The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19

turned to leave the hut when Hop
kin's hand was on the fellows collar,
and 1 heard his loud gasp of terror
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
othes.
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
composure.
You are detectives, 1 suppose?"
said he. you imagine l am con-
nected with the death of Captain Peter
Carey. l assure you that 1 am in
nocent."
wen see about that" said Hop
kins. First of all, what is your
nameT'
1T is John Hopley Neligan."
l saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange
a quick glance.
What are you doing here?"
Can | speak confdentiallyT'
NO, certainly not"
why should l tell your
III you have no answer, it may go
badly with you at the trial"
The young man WINGED.
well, 1 will tell you,n he said
why should l not? And yet / hate
to think Of this old scandal gaining a
new lease of life. Did you ever hear
of Dawson and Nellgan?'
l 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 mill
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 1t seemed a 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.
ut 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. 1t has al
ways been said that my father stole
all the securities and fed 1t is not
true. 1t was his belief that if lie were
given time in which to realize them,
all would be well and every creditor
paid In full. He started in his little
yacht for Norway just before the war
rent was issued for his arrest. I can
remember that last night when he
bade farewell to my mother. He left
us a list of the securities he was taxi
t,,rr h. tL,t h.
back with his honor cleared. and that
none who had trusted him would suf-
fer. Well. no word was ever heard
from him again. Both the yacht and
he vanished utterly We believed, my
mother and l. that he and it, with
the securities that he had taken with
him. were at the bottom OF the sea-
We had a faithful friend, however,
who Is a business man, and it was
he who discovered some time agoAth
some of the securities which my father
had with him had reappeared on the
London market. You can imagine our
amazement | spent months in trying
to trace them, and at last, after my
doubtings and difficulties, discovered
that the original seller had been Cap
tain Peter Carey, the owner of this
hut.
Naturally. l made some inquiries
about the man. I found that he had
been in command of a 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 a stormy one. and
there was a long succession of south
erly gales. My fathers yacht may
well have been blown to the north,
and there met by Captain Peter Ca
rey's ship. If that were so. what had
become of my father? In any case
If l could prove from Peter Carey's
evidence how these securities came on
the market 1t would be a proof that
my father had not sold them, and that
he had no view to personal profit when
he took them.
IT came down to Sussex with the in
tention of seeing the captain, but 1t
was at this moment that his terrible
death occurred. I read at the inquest
a description Of his cabin, in which
1t is stated that the old logbool<s Of
his vessel were preserved in 1t. It
struck me that if I could see what
occurred in the month of August,
1888 on board the Sea Unicorn. might
settle the mystery of my fathers fate.
I tried last night to get at these log
books, but was unable TO open the
door. Tonight I tried again and sue
ceeded but find that the pages
which deal with that month have been
torn from the book 1t was at that
moment found myself a prisoner in
your hands,"
rs that all?" asked Hopkins.
YES that Is ALL His eyes shifted
as he said 1t.
"You have nothing else to fell us?"
He hesitated
mo, there is nothing
lyon have not been here before last
night?"
mo-
'grhen how do you account for that?'
cried Hopkins, as he held up the
damning 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
trembled all over
''Where did you get it?'' he groaned.
st did not know I thought I had
lost II at the hotel"
THAT is enough" said Hopkins,
sternly whatever else you have to
say, you must say in court. You will
walk down with. me now to the police
station Well, Mr.. Holmes, l am very
much ohlige to you and to your friend
for coming down to help me. AS 1t
turns out your presence was unnec-
essary. and I would have brought the
case to this successful issue without
you. but, none the less. I am grateful.
Rooms have been reserved for you at
the Brambletye Hotel so we can all
walk down to the village together"
"Well Watson. what do you think
of III" asked Holmes. as we travelled
back next morning.
at can see that you are not satisfied"
ooh yes nv dear Watson am