Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-22

CHAPTER XIV.

was addressed to Alexis, and it ran
thus: Gam threatened with immedi-
ate arrest on charge of murder. Re-
porting myself at Scotland Yard.
This done, to the great mystiflcation
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 a 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 a 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 a four-wheeler for his wife
and Lillian and himself, and in little
while they all found themselves in al
oficially-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 first. He was al
most Immediately received.
"To what do l owe this visit, Mr..
Brangwyn?" he asked. He was man
who had served his country in the
field, and was reputed an iron discl-
plinarian. He looked about as emo
tional as a 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.
81 am very credibly informed Alloy
sius answered, that | am to be ar
rested tomorrow on a charge OF w1lful
murder. I presume that I shall not be
regarded as impairment if | ask you
whether you have any official knowl-
edge of the matter?'
81 can tell you no more than this
said the official, coolly pairing his
nails with a 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
l have long known myself liable to ar
rest. | have taken such precautions
as I could against even a momentary
detention, and I have placed my proofs
in the safe keeping of the Credit Lyon
nails at Nice | shall ask you in the
first place to dispatch at my cost tel
egram asking that the small safe
containing my documents shall at
once be sent to you. That is the key
to it, and | shall ask leave to place 1t
in your charge. | am quite willing to
submit to any precaution you may feel
it necessary to take to Illustrate an at
tempt at escape, but I hope you will
not feel that my arrest is one OF
them"
What is the nature of the docu-
ments?" asked the official.
"They are nine in number" he re-
piled. THE one of most Importance
contains a statement of the circum-
stances of the crime, the motives
which inspired it, and the means
adopted to conceal it. 1t is in the
handwriting Of the criminal himself
and can be Identified by scores of peo-
pie now in London"
81 suppose you know the conse-
quences of that statement, Mr. Brang-
wynn" said the other, carefully in
specting his nails, and returning to his
work upon them.
Quite accurately" Aloysius an
swered. 81 lay myself open to indict-
ment as an accessory after the fact.
do not expect to be vindictively dealt
with when the circumstances Of the
case are known"
'You had better write your tele-
gram" said the official. 1.-THE materl-
ais are before you"
Aloysius seated himself and wrote:
Send by grande vitesse the small
safe confided to you by me 9th Sep
TENDER last to Chief Commissioner OF
Police, Scotland Yard, London.
"Aloysius Brangwyn."
He passed the paper across the table
and the official accepted it and read it
carefully.
care you prepared" he asked, ito
divulge the name of the person whom
you charge with the murder of your
uncle?"
II am not prepared to make a charge
at this moment which I cannot sub
stantiate until my documents arrive.
Every well. Your appearance here,
of course, argues bona fides. I see no
purpose to be served by yc':r arrest.
But you must understand that you will