Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-26

lood have kept him near my person.
BE SurmiSed my secret and has pre-
summed ever since upon the claim which
ne has upon me and upon his power of
provoking a scandal which would be
abhorrent to me. His presence had
something to do with the unhappy is
sue of my marriage. Above all. he
hated my Young legitimate heir from
the first with a persistent hatred.
"You may well ask me why. under
these circumstances. l Stil kept James
under my roof l answer that It was
because I could see his mothers face
in HIS and that for her dear sake there
was no end to my long suffering All
her pretty ways. tOo-there was not
one OF them which he could not Sug-
geSt and bring back to my memory.
could not send him away. But I feared
so much lest he should do Arthur
that is. Lord Saltire-a mischief that
I dispatched him for safety to DR.
HuXtdlsie'S school
James came into contact with this
fellow Hayes because the man was
tenant of mine and James acted as
agent The fellow was n rascal from
the beginning. but in some extraordi-
nary way James became intimate with
him. He had always a taste for low
company. When James determined
to kidnap Lord Satire il was OF this
mans service that he awaited himself
You remember that | wrote 10 Arthur
upon that last day. Well James open
eli The letter and inserted note ask
Ing Arthur 10 meet him in little wood
a. Led the Ragged Shaw, which is near
t" the school He used the duchess
name and in that way got the boy to
come. That evening James bicycled
ovcr-I am telling you what he has
himself confessed TO me-and he told
Arthur. whom he met in the wood.
that his mother longed TO see him,
that she was awaiting him on the moor
and that if he would come back into
the wood at midnight he would find a
man with horse, who would take him
10 her. Poor Arthur fell into the trap.
He came to the appointment and found
this fellow Hayes with a led pony. Ar
thur mounted, and they set off togeth
er. Ii though this James
only heard yesterday-that they were
pursued. that Hayes struck the pur
suer with his stick and that the man
died of his injuries. Hayes brought
Arthur to his public house, the Fight
ing Cock, where he was confined in an
upper room. under the care of Mrs.
Hayes, who is kindly woman. but
entirely under the control of her brutal
husband.
We'll, Mr.. Holmes, that was the
state OF affairS when l first saw you
two days ago. had no more idea OF
the truth than you. You will ask me
what was James motive in doing such
4 decd answer that there was
great deal which was unreasoning and
fanatical in the hatred which he bore
my heir. In his view he should him
self have been heir of all my estates,
and he deeply resented these social
laws which made il impossible. At the
same time he had a definite motive al
so. he was eager that l should break
the entail. and he was of opinion that
it lay i'm my power to do so. He intend
ed to make a bargain with me-tO re-
store Arthur il / would break the en-
tail and so make II possible for the es-
tate to be left TO him by will. He knew
well that ] should never willingly in
woke the aid of the police against him.
I say that he would have proposed such
a bargain TO me, but did not actually
do so. for events moved too quickly for
him. and he had not time TO put his
plans into practice.
What brought all his wicked scheme
to wreck was your discovery OF this
man Heidegger's dead body. James
was seized with horror ut the news. 1t
came to us yesterday as we sat to-
gether in this study. DIR. Huxtable had
sent n telegram. James was so over
whelmed with grief and agitation that
my suspicious, which had never been
entirely absent. rose instantly to a GER
tainty, and l taxed him with the deed.
He made a complete voluntary confes-
sion. Then he implored me TO keep his
secret for three days longer so as TO
give his wretched accompIice a chance
of saving his guilty life. yielded-as
| have always yielded-to his prayers,
and instantly James hurried or to the
Fighting Cock to warn Hayes and give
him the means OF flight. / could not go
there by daylight without provoking
but as soon as night fell I
hurried of TO see my dear Arthur.
found him safe and we'll but Mortified
beyond expression by the dreadful deed
he had witnessed. In Difference to my
promise and much against my will |
to leave him there for three |
days under the charge of Mrs. Hayes,
since il was evident that II was impos-
sible TO inform the police where he was
without telling them also who was the |
and could not see how that |
murderer could be punished without |
ruin to my unfortunate James. You /
Isked for frankness. Mr.. Holmes, and /
have taken you at your word, for | |
nave now told yOu everything without
an attempt at circumlocution or con
,ealment. Do you in your turn be as
frank with me"
Il WILL" said Holmes. In the first
place. your grace, l am bound TO tell
FOu that you have placed yourself in
most serious position in the eyes of the