The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-09-13

people NJ sydenham. One da.' out In Q
country lane I met Theresa Wright. hef
old maid. She told me all about her.
about him. about everything. ! tell you.
gentlemen, Il nearly drove me mad. This
drunken hound, that he should dare TO
raise his hand to her, whose boots ne was
not worthy to lick! ! met Theresa again.
Then ! met Mary hcrscif-and met her
again. Then she would meet me no more.
hut tho other day I had a notice that
I was 10 start on my voyage within q
week. IND I determined that would SEQ
sayE ft friend. Tor she loved Mafy and
hated this villain almost rs much as ]
did From her I learned the way OF the
house. Mary used 20 sit up reading In hei
own little room downstairs. 1 crcpt roune
there last night and scratched At the win
dow. AZ FIRST she would not open 20 me.
bu, In her heart I now that now she loves
me. and she could not leave me In the
frosty night. She whispered To me to coma
roursI TO the blk front window, and
found II open before me. 80 as TO let ms
into the dining room. Again j heard from
her own lips things that made my blood
boil. and again ! cursed this brute. whe
mishandlcd the woman i loved. We'll
gentlemen. I was standing with her jus
inside tho window. In all innocence as GOO
u my Judge. when he rushed hk a mad.
man into the room. called her the vilcst
name that a man could use TO a IN
and wcitcd her across the face with the
stick he a In his hand. I Ind sprung for
the poker. and u was a fair fght between
Us. See here. on ny arm. where MS hrst
blow fell. Then Il was my turn. and j
went through him rs II he had been n rot.
ten pumpkin. DO you think ! was sorryl
- ~. Ng- N. .nlaA hlN fnr
more than that. II was his life or hers.
for how could I leave her In the power OF
this madmang That was how i killed
him. Was I wrongI Well. then. h
would either OF o gentlemen have done,
II you had been In my positionT
she had screamed when he struck her.
and that brought old Theresa Low from
the room above. There was n bottle OF
wine on the sidcboard. n i opened IL
aud poured a little between Mary's lips.
for she was half dead with shock. Then
I took a drop myself. Theresa was as cool
as Ice, and IL was her plot ns much as
mine. We must make IL appear that
burglars had done the thing. Theresa
kept on repeating our story TO her mis-
ttcEs, while I swarmed up and cut tho
rope OF the bell. Then ! dashed her In
her chair. and frayed out the end OF the
rope TO make II look natural slso they
would wonder how In the world a burglar
could have got UP there to cut Il. Then 1
gathered up a few plates apd pots OF sill
yer. 10 Sarfy out the lica OF robbery. and
there l left them. with orders TO give the
alarm when I had a quarter Of an hours
start. I dropped the silver into the pond.
and made on for Sydenham. feeling that
for once In my life I had lone a real good
nights work. And that's the truth and
the whole truth. Mr.. Holmes. 81 IL costs
me m neck"
Holmes smoked for some time In silence.
Then he crossed the room. and shook our
visitor by the hand.
That's what ! think" said he. II
know that every word IL true. for you
have hardly said n word which ! did not
know. No one but AN acrobat or n sailor
could ave got up TO that bell rope from
the bracket. and no one but n sailor could
have made the knots with which the cord
was fastened TO the chair. Only once had
this lady been brought into contact with
sailors. and that was on her voyag and
IL vas someone OF her own class OF life,
since she whs trying hard TO shield him.
and 80 showing hat she loved him. You
see how easy IL was for me 10 lay my
hands upor YOU when once 1 had started
upon the right trail"
II thought the police never could have
seen through our dodge" --<
And the police haven't. nor will they.
10 the best OF my belief. Now, look here.
Captain Croker. this In n very serious
matter, though ] am willing 10 admit that
cation 10 which any man could be sub
Jcctcd. ! am not sure that In defence OF
your Ilfe your action will not be pro-
nounccd legitimate. However. that IN ior
n British jury to decide. Meanwhile 1
have 20 much sympathy for you that. IL
you choose to disappear In the next TWEEN
ty-four hours. l will promise you that no
n will hinder you
And then IL will all come out"
Certainly IL will come out"
'wha, sort Of proposal II that 10 make
n man? ] know enough OF law TO undcr
stand that Mary would be held as ac-
complete. DO you think would leave her
alone to face the music while 1 skunk
away? No. sir. let them do their worst
upon me. but for Heavens sake. MIR.
Holmes. ind some way OF keeping my poor
Mary out OF the courts"
Holmes for n second time held out his
hand to the sailor.
II was only testing o and you ring
true every time. Well. IL Is a great rcspon-
sibllity that I take upon myself. but 1
have given Hopkins an excellent hint. ald
II he can't avail himself ~ II l can do
no more. See here. Captain Croker. well
do his In due form OF law. You are tho
prisoner. Watson. you are n British jury.
and I never met "A man who was more
emincntly fitted TO represent one. l am
the judge. Now. gentlemen OF the jury.
you have heard the evidence. DO you ind
the prisoner guilty or not guilty."
Not guilty. my lord, said !.
"Vox popull. vox Del. You are acquitted.
Captain Croker. So long as the law does
not hnd some other victim you are safe
from me. Come hack to this lady In n
year. and may her future and yours jus
iify us In the Judgment which we have
pronounced this night