The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-09-14

people at Sydenham. one da. out In 4
country lane 1 met Theresa Wright, hei
old maid. She told me all about her,
about him., about everything. eel! You.
gentlemen, it nearly drove me saad. Thi:
drunken hound. tina he should dare tc
raise his hand TO her, whose boots he was
not worthy to lick / met Theresa again
Then I met Mary herself-and met her
again. The,- she would meet me no more
Blu the other day | had a notice shat
l Was TO start on my voyage within a
week, and ! determined that l would see
her once before l left. Theresa was al
ways my friend, for she loved Mary and
hated This villain almost as much a. ]
did From her / learned the way OF the
house. Mary used to sit up reading in hel
own little room downstairs. l crept round
there last night and scratched at the win.
dow. All first she would not open to mo,
but in her heart l know that now She lovcs
me. ana she could net leave me IN the
frosty night. She whispered TO me To come
round to the big front window, and j
found it o.cn before me, so as to let Ire
into the dining room. Again l heard from
her own lips things that made my blood
boil. and again l cursed This brute, who
mishandled the woman ] loved. Well,
gentlemen. | WAS standing With her iust
inside the window. in all innocence as Coz
is my Judge, when he rushed like a mac
man into the room, called her the West
name that 4 man could use to a woman.
and wclted her across the face With the
stick he had in his hand. i had Sprung fol
the poker and it was a fair fight betvce,
us. Soc here. on my arm. where his frsl
blow fell. Then it was my turn, and ]
went through him as if he had been a rot.
ten pumpkin. DO you think | was serry'
Not /. 1t was his life or mine. but faa
more than that. it was his life or her,
for how could l leave her in the power 9,
.N. ~ 49,. NlFt
him. Was l wrong? We'll, then. VIVA!
would either of you gentlemen have done
if YOU had been in my position?
She had screamed when he struck her.
and that brought old Theresa down frolt
tie room above. There was a bottle OF
wine on the sideboard. and l opened il
and noured a little between Mary's lips,
for She was half deau with shock. Tnel
l took a drop myself. Theresa was as Coz
as ice, and it was her plot as much 4
mine. We must make it appear thai
burglars had done the thing. Therest
kept on repeating our story to her ,nist
t1ess, while l swarmed up and cut the
rope of the bell. Then l flashed her 10
her chair, and frayed out the end of the
rope to make it look natural, else they
would wonder how in the world a burslai
could have got up there to cut 1t. Then J
gathered up a few plates and pots of sill;
Yer, to carry out the ca of robbery, AMI
there l left them. with orders to give TN
alarm when l had a quarter of an hours
start. i dropped the silver into the pond.
and made off for S%ydenhan1, feeling that
for once in my life l had done a real goot
work. And that's the truth and
the whole truth, Mr.. Holmes, if it cost4
me my neck"
Holmes smoked for some time in silence.
Then he crossed the room, and shook oul
visitor by the hand.
THAT'S what think said he ~
know that every word is true. for you
have hardly said a word which l did not
know. No one but an acrobat or a sailor
could have got up TO that bell rope from
the bracket, and no one but a sailor coulo
have made the knots with which the core
was fastened to the chair. Only once haG
this lady been brought into contact With
sailors, and that was on her voyage, anC
1t was someone of her own class Of life.
since she was trying hard to shield him,
and SO showing that she loved him You
see how easy it was for me to lay my
hands upon you when once / had started
upon the right trail"
Il thought the police never could have
seen through our dodge"
And the police haven't, nor will they,
to the best of my belief. Now, look here,
Captain Croker, this is a very serious
matter, though l am willing to admit that
you acted under the most extreme provo
cation to which any man could be subA
lected. l am not sure that in defence of
your life your action will not be pro-
ounce Legitimate. However, that is Tor
a British jury to decide. Meanwhile l
have so much sympathy for you that, il
you choose to disappear in the next TWEEN
ty-four hours, l will promise you that nc
one will hinder YOU
And then it will all come out
certainly it will come out"
What sort of proposal is that to make
a man? L know enough of law to UNDER
stand that Mary would be held as ac-
complete. Do you think l would leave her
alone to face the music while / skunk
away? No, sir, let them do their worst
upon me, but for Heavens sake, Mr..
Holmes, find some way of keeping my poor
Mary out of the COURTS"
Holmes for a second time held out his
hand to the sailor.
II was only testing you, and you ring
true every time. Well, it is a great respon-
sibility that / take upon myself, but ]
have given Hopkins an excellent hint. AID
If he can't avail himself Of it l can dc
no more. See here, Captain Croker. We'll
do this n due form of law. You are the
prisoner. Watson, you are a British jury,
and 1 never met a man who was more
eminently fitted to represent one. l am
the judge. Now, gentlemen of the jury,
you nave heard the evidence. Do you tino
the prisoner guilty or not guilty?"
Not guilty, my lore" said /.
"VoN populi, vox Del. You are acquitted,
Captain Croker. So long as the law does
not find some other victim you are safe
from me. Come back to this lady in g
year, and may her future and yours JUS
tify US in the Judgment which we have
pronounced this night!'
Continued Next Week.
In 1850.
Give me a spoon OF o.eo, ma.
Al the sodium alkalai,