The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-06-23

hours to the birds and the flowers. We
shall meet you here later. Hopkins,
ana see if we can come to- closer quar-
tiers with the gentleman who has paid
this visit i'll the night"
1t was past II O'Clock when we form
ed our little ambusCade. Hopkins was
for leaving the door of the hut open,
but Holmes was of the opinion that
this would rouse the suspicious of the
stranger The lock was perfectly
simple one. and only strong blade
was needed to push it back. Holmes
also suggested that we should wait, not
inside the hut, but outside it amCng
the bushes which grew round the far
ther window. In this way we should
be able to watch our man if he struck
light and see what his object was in
this Steal.hy nocturnal visit.
1t was Il long and melancholy vigil,
and yet brought with ii something Oh
the thrill which the hunter feels when
he lies beside the water pool and waits
for the coming of the thirsty beast Of
~
which might steal upon Us out of the
darkness: Was it fierce tiger Of
crime which could only be taken fight
ing hard with flashing fang and claw,
or would it prove 10 be some Skulklng
jackal. dangerous only to the weak and
unguardel:
In absolute silence we crouched
among the bushes, waiting for what
ever might come. At first the steps
of a few belated villagers or the sound
of voices from the village lightened our
vigil, but one by one these Interruptions
died away and an absolute stiffness fell
upon us. save for the chimes OF the dis
tant church, which told us of the prog
ress of the night, and for the rustic and
whisper of a fine rain falling amid the
foliage which rooted us in.
Half past had chimed, and it was
the darkest hour which preccdes the
dawn, when we all started as a low
but sharp click came from the direction
of the gate. Some one had entered the
drive Again there was Il long silence,
false alarm. when a stealthy step WAS
heard upon the other side of the hut.
and moment later metallic scraping
and clinking The man was trying to
force the lock. This time his skill was
greater or his tool was better. for there
was a sudden snap and the creak or
the hinges. Then a match was struck.
and next instant the steady light from
a candle filed the interior of the hut.
Through the gauze curtain our eyes
were all riveted upon the scene within.
The nocturnal visitor was a young
man, frail and thin, with a black mus
! tache, which intensified the deadly
pailor of his face. He could not have
been much above twenty years of age.
l have never seen any human being
who appeared TO be in such a pitiable
fright, for his teeth We're viSibly chat
tering, and he was shaking in every
limb. lie was dressed like a gentle
man, in Norfolk jacket and kncker-
bockerS, with a cloth cap upon his
head. We watched him staring round
with frightened eyes Then he laid
the candle end upon the table and dis
! appeared from our view into one of
the corners. He returned with a large
book. one of the logbooks which form
ell line upon the shelves. Leaning on
the table, he rapidly turned over the
leaves of this volume until he came to
the entry which he sought Then, with
an angry gesture of his clinched hand,
he closed the book, replaced it in the
corner and put out the light. He had
hardly turned to leave the hut when
Hopkins hand was on the fellows col
lar, and l heard his loud gasp of ter
! ror as he understood that he was taken.
| The candle was relit, and there was
our wretched captive, shivering and
covering in the grasp of the detective.
He sank down upon the sea chest and
looked helplessly from one of us to
| the other
Now, my fine fellow" said Stanley
Hopkins, who are you and what do
you want here?"
The man pulled himself together and
| faced us with an effort at self compo-
sure.
You are detectives, suppose" said
he. You imagine l am connected with
the death of Captain Peter Carey.
assure you that l am innocent"
"We'll see about that" said Hop
kins. First of ALL what is your
name?"
1T is John Hopley Neligan"
saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange
quick glance.
"What are you doing here?"
"Can | speak confidentially
"No, certainly not"
"Why should tell your"
'If you have no answer, it may go
badly with you at the trial."
The young man WINGED.
swell, l will tell you." he said.
"Why should not? And yet hate to
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