The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-06-01

By Mcclure. PAiiips q &c.
with frightened eyes. Then he laid tn,
candle-end upon the table, and disap
lpeared from our view into one of thu
corners. He returned with a large book
one OF the logbooks which formed a lin,
upon the shelves. Leaning on the table. h,
rapidly turned over the leaves OF this vol
ume until he came to the entry which he
sought. Then, with an angry gesture o.
his clenched hand, he closed the book, re
placed 1t in the corner, and put out the
light. He had hardly turned to leave the
hut when Hopkins and was on the fel.
lows collar, and I heard his loud gasp Of
terror as he understood that he was taken
The candle was relit. and there was oul
wretched captive. shivering and COVER
ing in the grasp OF the detective. He AMI
down upon the sea chest, and locke help
lessly from one of us to the other.
Nov. my fine fellow said Stanley
Hopkins. who are you, and what do you
N here?"
The man pulled himself together, and
faced us with an effort at self-composure
You are detectives. I suppose?" said he
you imagine l am connected with the
death OF Captain Peter Carey. 1 assure
you that I am innocent"
Wen see about that" said Hopkins
ElTSI OIL All, WIdl Is you name!
1T is John Hopley Neligan."
I saw Holmes and Hopkins exchange a
quick glance.
What are you doing here?"
Can I speak confdentially?"
mo, certainly not"
why should I tell you?"
IF yoE nave no answer, it may go bad
ly with you at the trial"
The young man WINGED.
well, I will tell you" he said. why
should I not? And yet I hate to hin
OF this old canda gaining a new lease
OF life. Did you ever hear of Dawson and
Neligan?"
never had, but Holmes was keenly in
terested.
You mean the West-country bankers
said he. "They failed for a million,
ruined half the county families of Corn
wall. n Neligan disappeared"
Exactly. Neligan was my father"
At last we were getting something posi-
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. I was only
ten years OF age at the time, but I was
old enoughsto feel the shame and horror
80 ~ oAs ~ AAaS oSSkAH o0AA kll0N
my father stole all the securities, and
fed. It is not true. It was his belief
that II he were given time in which to
realize them, all would be well and every
creditor paid in full. He started in his
little yacht for Norway just before the
warrant was issued for his arrest. I can
remember that last night, when he babe
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. no word
was ever heard from him again. Both the
yacht and he vanished utterly. We be-
lieved, my mother and I, hat he and 1T,
with the securities that he had taken with
him. were at the bottom Of the sea. We
had q faithful friend, however, who Is a
business m@n, 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 amazenent. 1 spent months
In trying to trace them, and at last, after
many doubtings 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 a whaler which was u 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 I'VE been blow to the north,
and there met by Captain Peter Carey's
ship. II that were SO. what a become
Of my father? In any case, IL 1 could
provo from Peter Carey's vidence how
these securities came on the market It
would be q proof that my father had not
sold them. and that he had no view to
personal profit when he tool them.
II came down to Sussex with the in
tention of seeing the captain, but 1t was
ut this moment that his terrible death
occurred. I read at the inquest a descrip-
ton Of his cabin, In which It stated that
the old logbooks Of his vessel were pre-
served In 1t. Ittstruck me that " I could
see what occurred in the month Of August,
1888. on board the Sea Unicorn. I might
settle the mystery of my fathers fate. I
tried last night to get at these logbooks.
but was unable to open the door. Tonight
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 mn I found myself a prisoner
in your hands,"
rs tina all?" asked Hopkins.
Yes. that is ALL His eyes shifted an
he said 1t.
You have nothing else to tell u.s."
He hesitated.
mo, there is nothing" W.
You have not been here before last
night::"
NO" Z7
Then how do you account for that.'
cried Hopkins. as he held up the damning
notebook, with the initials of our pr.s-
oner on the first leaf and the blood-stain
on the cover.
The w7etched man collapsed. He sank
his face in his hands. and trembled all
over.
where did you get it?" he groaned. "1
did not know. I thought 1 had lost 1t at
the hotel"
That is enough" said Hopkins. sternly.
Whatever else you nave 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
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