Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-12

got my telegram
Our visitor sank into an armchair
and looked from one to the other of us
with questioning eyes.
II got your telegram, and came at
the hour you said. heard that you
Ind been down to the office. There
was no getting away from you. Let's
hear the worst. What IRE you going to
do with me? Arrest me? Speak out,
man! You can't sit there and play
with me like cat with II mouse"
"t;ive him cigar" said Holmes.
"Bite on that, Captain Croker, and
don't let your nerves run away with
you. should not sit here smoking
with you II I thought that you were n
common criminal, you ma be sure or
that. BE frank with me, and we may
do some good. Play tricks with me,
and I'll crush You"
"'Nhat do you wish me to dor
ITO give me Il true account or all
that happened at the Abbey Grange
last night-a true account. mind you.
with nothing added aud nothing taken
Off. know so much already that II
you 20 one inch Off the straight III
blow this police whistle from my Win
dow, and the affair goes out Of my
hands forever"
The sailor thought for n little. Then
he struck his leg with his great sun
burned hand.
"lll chance It," he cried. II believe
you are man of your word ana u
white man. and III tell you the whole
story. But one thing will say first.
SO fur as ] am concerned | regret
nothing and fenr nothing. and l
would do IL all again and be proud OF
the Job. Damn the beast, II he had us
many lives rs n cut he would owe them
MI to me! But It's the lady. Mary
Mary Traser--for never will COLL her
by that accurscd name. When think
of getting her into trouble who would
give my lirc just to bring one smile to
her dear face. It's that that turns my
soul into water. And yet--and yet
what less could I do? III tell you my
story, gentlemen. and then I'll ask you,
us man to man. what less could do.
~ must go back bit. You seem to
know everything, SO expect that you
know that l met her when she was o
passenger and was first officer Of the
Rock OF Gibraltar From the first da.
met her she was the only woman to
me: Every day Of that voyage I loved
her more. and many time since have
i kneeled down In the darkness of the
night watch and kissed the deck Of
that ship because knew her dear feet
had trod 1t. She was never engaged to
me. She treated me as fairly Ms ever
woman treated man. have no COM
plaint to make. 1t was all love on my
side and all good comradeship and
friendship OH hers. When we parted
she was free woman, but could
never again be II free man.
Next time 1 came back from sea l
heard Of her marriage. Well, why
shouldn't she marry whom she liked7
Title and money--who could carry them
better than shei l didn't grleve over
her marriage. was not such selfish
hound as that. just rejoiced that
good luck had come her way and that
she had not thrown herself away on u
penniless sailor. That's how l loved
Mary Fraser.
.sWell, / never thought to see Aer
again, but last voyage was proi-Sted,
and the new boat was not yet launch
ed, so l had to wait for couple of
months with my people at Sydenham.
One day out in u country lame l met
Theresa Wright, her old maid. She
told me all about her, about him, about
everything. 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! l met Theresa again.
Then / met Mary herself, and met her
again. Then she would meet me no
more. But the other day l had no
tice that was to start on my voyage
within a week, and l determined that
would see her once before l left
Theresa was always my friend, for she
loved Mary and hated this villain al
most as much as I did. From her
learned the ways Of the house. Mary
used to sit up reading in her own little
room downstairs. 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 / found 1t open before
me, SO as to let me into the dining
room. Again heard from her own
lips things that made my blood boil,
and again cursed this brute who mis-.
handled the woman I loved. Well,
gentlemen, 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 man
could use to woman and welted her
across the face with the stick be had
in his hand had sprung for the
poker, and it was 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 IL he had been
q 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 sideboard,
and l opened 1t and poured little be-
tween Mary's lips, for she was half
dead with shock. Then l took drop