Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-08-17

TO make q mOVe.'
What cable?"
Curruthers took q telegram from his
pocket.
That's it." said he.
1t was short and concise:
THE old mar is dead
HUM" said Holmes. 81 think l see
how things worked, and l can under
stand how this message would, as you
say, bring them to q head. But while
you wait you might tell me what you
can"
The old r%eprobate with the surplice
burst into a volley Of bad language.
by heaven-" said he, IF you saueal
on us, Bob Carruthers, I'll serve you as
You served Jack Woodley! You can
hleat about the 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" satd Holmes, lighting a cigarette.
1.-THE case is clear enough against you,
and oil l 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 a chance of holding back
your secrets. In the first place, three
Of you came from South Africa on this
~gameyou, Williamson; you, Carruth-
ers, and Woodley."
"Lie number one,' said the old man.
Il eve saw either of them until two
months ago, and 1 have never been in
Africa in my life, SO you can put that
in your pipe and smoke 1t, Mr.. Busy
body Holmesr'
What he says is true,'' said Car
ruthers.
"Weu, we'll, 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 that-eh?"
Carruthers nodded and Williamson
swore.
"She vas 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.
80 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 a share of the plumber.
For some reason Woodley was chosen
as the husband. Why was that?"
1--WE played cards for her on the
| voyage. He won."
II see. You got the young lady into
your service, and there Woodley was
to do the counting. She recognized the
drunken brute hat he was and would
have nothing to 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
ruf1an owning herr"
mo, by George, l couldn't"
There was q quarrel between you.
He left you in a rage and began to
make his own plans independently Of
you"
"It strikes me, Williamson, there
isn't very much that we can tell this
gentleman" cried Ca%rruthers, with a
bitter laugh. Eyes, we quarreled, and
be knocked me down. l am level with
him on that, anyhow. Then 1 lost sight
of him. That was when he picked up
with this cast padre here. found
that they had set up housekeeping to-
gether at this place on the line that
she had to pass for the station. I
kept my eye on her after that, for I
knew there was some devilry in the
wind. l 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.
I said l would not. He asked me if I
would marry the girl myself and give
him q share. I said I would willingly
do so. but that she would not have me.
He said. Let us get her married first.
and after a week or two she may see
things a tit different l said | would
have nothing to do with violence. SO he
went off cursing, like the foul mouthed
blackboard that he was, and swearing
that he would have her yet. She was
leaving me this week end, and I had
got q trap to take her to the station,
but l was 50 uneasy in my mind that |
followed her on my bicycle. She had
got Il start, however, and before /
could catch her the mischief was done.
The first thing I knew about it was
when l saw you two gentlemen driving
back in her dogcart."
Holmes rose and tossed the end of his
cigarette into the CRATE. II have been
very obtuse, Watson,' said he. when
in your report you said that you had
seen the cyclist, rs you thought. arrange
his necktie in the shrubbery that alone
Glould have told me all. However,, we
may congratulate ourselves upon u Gu
rious and in some respects q unique
case. I perceive three of the county
constabulary in the drive, and | am
glad to see that the little hostler is able
to keep pace with them, so 1t is likely
that neither he nor the interesting
bridegroom will be permanently dam.