The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-09-13
cspysiSht. 1905.
ky Neclass. Phiiiiss q Co.

your mind"
We'll. I thought q was possible.
when they came out through the
French window. there was the pond
with one tempting little hole I'm the
Ice. right In front 81 their noses. Could
there be n better hiding placer
".Ah. a hiding place-thai II better"
cried Stanley Hopkins. Yes. yes. i
see u all know. II was early. there
were folks upon the roads. they were
afraid OF being see with the silver.
So they sank Il In the pond. intending
To return for IL when the coast was
clear. Excellent. Mr.. Ho,mes-ihat Is
better than your idea OF a blind.
quite so. you have got an admirable
theory. I have no doubt but that my
own ideas were quite wild, but you
must admit that they have ended In
discovering the silver"
Yes. sir-yes. II was all your doing.
But I have had a bad setback"
~ setback"
YES. Mr.. Holmes. The Randall Enng
were arrested In New York this morn
Ing"
Dear me. Hopkins, That IL certain
~ rather against your theory. that they
committed n murder In Kent last
night"
at IN fatal. SIR. Holmes-ahsolutcly
fatal. Stiii. there are other n OF
three besides the RandallS. or II may
be- some new gang 81 which the police
have never heard"
Quite 80. It Is perfectly possible.
Yes. AIR. Holmes. there Is no rest
for me until ! have got tn the bottom
of the business. ] suppose you have no
hint To- give me?'
II have given you one"
.WhIch-'
Well. | suggested n blind"
"Tut why. MIR. Holmes. Why"
"Ah. that's the question. OF course.
But I commend the idea of your mind.
You might possibly find that there was
something In a.. You won't stop for
dinner? Well. good by. and let us
know how you get on"
Dinner was over. and the table
cleared before Holmes alluded TO the
matter again. He had llt his pipe and
held his slippercd feet TO the cheerful
blaze OF the fire. Suddenly he looked
ut his watch.
Il expect Developments. Watson"
when"
"Now-withIn n few minutes. I dare
say you thought ! acted rather badly
20 Stanley Hopkins just now"
II trust our judgment"
"a very sensible reply. Watson. You
must look nj II this way: what / know
W. unofficial. what he knows Is official.
| have the right To- private judgment.
but he has nome. He must disclose NIL.
or he Is n traitor TO his service. In n
doubtful case I would not put him In
so painful "A position. and so l reserve
my Information until my mind IN
clear upon the matter"
But when VIII that be-"
Tie il.iS has Come. You will now
be present Mt the last scene OF a re-
marknble little drama"
There was a sound upos the stairs.
and our DOR was opened to admit as
fine u specimen OF manhood us ever
passed through a.. lie vas a very tall
young Taaa. golden moustached. blue
eyed. with a skin which had been
burned by tropical suns. and n
Epringy step. which showed that
the huge frame was ms active
"a u was strong. lie closed the door be-
HAD h!m. ard then he stood with clcnched
hands aai hcaylng breast. choking down
som" ovcrmustcfing emotion.
sit down. Captain Croker. You got
my telegram"
our visitor sank into an arm chair. and
looked from one 10 the other OF US with
questioning eyes.
II got your telegram. and I came at
the hour you said. I heard hat you had
been down TO the office. There was no
getting away from you. Let's hear the
worst What are you going to do with
me- Arrest me- Speak out. man! You
can't ~; there and play with me like a
cat with n
Give him n cigar" said Holmes. bite
on that. Captain Crockcr. and don't let
your nerves run away with you. l should
not slt here smoking with you II ! thought
that you were n common criminal. you
may be SURF OF that. BE frank with me
and Nc may do uomc good. Play tricks
with M. aud I'll crush you"
What do you wish me TO do?'
TO give me a true account OF all hat
happened nj the Abbey Grange last night
"A true account. mind you. with nothing
added and nothing taken OF. know so
much already that IL you 20 one inch
Cn the straight. IN blow his police whis-
tie from my window and the anair goes
out OF my hands forever"
The sailor thought for a little. Then he
struck his les With a great sun-burned
hand.
IN chance a." he cried. II believe you
are a man 81 your word. and "A white man.
and I'll tell you the whole, story. But one
thing l will say irst.. SO FAR as ! am
concerned. l regret nothing and I fear
nothing. and ! would do Il all again. and
be proud OF the Job. Damn the beast. ~
be had as many lives as n cat. he would
owe them all to me-! But It's the lady,
Mary-Mary Frascr-for never will / call
her by that accurscd name. When / think
Of getting her into trouble. I who would
give my life Jus; To bring one smile to
her dear face. It's that that turns my soul
into water. And yct-and yct-what less
could I do? Ill tell you my story. gentle
men. and then I'll ask you. as man to
n what less could ] do.
II must go back "A bit. You seem TO
know everything. 80 ! expect that you
know that I met. her when she was n
passenger and l was first officer OF the
Rock Of Gibraltar. From the first day
l met her. she was the only woman to me.
Every day OF that voyage / loved her
more. and many a time since have |
kneclcd down In the darkness OF the night
because I knew her dear feet had trod
II. b VAS never engaged to me. She
treated me as fairly as ever n woman
treated a man. l nav no complaint TO
make. II was all love on my side, and
all good comradcship and friendship on
hers. When We parted she was n free
woman, but 1 could never again be a
free man.
Next time I came back from sea. I
heard OF her marriage. Well, why
shouldn't she marry whom she likcd7 Title
and moncy-who could carry them better
than Sho? She was born for all that II
beautiful and dainty. l didn't grieye over
her marriage. I was not such a selfish
hound M that. ! just rcJoiccd that good
luck had come her way. and that she
had not thrown herself away on n PEN