Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-05

Il confess that this Is entirely new to
me. Your grace. I must beg you to be
more explicit,
Il viii conceal nothing from you.
agree with you that complete frank
ness. however painful II may be TO me.
is the best policy in this desperate stu
alton 10 which James folly and ieal-
ousy have reduced us. When was a
very young man. Mr.. Holmes. 1 loved
with such love as comes only once In
lifetime. I offered the lady marriage
but she refused IL on the grounds that
such match might mar my career.
Had she lived | would certainly never
have married any one else She died
and left this one child whom for her
sake have cherished aud cared for. I
could not acknowledge the paternity TO
the world. but | gave him the best OF
educations. and since he TO man
hood have kept him near my person.
He surmised my secret and has pre-
sumed ever since upon the claim which
be has upon me and upon his power of
provoking a scandal which would be
abhorrent to me. His presence had
something to do with the unhappy Is
sue OF my marriage. Above all. he
hated my young legitimate heir from
the first with persistent hatred.
You may we, ask me why, under
these circumstances. still kept James
under my roof. answer that II was
because I could see his mothe-'s face
in his and that for her dear sake there
was no end 20 my long suffering. All
her pretty ways. too-there was not
one OF them which he could not sug-
gest and bring back TO my memory. I
could not send him away. But I feared
so much lest he should do Arthur
4 that IS Lord Saltire-a mischief that
dispatched him for safety TO Or.
Huxtable's school
James came into contact with This
fellow Hayes because the man was n
tenant Of mine and James acted as
agent. The fellow was rascal from
the beginning. hut in some extraordl.
nary way James became intimate with
him. He had always a taste for low
company. When James determined
TO kidnap Lord Satire il was of this
mans service that he avaiIed himself.
You remember that [ wrote TO Arthur
t NINA A4aA h"NA WILL 1AulcS OItU-
ed the letter and inserted n note ask
ing Arthur TO meet him i'm a little wood
called the Ragged shaw. which is near
TO the school. He used the duchess
name and in that way got the boy TO
! come. That evening James bicycled
over-I ann telling you what he has
himself confessed TO me-and he told
Arthur. whom he met in the wood.
that his mother louged TO see him.
that she was awaiting him on the moor
and that IL he would come back into
the wood at midnight he would find a
man with a horse. who would take him
TO her. Poor Arthur fell into the trap.
He came 10 the appointment and found
this fellow Hayes with led pony. Ar
thur mounted. aud they set off tOgeth-
err. IL appears-though this James
only heard yesterday they were
pursued, that Hayes struck the pur-
suer with his stick and that the man
died OF his injuries. Hayes brought
Arthur TO his public house. the Fight
ing Cock. where he was confined in an
upper room. under the care OF Mrs.
/ Hayes. who s. a kindly woman. but
entirely under the control OF her brutal
] husband
We'll Mr.. Holmes, that was the
state OF affairs when / first saw you
two days ago. l had no more idea OF
Z the truth than you. You will ask me
/ what was James motive in doing such
deed. l answer that there was a
/ great deal which was unreasoning and
fanatical In the hatred which he bore
nay heir In his view he should him
self have been heir OF all my estates,
and he deeply resented these social
laws which made II impossible. At the
same time he had a definite motive al
so. He was eager that / should break
the entail, and he was OF opinion that
IL lay in my power TO do so. He intend
ed 10 make a bargain with me-to re-
store Arthur II would break the en-
tail and so make IL possible for the es
tate 10 be left 10 him by will. He knew
we'll that / should never willingly In
woke the aid OF the police against him.
say that he would have proposed such
bargain 10 me, but did not actually
do So for events moved too quickly for
him, and he had not time to put his
plans into practice.
what brought all his wicked scheme
10 wreck was your discovery OF this
man Heidegger's dead body. James
was seized with horror at the news. Z.
came 10 us yesterday as we sat to-
gether in this study. DIR. Huxtable had
sent telegram. James was so over
whelmed with grief and agitation that
my suspicious, which had never been
entirely absent, rose instantly TO GER
tainty. and taxed him with the deed.
He made complete voluntary confess
sion. Then he implored me 10 keep his
secret for three days longer so IA TO
give his wretched accomplice a chance
OF saving his guilty life. / yielded-as
have always yielded-to his prayers.
and instantly James hurried of to the
Fighting Cock 20 warn Hayes and give
him the means or flight. could not e.
there by daylight without provoking
comment, but as soon as night fell |
buried on TO see my dear Arthur
found him safe and well. but borrIfled