The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-12-21
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
Aloysius paused at the village post
ONCE and dispatched telegram. 1t
was addressed to Alexis, and 1t ran
thus: "Am threatened with immedi-
ate arrest on charge of murder. Re-
porting myself at Scotland Yard"
This done. to the great mystiication
OF Billery. to whom Aloysius showed
the message. the whole party proceed
ed to the railway station. The train
arriving in due time. the whole party
travelled on to London, the ladies
journeying in one compartment and
the men in another.
Aloysius was immersed in q sad
tranquility. and from the beginning to
the end Of the transit did not break
silence by . word. He certainly looked
very unlike man who was to be
charged with murder. and still more
unlike one who has been made aware
Of . fact so discomposing. He sat
smoking. with his mournful eyes ap-
parently fixed on vacancy. At Vic
toria he made no objection to riding
In the same hanson with the man who
had him under observation. Billery
chartered q four-wheeler for his wife
and Lillian and himself, and In little
while they all found themselves in an
o1icially-furnished reception room at
the great detective center. Aloysius
sent In his card to the gentleman
whom he knew to have been in charge
Of the case from the f1rst. He was al
most Immediately received.
"To what do owe this visit, Mr..
Brangwyn?" he asked. He was man
who had served his country in the
field, and was reputed an iron disci-
plinarian. He looked about as emo
tional az q bronze statue as he sat
there behind his eyeglasses, with his
steel gray eyes. his close-cropped,
snow-white hair, his eagle beak. and
great gray mustache.
II am very credibly informed" Alloy
sius answered. that / am to be ar
rested tomorrow on a charge of wilful
murder. I presume that shall not be
regarded as impertinent II I ask you
whether you have any oficial knowl-
edge of the matter?"
II can tell you no more than this"
said the onicial, coolly pairing his
nails with pocket-knife. You are
at present under observation. Inquir-
les are at this moment being made in
Paris. Should those inquiries have the
result We expect from them, you will
be arrested on the return of the agent
to whom we have entrusted them"
Thank you," said Aloysius. Il have
evidence In my possession which will
compel you to release me on that
charge. This accusation has been
hanging over me for many years and
have long known myself liable to ar
rest. I have taken such precautions
a could against even . momentary
detention, and have placed my proofs
In the safe keeping Of the Credit Lyon
nais at Nice. l shall ask you In the
frst place to dispatch 1t my cost tel
egram asking that the small safe
containing my documents shall at
once be sent to you. That 10 the key
to It, and I shall ask leave to place 1t
In your charge. I am quite willing to
submit to any ptecaution you may feel
It necessary to take to frustrate an at
tempt at escape, but hope you will
not feel that my arrest u one OF
them"
"What IL the nature Of the docu-
ments:" asked the ofhcial.
"They are nine In number" he re-
piled. "The one Of most importance
contains = statement of the circum-
stances Of the crime, the motives
which inspired It. and the means
adopted to conceal It. It II In the
handwriting Of the criminal himself,
and can be identefed By scores of peo
pie nrw in London"
II suppose you know tho conse-
cuences 81 that statement, Mr.. Brang.
vyn?" said the other, carefully IN
rpecting his nails. and returning t. his
work upon them.
"Quita accurately" Aloysius m
swered. II lay myself opsn 70 lndict.
ment as an accessory after the tact.
do not expect to be vindictively dealt
with when the circumstances Of the
case are known"
"You had better write your tale
gram" said the ofncial. The materi
ais are before you"
Aloysius seated himself and wrcto:
"Send by grande vitesse the small
safe confided to you by mo 17th Sep
tember last to Chief Commissioners Of
Police. Scotland Yard, London.
"Aloysius Brangwyn."
/ He passed the paper across the table
and the o1icial accepted It and read Il
carefully.
Are you prepared" he asked, 'tc
divulge the name Of the person whom
you charge with the murder Of your
uncle?"
II am not prepared to make charge
at this moment which cannot sub