Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-01

/ " I IL VI IL ~ ~ ~ Az 49, 49,
candle-end upon the table, and disap-
peared from our view into one of the
corners. He returned with a large book,
one of the logbooks which formed a line
upon the shelves. Leaning on the table, he
rapidly turned over the leaves Of this vol
ume until he came TO the entry which he
sought. Then. with an angry gesture of
his cleuched hand, he closed the book, re-
placed Il In the corner. and put out the
light. He had hardly turned to leave the
hut when Hopkins hand was on the fell
lows collar, and ! heard his loud gasp OF
terror as he understood that he was taken.
The candle was relit. and there was our
wretched captive, shivering and cover
ing in the grasp OF the detective. He sank
down upon the sea chest, and looked help
| lessly from one of us to the other.
Now, my fine fellow" said Stanley
Hopkins, "who are you, and what do you
want here?"
The man pulled himself together, and
faced us with an effort at self-composure.
you are detectives, l suppose" said he.
you imagine l am connected with the
death Of Captain Peter Carey. l assure
you that / am innocent
WEI see about that" said Hopkins.
First of all, what is you name?"
1T Is John Hopley Ncligan."
! saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange a
quick glance.
what are you doing here"
"Can / speak conidentially?"
mo, certainly not"
"Why should / tell your
IF you have no answer, it may sc bad
ly with you at the trial"
The young man WINGED.
We'll, / will tell you" he said. why
should / not? And yet | hate TO think
OF this old scandal gaining a new lease
Of life. Did you ever hear of Dawson and
Neligan?"
L could see, from Hopkins face, that he
never had, but Holmes was keenly in
tercsted.
you mean the wcst-country bankers"
said he. THEY failed for a million,
ruined half the coun families of Corn
wall, and Neligan disappeared"
Exactly. Neligan was my father"
At last We were getting something posi-
tive, and yet il seemed a long gap be-
tween an abscondinG banker and Captain
Peter Carey pinned against the wall with
one of his own harpoons. We all listened
intently TO the young mans words,
1T was my father who was really con-
cerned. Dawson had retired. j was only
ten years of age at the time, but / was
old enough to feel the shame and horror
of Ii all. 1t has always been said that
my father stole all the securities and
fled. 1t is not true. 1t was his belief
that If he were given time in which 10
realize them, all would be well and every
creditor paid In full. He started I'm his
little yacht for Norway just before the
warrant was issued for his arrest. ! cen
remember that last night, when he bade
farewell to my mother. He left us a list
OF the securities he was taking, and he
swore that he would come back with his
honor cleared, and that none who had
trusted him would suffer. Well. 10 word
was ever heard from him again. Both the
yacht and he vanished utterly. We be-
lieved. my mother and I. that he and it,
with the securities that he had taken with
him. were at the bottom of the sea. We
had a faithful friend. however, who is a
business man, and twas he who discovered
some time ago that some Of the securities
which my father had with him had reap
peared on the London market. You can
imagine our amaZement. l spent months
in trying to trace them, and at last, after
many doubtlngs and difficulties. 1 dis
covered that the original seller had been
Captain Peter Carey, the owner of this
hut.
Naturally, I made some inquiries about
the man. l found that he had been in
command of a whaler which was due to
return from the Arctic seas at the very
time when my father was crossing to
Norway. The autumn of that year was a
stormy one. and there was a long success
sion of southerly gales. My fathers yacht
may well have been blown to the north,
and there met by Captain Peter Carey's
ship. II that were so. had become
of my father? In any case. IL / could
prove from Peter Carey's evidence how
these securities came, on the market Ii
would be a proof hat my father had not
sold them, and that he had no view TO
personal profit when he took them.
&. ET 1-. - $500 Ia 49, t.
~tention of seeing the captain, but il was
at this moment that his terrible death
occurred. read at the inquest a descrip-
ton of his cabin, III which IL stated that
the old logbooks of his vessel were pre-
served IN IT. 1t struck me that If / could
see what occurred in the month OF August.
1888, on board the Sea Unicorn. / might
settle the mystery of my fathers fate. /
tried last night to get at these logbooks,
but was unable to open the door. Tonight
I tried again and succeeded. but I find that
the pages which deal with that month
have been torn from the book. 1t was at
that moment I found myself a prisoner
m your hands"
SIS that ALP asked Hopkins.
'Yes. that is ALL" His, eyes shifted as
he said Il.
"You have nothing else to tell usg'
He hesitatcd.
"No, there Is nothing"
"You have not been here before last
night@"
mo-"
"Then how do you account for that?'
cried Hopkins, as he held up the damning
notebook, with the Initials OF our prs
oner on the first leaf and the blood-stain
on the cover.
The wrctched mar collapsed. He sank
his face IN his hands. and trembled all
over.
Where did you get it," he groaned. IL
did not know. / thought ] had lost 1t at
the hotel
That is enough said Hopkins. sternly.
whatever else you have TO say. you must
say In court. You will walk down with me
TO the police station, Well, Mr.. Holmes.
I am very much obliged to you and TO
~A