Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-12-28

VEIL. 1 lt\ I'll tAOISll 10 SEE uCI
again. but last voyage l vas promoted,
and the new boat was not yet launch
ed, so l had to wait for 4 couple of
! months with my people at Sydenham.
One day OUT i'll Il country lane | met
Theresa Wright. her old maid. She
told me all about her. about him. about
everything. l 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 lick. | met Theresa again.
Then l met Mary herself. and met her
again. Then she would meet me no
moro. But the other day l had a no
tice that l was to start on my voyage
within Il week. and l determined that
l would see her once before I left.
Theresa was always my friend. for she
loved Mary and hated this villain al
most as much as l did. From her l
learned the ways of the house. Mary
used to sit up reading in her own little
room downstairs. l crept round there
last night and scratched at the Win
dow. At first she would not open to
me, but in her heart l 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 l found it open before
NE, so as to let me into the dining
room. Again l heard from her own
lips things that made my blood boil.
and again | cursed this brute who mis-
handled the oma l loved. Well.
gentlemen, l was standing with her
just inside the window, in all limo
cence. as God is my judge. when he
rushed like & mailman into the room,
called her the vilest name that a man
could use to a woman and welted her
across the face with the stick he had
in his hand. l had sprung for the
poker, and it was a fair fight between
US. See here on my arm where his first
blow fell. Then it was my turn. and
I went through him as if he had been
a rotten pumpkin.
She had screamed when he struck
her, and that brought old Theresa
! down from the room above. There
was q bottle of Wine on the SiGeboard,
and l opened it and poured 4 little be-
tween Mary's lips, for she was half
dead with shock. Then l took a drop
myself. Theresa was as cool as ice,
and it was her plot as much as mine.
We must make it appear that burglars
had done the thing. Theresa kept on
repeating our story to her mistress
while l swarmed up and cut the rope
of the bell. Then l dashed her in her
chair Il frayed out the end of the
rope to make it look natural, else they
would wonder how in the world a bur
glar could have got up there to cut it.
Then | gathered up q few plates and
pots Of silver to carry out the idea Of
the robbery, and there I left them,
with orders to give the alarm when l
had q quarter of an hours start. 1
dropped the silver into re pond and
made for ~Sydenham. AID that's the
If it costs me my neck"
Holmes smoked for some time in ST.
lence; then he crossed the room and
shook our visitor by the hand.
That's what l think" said he. Il
know that every word is true, for you
not know. No one but an acrobat or
a sailor could have got up to that bell
rope from the bracket, and no one but
a sailor could have made the knots
with which the cord was fastened to
the chair. Only once had this lady
been brought into contact with sailors,
and that was on her voyage, and it was
some one Of her wi class Of life, since
she was trying hard to shield him and
SO showing that she loved him. You
see how easy it was for me to lay my
hands upon you when once had start
ed upon the right trail"
II thought the police never could
have seen through our dodge"
And the police haven't, nor will
they, to the best Of my belief. Now,
look here, Captain Croker, this is a
very serious matter, though 1 am will
ing to admit that you acted under the
most extreme provocation to which any
man could be subjected. l am not sure
that in defense Of your wv life your
action will not be pronounced legiti-
mate. However, that is for a British
jury to decide. Meanwhile 1 have SO
much sympathy for you that, if you
choose to disappear in the next twenty
four hours, I will promise you that no
one will hinder you
And then it will all come out?''
Certainly it will come out"
The sailor flushed with anger.
What sort of proposal is that to
make a man! know enough Of law
to understand that Mary would be held
as accomplish. For heavens sake, Mr..
Holmes, find some way Of keeping poor
Mary out Of the courts
Holmes for a second time held out
his hand to the sailor.
81 was only testing you, and you ring
true every time. Well, it is a great re-
sponsibili1y that | take upon myself,
but ! have given Hopkins an excellent
mint, and If he ant avail himself Of v
] can do no more. See here, Captain
Crocker. Wen do this in due form Of
law. You are the prisoner. Watson,
YOU are "A tury am tho indya Nnu.