Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-12-14

w hoN bSCA ulSlS. Iuel 1t WaS
that he threw 1t at me. He might have
thrown a dozen If he had but left nv
bonny bird alone. He was forever i'll
treating her, and she too proud to COM
PLAIN. b Will not even tell me all
that he has done to her. She never told
me Of those marks on her arm that YOU
saw this morning, but l know very
well that they come from Il stab with
a hatpin. The sly devil-God forgive
me that | should speak of him so now
that he is dead, But a devil he was If
ever II walked the earth. He was all
money When first we met him. only
eighteen months ago, and we both feel
as ii it We're eighteen years. She had
only just arrived in London. Yes. it
was her first voyage. She had never
been from home before. He won her
with his title and his money and his
false Londsn ways. If she made a
mistake she has paid for it if ever a
woman dia. What month did we meet
him: Well, l tell You it was Just aft
er we arrived. We arrived in June,
and it was July. They We're married
- NittA v luSt Ncui. les. Sllt IN
down in the morning room again, ana
l have no doubt she will see you, but
yoS must not ask too much of her, for
she has gone through all that flesh and
blood will stand"
Lady B~rackenstall was reclining on
the same couch, but looked brighter
than before. The maid had entered
with us and begun once more to foment
the bruise upon her mistress brow.
II hope" said the lady. that you
have not come to cross examine me
again?"
NO" Holmes answered in his gen
tlest voice: Il will not cause You any
unnecessary trouble, Lady Bracken-
stall, II my whole desire is to make
things easy for YOU, for l am convinc-
ed that You are Il much tried oman
II you will treat me as a friend and
trust me You may find that 1 will JUS
tify your trust"
What do You want me to do?"
t tell me the truth"
"Mr. Holiness
mo, no, Lady Brackenstall; it is no
use. You may have heard Of any little
reputation which / possess. l will
stake it all on the fact that your story
is an absolute fahrication.'
Mistress and maid were both staring
at Holmes With pale faces and fright
ened eyes.
You are an impudent fellow cried
Theresa. do You mean to say that
my mistress has told a lic?'
Holmes rose from his chair.
Have You nothing to tell me-"
II have told YOU crorytlling."
Think once more, Lady Bracken-
stall. Would ii not he letter to 10
frank"
For al instant there Was hesitation
in her beautiful face. Then some new,
strong thought caused it 10 set like a
mask.
II have told YOU Ill l know"
Holmes took his hat and shrugged
his shoulders. Il am sorry" he said.
And without another word we left the
room and the house. There was a
pond in the park, and to this my friend
led the way. 1t was frozen over, but a
single hole was left for the conven-
fence OF a solitary swan. Holmes gazed
at it and then passed on to the lodge
gate. chen he scrubbed a short note
for Stanley Hopkins and left it with
the lodge keeper.
1T may be a hit or it may be a miss,
but we are bound to do something for
Friend Hopkins just to justify this sec
ond visit said he. Il will not quite
take him into my confidence yet. I
think our next scene Of operations
must be the shipping office of the Ade-
laide-Southampton line, which stands
at the end of Pail Mall, if l remember
right. There is a second line of steam
ers which connect South Australia
with England. but we will draw the
larger cover first
Holmes card sent in to the manager
insured instant attention, and he was
not long in acquiring all the informa-
ton he needed. In June Of '95 only one
Of their line had reached a home port.
1t was the Rock of Gibraltar, their lar
gest and best boat. A reference to the
passenger list showed that Miss Fra
ser Of adelaide, with her maid, had
made b voyage in her. The boat was
now on her way to Australia somewhere
in the south of the Suez canal. Her Off
GERS were the same as in '95, with one
exception. The first officer, Mr.. Jack
Croker, had been made q captain and
was to take charge Of their new ship,
the Bass Rock, sailing in two days
time from Southampton. He lived at
~Sydenham, but he was likely to be in
that morning for instructions. If we
cared to wait for him.
No; Mr.. Holmes had no desire to see
him, but would be glad to know more
about his record and character.
His record was magnificent. There
was not an officer in the feet to touch
him. AS to his character, he was relia-
BILE on duty, but a wild, desperate fell
low off the deck Of his ship-bot head
ed, excitable. but loyal, honest and
kind hearted. That was the pith Of the
information with which Holmes left
he office Of the Adelaide Southampton