The San Francisco call., 1905-05-21

and our door was opened to admit as
fine specimen of manhood as ever
4 passed through it. He was a very tall
young man, golden n-rnoustached. blue
eyed, with skin which had
been burned by tropical suns.
and a. springy step, which showed
that the. huge frame was as active
as It was strong. He closed the door
/ behind him and then he stood with
7 clenched hands and heavfng breast.
choking down some overmastering emo
ton.
Sit down. Captain Crocker. You got
my telegram"
Our visitor sank into an armchair
and looked from one to the other of us
: with questioning eyes.
Il got your telegram and I came at
the hour you said. Il heard that you
had been down to the office. There was
the worst. What are you. going to do
with me? Arrest me? Speak out. man!
You can't sit there and play With me
like a cat with a mouse"
"Give him a cigar, said Holmes.
bite on that, Captain Crocker, and
don't let your nerves run away with
you. / should not sit here smoking
with you if thought that you were
common criminal, you may be sure OF
that. BE frank with me andwe may do
some good. Play tricks with me, and
I'll crush YOU
What do. you wish me to do?"
.To give me a true account OF all
that happened at the Abbey Grange
last night-a true account, mind you,
with nothing taken off. I know so
much already that ifsyou go one inch
off the straight I'll blow this police
whistle from my window and the affair
goes out of my hands forever"
The sailor thought for, little. Then
he struck his leg with his great sun
burned hand.
"Tll chance it," he cried. 81 believe
you are a man of your word and
white man, and I'll tell you the whole
story. But one thing will say first.
! So far as I am concerned, regret
nothing, and I would do it all again
and be proud Of the job. Damn the
beast, If he had as many lives as a
cat, he would owe them all to mel
But it's the lady, Mary-Mary Fraser
for never will call her by that ac-
cursed name. When. think Of get
ting her into trouble, who would give
my life just to bring one. smile to her
dear face-it's that that turns my soul
into water. And yet-and yet-what
less could I do? I'll tell you my story,
gentlemen, and then I'll ask you, man
to man, what less could i do.
"I must go back a bit. You seem to
know everything, so expect that you
know that i met her when she was a
passenger and I was first officer of the
Rock Of Gibraltar. rom the first day
] met her. she was the only woman to
me. Every day of that voyage loved
her. more, and many time since have
l kneeled down in the darkness of the
night watch and kissed the deck of
that ship because knew her dear feet
had trod it. She was never. engaged to
me. She treated me as fairly. as ever
woman treated a man. have no
complaint to make. 1t was all love on
my side, and all good comradeship and
friendship on hers. When we parted
she was free woman, but could
never again be a free man.
Next. time came back from sea I
heard of her marriage. Well why
shouldn't she marry whom she liked ?
Title and money-who could carry
them better than she? She was born
for all that Is beautiful and dainty
! didn't grieve over her marriage. I
was not such selfish hound as that
just rejoiced that good luck had come
her way and that she had not thrown
herself away on a penniless sailor.
That's how I loved; Mary Fraser.
,.sWell.sI never thought to see her
again, but last@voyage I was promoted
.and the new boat was not yet launched,
so had to wait for a couple of months
with my people at Sydenham. One day
out in country lane met Theresa
Wright, her old maid. She told me all
about her, about him, about everything.
I tell you, gentlemen, it nearly drove
me mad. This drunken hound, that he
should dare to raise his hand to her,
whose boots he was not worthy to licki
/ met Theresa again. Then I met Mary
herself-and met her again. Then she
would meet me no more. But the other
day had notice that / was to start
on my voyage within week, and I
determined that would see her or1e
before left. Theresa was always my
friend. for she loved Mary and hated
this villain almost as much as did.
From her I learned the ways of the
house. Mary used to sit up reading in
her own little room downstairs. crept
round there last night and scratched
at the window. At first she would not
open to me, but in her heart / know
that now she loves me, and she could
not leave me in the frosty night She
whispered to me to come round to the
big front window, and / found 1T open
before me, so as to let me into the
dining-room. Again I heard from her
own lips things that made my blood