The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-05-31

pcared from our view into one OF the
corners. lie returned with n large book,
one OF the logbooks which formed n line
pom the shelves. Leaning on the table. he
4 rapidly turned over the leaves 81 this vol
ume until he came TO the entry which he
sought. Then. with an angry gesture OF
hts clenched hand. I've closed the book. re-
placed u In the corner. and put out the
light lie had hardly turned 10 leave the
hut when Hopkins hand was on the fell
lows collar, and I heard his loud gasp OF
terror as he understood that he was taken.
The candle was rciii. and there was our
wrctchcd captive. shivcrinH and cover
Ing In the grasp OF the detective. lie sank
down upon the chest. and looked help
lessly from one Of Us to the other.
Now. my nnc fellow" said Stanley
Hopkins. who are you. and what do you
want hcrcg"
The man pulled himself together. and
faced us with an EFFORT ut self-composure.
"You are detectives. ! suppose said ne.
| You imagine ] am connected with the
death OF Captain Peter Carey. i assure
you that ! am innocent"
Wen see about that" said Hopkins.
/ First Of all. what IL you manner
1T IL John Hoplsy Michigan"
I saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange a
quick glance.
What are you doing here
Can speak conndeniiallyG
| mo, certainly not"
| why should I tell you?'
| III yoC have no answer. IL may so tad
~ with you Mt the trial"
The young man WINGED.
| well, I will tell YOU" he Said. why
should I notg And ye; I hate 10 think
OF this old scandal gaining a new lease
| OF life. Did you ever hear Of Dawson and
NcllsanT'
1 could see. from Hopkins face. that he
never had. but HOLINESS was keenly In
| tcrested.
You mean the wes,-country bankers"
said he They failed for million.
ruined half the county families OF Corn
wall and Michigan disappeared.
| Exactly. Michigan was my father.
| At last We were getting something posi-
tive. and ye, Il seemed long gap be-
tween nm 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.
| II, was my father who was really con-
cerned. Dawson had retired. was only
| ten years of age at the time. but i was
old enough TO feel the shame and horror
OF II all. IL has always been said that
| my father stole all the securities and
1 fed. IL Ia not true. IL was his belief
| that II he were given time In which TO
realize them. all would be we'll and every
| creditor paid In full. lie started In his
little yacht for Norway just before the
/ warrant was issued for his arrest. l can
remember that last night. when he babe
| farewell TO my mother. lie left us n list
OF the securities he WAS taking. and he
| swore that he would come back with MS
honor cleared. and that none who had
trusted him would suffer. Well. no word
was ever heard from him again. Both the
| yacht and he vanished utterly. We be-
a 4 ~ aud
| with the securities that he had taken with
him. were 81 the bottom OF the sea. We
had a faithful friend. however. who Il
I business man. and I; was he who discovered
some time ago that some OF the securities
which my father had with him had reap
pearcd on the London market You can
imagine our amAzcment. ! spent months
In trying TO trace them, and AZ last, after
many doubtlngs and difficulties. I dis
covered that the original seller had been
Captain Peter Carey. the owner OF this
hut.
| Naturally. I made some inquiries about
the man. I found that he had been In
command Of whaler which was due to
return from the Arctic seas ut the very
time when my father was crossing 20
! Norway. The autumn OF that year was q
stormy one. and there was n long success
sion OF southcrly gales. My fathers yacht
may well have been blown 20 the north
and there met by Captain Peter Carcy's
ship. IL shat were so. what had become
| OF my father In any case. " could
prove from Peter carey's evidence how
these securities came on the market q,
would H. a proof that my father had not
sold them. and that he had no view to
personal proft when he took them.
II came down TO Sussex with the in
tention OF seeing the captain, but 10 was
AZ this moment that his terrible death
occurred. I read at the inquest n dcscrip-
ton OF his cabin. IA which IL stated that
the old logbooks OF his vessel were pre-
served In u. N struck me that " could
see what occurred In the month OF August.
iSS1. 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
tried again and succeeded. but ind that
tn. pages which deal with that month
have been torn from the book. ., was at
that moment found myself prisoner
IN your hands"
lis that alI-" asked Hopkins.
YES. that - all Ills eyes shifted 49,
Ec taid a.
You have nothing else to tel! u.s.
lie hcsi,atcd.
NO. there IN nothing"
You have not been here before last
night
No"
Then how DO you account for that 80
cried Hopkins. Rs he held up the damning
notebook. with the initials OF our prs.
oucr on the first leaf and the blood stain
on the cover.
The wTcichcd man collapsed. lie sank
his face IN his hands. and trcmbled all
over.
where did you Gc, ~ he rroancd. II
did not know. thought had lost IL 1T
the hotel"
THAT IL enough" said Hopkins. s'crnly.
Nv hatever else you have Ia say. you must
say In court. You will walk down with me
TO the police station. Wen. Mr.. Holmes
am very much obliged TO you and to
49, =