Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-03

Tt Is John Hopley Neligan.
 saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange . quick glance.
 "What are you doing herer
 "Can I speak confidentially
 "No, certainly not"
 "Why should tell y6uy"
 'Tf you have no answer, it may go badly with you at the trial"
 The young man winced.
 "Well, will tell you" he said. "Why should not? And yet hate to think of this old scandal gaining a new lease of life. Did you ever hear of Dawson & Neligan?"
 T could see from Hopkins face that he never had, but Holmes was keenly interested.
 You mean the west country bank ers,' said he. "They failed for mil lion, ruined half the county families of Cornwall and Neligan disappeared. :"
 Exactly. Neligan was my father"
 At last we were getting something positive, and yet it seemed long gap between 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.
 Tt was my father who was really concerned. Dawson had retired. I was only ten years of age at the time, but I was old enough to feel the shame and horror of it all. It has always been said that my father stole all the securities and fed It is not true It was his belief if he were given time in which to realize them all would be we'll and every creditor paid in full. He started in his little yacht for Nor way just before the warrant was is sued for his arrest. can remember that last night, when he sbade farewell to my mother He left us list of the securities he was taking, and he swore that he would come back with his honor cleared and that none who had trusted him would suffer. We'll, no word was ever heard from him again. Both the yacht and he vanished utter ly. We believed. my mother and I. that he and it, with the securities that he had taken with him, were at the bottom of the sea. We had faithful friend, however, who Is business man. and. it was he who discovered some time ago that some of the SC curities which my father had with him had reappeared on the London market. You can imagine our amaze ment. I spent months in trying to trace them. and at last. after many doubtings and difficulties, discovered that the original seller had been Cap tain Peter Carey, the owner of this hut
 Naturally, I made some inquiries about the man. I found that he had been in command of whaler which was due to return from the arctic seas at the very time when my father was crossing to Norway. The autumn of that year was stormy one, and there was long succession of southerly gales. My fathers yacht may well have been blown to the north and there met by Captain Peter Carey's ship. If that were so. what had become of my father? In any case, If could prove from Peter Carey's evidence how these securities came on the market it would be. a proof atbat my father had not sold them and that he had no view to per sonal profit when he took them.
 "I came down to Sussex with the in. tention of seeing the captain, but it was at this moment that his terrible death occurred. read at the inquest a description of his cabin. In which it stated that the old logbooks of his yes sel were preserved in 1t. It struck me that if could see what occurred in the month of August. 1883, on board the Sea Unicorn I might settle the mystery of my fathers fate. I tried last nigh, to get at these logbooks. but was una. ble to open the door. Tonight tried again and succeeded. but find that the pages which deal with that month have been torn from the book. It was at that moment I found myself a prisoner in your hands,
 "Is that allf" asked Hopkins.
 'Yes. that is all" His eyes shifted as he said It.
 "You have nothing else to tell usT'
 He hesitated.
 .No. there is nothing"
 You have not been here before last night;"
 No"
 'Then how do you account for thaty cried Hopkins. as he held up the damn ing notebook. with the initials of our prisoner on the first leaf and the blood stain on the cover.
 The wretched man collapsed. He sank his face In his hands and trem. bled all over
 Where did you get ity' he groaned T did not know. I thought I had lost 1t at tte hotel
 That is enough" said Hopkins stern ly. Whatever else you have to say you must say in court. You will wall down with me now to the police sta ton. We'll Mir. Holmes. I am very much obliged to you and to your friend for coming down fo help me. As il turns out. your presence was unnec sary. and would have brought ths ease to this successful issue without you: but. none the less. am grateful Rooms have been reserved for you al the Brambletye hotel. SO we can al valk down to the village together
 Well. Watson. what do you think oi i.r- asked Holmes as ve trayeIed bart