The San Francisco call., 1905-05-21

have thrown a dozen II he had left
my. bonny bird alone. He was forever
ill-treating her. and she too proud to
complain. She will not even tell me
all that he. has. done to her. She never
told me of those marks on her arm
that you saw this morning. but Icknow
very welIstha they come from a stab
with a hatpin The sly devil-God for
give me that I should speak of him so.
now that he is dead! But a devil he
was if ever one walked the earth. He
was all honey when first we met him
only 'eighteen months ago, and WEI both
feel as if 1t were eighteen years She
.,ha aonly just arrived in London. Yes,
it was her firstssvoyag gershe had never
beent from home hefore He won her
with his title and his money. and his
false London ways,f If she made mis-
take she has paid for it If ever a
woman did, WhatFmonth did we, meet
him? Well, tell you it was, just after
we arrived. We arrived in June, and
it was July. They were married in
January of lastsyear. sYess>she is down
in the morning room again.. and I have
no doubt She will see you, but you
must not ask too much of her, for she
has gone through ALL that flesh and
blood viii stand. :
Lady Brackenstall was reclining on
the sar.e couch but looked brighter
than before. Th& maid had entered
with. u.s.. and began once more to TO-
3 ment the bruise upon her mistress
II hope. said the lady, that you
have not come ito cross-examine me
again %
!. No Holmes answered in his gem
unnecessary trouble. Lady Bracken-
stall, and my whole desire is to make
things easy for you, for 7 am con-
WINGED that you are much tried wo-
man.. If youWfll treat me rs a friend
and trust me you may find that / will
justify your trust. -
What do you want me to do?"
ITO tell the truth.
Mr.. Holmes!S'
mo. no, Lady Brackenstall-it is no
use. You may have heard of any little
reputation which I possess. I will stake
it all ON the fact that your story is an
absolute fabrication.s'
Mistress and maid were both staring
at Holmes with pale faces and fright
ened eyes.
You are an impudent fellow" cried
Theresa. DO you mean to say that
my mistress has told lie?''
HolmesE rose from his chair.
Have you nothing to tell me?"
nave lOiQ you every tulliss
Think once more. Lady Bracken-
STALL Would it not be better to be
frank?''
For IN instant there was hesitation
in her beautiful face. Then some new
strong thought c--used it to set like a
mask.
.'I have told you all i know
Holmes took his hat and shrugg gged his
shoulders. Il am sorry he said, and
n Lea -
room and the house. There was a
pond in the park, and to this my
friend led the way. 1t was frozen over,
but al single hole was left for the con-
yeniencet of a solitary swan. Holmes
gazed ac 1t, and then passed on to the
lodge gate. There he scribbled short
note for Stanley Hopkins, and left it
with the lodgekeeper.
q 1T maybe a hit, or it may sbe a
miss, but We are bound to do something
for friend Hopkins, just to justify this
second visit, said he.s T viii. not quite
take him into my confidence yet. I
; think eur next scene OF operations must
be the shipping office of the Adelaide
Southampton line, which stands iat the
end bf Pail Mall If remember right.
There is second 1ire .of steamers
which connect South Australia with
England, but we will draw the larger
cover fist sss s
Holmes card sent in to the manager
insured instant attention. and he was
not long in acquiring all the inforna-
ton he needed. In June of '95. only
one of their lire had reached a home
port 1t was the Rock of Gibraltar,
their largest and best boat. A refer
ence to the passenger list showed that
Miss Fraser of Adelaide, with her maid
had made the voyage in her. The boat
was now on her way to Australia some
where in the south of the Suez canal.
Her officers were the same as in '95,
with one exception. The first officer,
Mr.. Jack Crocker, lad been made a
captain. and was to. take charge of
their new ship, The Bass Rock, sail
ing in two days time fr> m Southamp-
ton. He lived at Sydenhan, but he
was likely to be in that morning for
instructions, If we cared to. wait for
him.
No; Mr.. Holmes had no desire to see
him, but would be glad to know more
about his record and character
His record was magnificent. There
was not an officer in the fleet to touch
him. AS to his character, he was re-
liable on duty. but a wild, desperate
fellow off the deck of his ship-hot-
headed. excitable, but loyal, honest and