The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-17

ever done. In a word, I turned over
up for the past: All was going well
| when Mccarthy laid his grip upon
| me.
| Il had gone up to town about an in
vestment and l met him in Regent
street with hardly a coat to his back
| or a boot to his foot.
| . Here we are, Jack says he,
| touching me on the arm; wen be
as good as a family to you. There's
two of us, me and my son, and you can
| have the keeping of us. If you don t
J its a fine. law-abiding country is
| England, and there's always a police
man within hail
| Well down they came to the West
! country, there was no shaking them
| off, and there they have lived rent
| free on my best land ever since. There
| was no rest for me. no peace, no for
getfulness; turn where l would, there
| was his cunning, grinning face at my
| elbow. 1t grew worse as Alice grew
| up, for he soon saw | was more afraid
of her knowing my past than of the
police. Whatever he wanted he must
have, and whatever it was | gave him
without question, land. money. houses,
until at last he asked a thing which
| could not give. He asked for Alice
His son, you see, had grown up,
and so had my girl, and as L was
known to be in weak health, it seemed
a fine stroke to him that his lad
should step into the whole property
But there / was firm. [ would not
have his cursed stock mixed with
mine; not that / had any dislike to
the lad, but his blood was in him, and
that was enough. 1 stood firm. Nc
Carthy threatened. 1 braved him to
do his worst. We were to meet at
the Pool midway between our houses
to talk it over.
when 1 went down there I found
him talking with his son, 50 | smoked
cigar, and waited behind tree
until he should be alone. But as |
listened to his talk all that was black
and bitter in me seemed to come up
permOst He was urging his son to
marry my daughter with as Httle re-
gard for what she might think as if
she We're a slut from off the streets.
1t drove me mad to think that l and
all that / held most dear should be
in the power of such q man as this.
Could l not snap the bond | was al
ready a dying and a desperate man.
Though clear of mind and fairly strong
of limb, / knew that my own fate was
sealed But my memory and my
SlII. bOl1 cOulu Dc SedNtNl, IL L COuIu
but silence that foul tongue. did
it, Mr.. Holmes. L would do it again.
Deeply as 1 have sinned, I have led
a life of martyrdOm to atone for it.
But that my girl should be entangled
in the same meshes which held me
was more than | could suffer. l
struck him down with no more COM
junction than if he had been some
foul and venomous beast. His cry
brought back his son; but l had gained
the cover of the wood, though l was
forced to go back to fetch the cloak
which [ had dropped in my flight. |
That is the true story, gentlemen, of
all that occurred"
well it is not for me to judge
you" said Holmes as the old man
signed the statement which had been
drawn up II pray that We may
never be exposed to such a tempta-
ton"
Il pray not, sir And what do you
intend to do?"
I'm view of your health, nothing. |
You are yourself aware that you will |
soon have to answer for your deed |
at a higher court than the Assizes.