M
derstood that he was taken. The candle
was relit, and there was our wretched cap
tive, shivering and covering in the grasp
| Of the detective. He sank down upon the
sea chest, and looked helplessly from one
| Of US to the other.
Now, my fine fellow" said Stanley Hop
kins who are you, and what do YOU
want here?"
The man pulled himself together, and
faced US with an effort at self-composure.
you are detectives, 1 suppose?' said he.
you imagine 1 am connected with the
death of Captain Peter Carey. I assure
you that I am innocent
We'll about that" said Hopkins
First OF all, what is your name?'
ut is John Hopley Neligan."
saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange a
quick glance.
What are you doing here?"
Can speak confdentially?"
mo, certainly not"
why should / tell your
IF you have no answer, 1t may go badly
with you at the trial.
The young man WINGED.
well, I will tell you," he said. "Why
should I not? And yet hate to think Of
life. Did you ever hear of Dawson and
Neligan?"
I could see from Hopkins face that he
never had, but Holmes was keenly inter-
You men the West country bankers"
said he. '"They failed for million, ruined
half the county families of Cornwall, and
Neligan disappeared.
Exactly. Neligan was my father"
At last we were getting something posi-
tive. and yet it seemed a long. gap be-
tween an 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.
1t was my father who was really con-
cerned. Dawson had retired. / was only
ten years of age at the time, but I was old
enough to feel the shame and horror of 1t
all. 1t has always been said that my father
stole all the securities and fled It is not
true. 1t was his belief that If he were
given time in which to realize them, all
would be well and every creditor paid in
full He started in his little yacht for Nor
way just before the warrant was issued
for his arrest / can remember that last
night when he bade farewell to my mother
He left us a list of the securities he was
taking, and he swore that he would come
back with his honor cleared, and that
mono who had trusted him would suffer
Well no word was ever heard from him
again. Both the yacht and he vanished
utterly. We believed. my mother and /,
that he and 1t, with the securities that he
had taken with him, were at the
Dottom OF the sea. we naQ g. faith
full friend. however. who Is a bus
mess man. and 1t was he who discovered
some time ago that some of the securities
which my father had with him had reap
peared on the London market You can
imagine our amusement. / spent months In
trying to trace them, and at last, after
many doubtings and difficulties. discov-
cred that the original seller had been Can't
Peter Carey. the owner Of this hut.
Naturally, made some Inquiries about
the man. found that he had been In com-
nand Of whaler which was due to return
from thu arctic seas at tbs very tiauo whan
my fathnr wa crongfng ~ Norway xho