The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1907-01-17
CHAPTER XIV.

thus: Am threatened with immedi-
ate arrest on charge Of murder. Re.
porting myself at Scotland Yard"
This done, to the great justification
Of Biilery, to whom Aloysius showed
the message, the whole party proceed
cd to the railway station. The train
arriving in due time, the whole party
travelled on to London, the ladies
journeying in n compartment and
the men in another.
Aloysius was immersed In a sad
tranquility. and from the beginning to
the end Of the transit did not break
silence by 4 word. He certainly looked
very unlike a man who was to be
charged with murder, and still nor
unlike one who has been made aware
of a fact SO discomposing. He sat
smoking, with his mournful ayes ap-
parently fixed on vacancy. At Vic
toria he made no objection to riding
in the same hanson with the man who
had him under observation. Billery
chartered a four-wheeler for his wife
and Lillian and himself, and in a little
while they all found themselves in an
oficially-furnished reception room at
the great detective center. Aloysius
| sent in his card to the gentleman
whom he knew to have been in charge
| OF the case from the first. He was al
most Immediately received.
ITO what do I owe this visit, Mr..
Brangwyn?" he asked. He was a man
who had served his country in the
field, and was reputed an iron disci-
plinarian. He looked about as emo
tional as a bronze statue as he sat
there behind his eyeglasses, with his
steel gray eyes, his clo~se-cropped,
snow-white hair, his eagle beak. and
great gray mustache.
Il am very credibly informed" Alloy
sius answered, that | am to be ar
rested tomorrow on a charge Of wilful
| murder. | presume that | shall not be
regarded as impertinent If ask you
whether you have any official knowl-
edge of the natter"
Il can tell you no more than this"
said the official, coolly pairing his
nails with a pocket-knife. You are
at present under observation. Inquir-
les are at this moment being made in
! Paris. Should those inquiries have the
| result we expect from them, you will
be arrested on the return OF the agent
to whom we have entrusted them"
Thank you" said Aloysius. Il have
evidence in my possession which will
compel you to release me on that
charge. This accusation has been
hanging over me for many years and
I have long known myself liable to ar
rest. l have taken such precautions
as | could against even a momentary
detention, and l have placed my proofs
In the safe keeping OF the Credit Lyon
nails at Nice. l shall ask you in the
first place to dispatch at my cost a tel
egram asking that the small safe
containing my documents shall at
once be sem to you. That is the key
to it, and | shall ask leave to place It
in your charge. | am quite willing to
submit to any %precaution you may feel
it necessary to take to Illustrate an at
tempt at escape but I hope you will
not feel that my arrest is n Of
them"
What is the nature OF the docu-
ments?" asked the official.
They are nine in number" he re-
piled. The one of most importance
contains a statement OF the circum-
stances of the crime. the motives
which inspired 1t. and the means
adopted to conceal 1t. 1t Is in the
handwriting of the criminal himself.
and can be Identified by scores OF peo-
pie now in London"
Il suppose you know the conse-
Ouences of that statement, Mr.. Brang-
wynn" said the other, carefully in
specting his nails, and returning to his
work upon them.
Quite accurately" Aloysius an
swered. Il lay myself open TO indict-
ment as an accessory after the fact. l
do not expect to be vindictively dealt
WIN WneH tn6 circumstances VI INC
case are known"
You had better write your tele-
gram" said the oficial. 1.-THE materl-
ais are before YOU"
Aloysius seated himself and wrote:
Send by grande vitesse the small
safe confided to you by me 9th Sep
TENDER last to Chief Commissioner Of
Police, Scotland Yard, London.
"Aloysius Brangwyn."
He passed the paper across the table
and the Official accepted 1t and read 1t
carefully.
Are you prepared" he asked. Ito
divulge the name of the person whom
you charge with the murder OF your
uncle?"
II am not prepared to make a charge
at this moment which I cannot sub
stantiate until my documents arrive"
Very well. Your appearance here.
OF course, argues bona fdes. l see no
purpose to be served by your arrest.
| But you must understand that you will
- lnp$ ,,DIan the cfrirtoaf ctrruai1.