The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-10-28


at Jed, stabbed him in the shoulder,
seized the papers, scattered them
about the room and jumped out of the
window.
IF this had been all, I should have
no client in this case. But in his rage
Dravada, when he was throwing the
papers about, had unconsciously re-
tanned one sheet in his clenched list.
He found it in his fist when he came
out of his senseless and inordinate
rage later; and then, his natural Gu
pidity and cunning reasserted, he real
lied that something was being guard
ed in the box; that something's being
only papers. it must follow that the
papers We're valuable, He reproached
himself that his anger had defeated
his judgment when it was possible for
him to take the entire contents of the
box. He did not dare go back; he had
stabbed Jed; the house might be
alarmed. He had only a single sheet
of the guarded manuscript. 1t is
copy of that sheet which you find here.
II said would give you my conjec-
lures. You will ask first why l am
so candid in committing to writing a
communication of this nature. 1t is
because: first, / prefer to write 1T,
owing to physical timidity in con-
versation and second, but equally i'm
portant, because know the last thing
Mr. Sidney or any true friend of Mr..
Sidney's, desires is to have the story,
of which this is a page, made public.
81 do not know what this story is,
| but know who does know what 1t is.
That person is the man Jed-now, as
before, a servant of Mr.. Sidney. |
have made sufficient inquiry as to the
position of Jed in the household OF
Mr.. Sidney to know that he retains
the manuscript found in the box, or If
he does not retain it, knows its con-
tents.
''The visit of Mr.. Sidney and his
family to Montevideo this winter be-
trayed Jeds whereabouts to Dravada.
He came north after they had sailed.
His cupidity has determination. L
think your man Jed appreciates that.
/ think from what Dravada has told
me, in his simple Boosting fashion,
that Jed was dismayed to see him
again in Montevideo.
shy clients first impulse, having fol-
lowed Jed TO the United States, was
to get at this secret by force or theft,
but he sees the physical difficulties In
the way; and being, except in his vlo-
lent moments, a reasonable man, ne
has had recourse to an attorney to
obtain such settlement as his knowl-
edge may be worth.
81 do not wish to defend my course
in the matter. / suggest merely that
Mr.. Sidney and all concerned will fare
the better for having man of con-
sideration and discretion, such as l
fatter myself I am, intervening be-
tween them and a man of the moral
complexion indicated by my client l
shall be at your disposal, doctor, with
in any reasonable time. leave it to
YOUR Judgment to handle the matter
within Hartley house."
The copy of manuscript which ac-
companied the letter was as follows:
would be fatal to the sue
| cess of what I have done and intend
TO do if this confession were to be
found. 1t might be asked, then, why
EXPOSE myself and my happiness to
the chance of discovery Of things
which Z may lock forever by simply
forgetting. 1t is sufficient answer to
that question to admit that for me /
could not be content unless it were
certain that what I have done should
! he known. I want the record of 1T
known. 1t increases my satisfaction
TO know that I shall cause moralists
to he indignant. I want to be known
as a criminal. I want my crime to be
talked about. I want it remembered.
That is the SAVIOR of my life. 1t would
| be impossible for me to obtain
sufficient satisfaction unless made
il possible for the story of crime to
he known some time. So long as
live. I shall need and seek conceal
ment: but I should not be happy I'M
less could anticipate disclosure. My
| crime
That was all.
Several persons-two at least; Ora
vada and Attorney Brown-knew as
much as I had read. Three persons,
in the house, Mr.. Sidney, Mrs. Sidney
and Jed. knew. the story completely.
1t was this knowledge which had
given Jed his control in the house, Mrs.
/ Sidney her unhappiness and Mr.. Sid
ney some of his pleasures.
/ The search for solvent Of the Hart
ley house mysteries was insistent. AL
colts incidental remark came back. to
me: 'sIt might have been Monteyideo."
/ felt uncomfortable to recall this,
ashamed and abashed, as If in re
calling it I had done something to low
er myself in my self-respect. had to
| go to Mrs. Sidney with the information
and insinuations Attorney Philetus M.
Brown had given me. My desire was
to protect her from precisely this kind
of trouble; my necessity was to carry
the trouble to her. / had to know how
to act.
BY way of preliminary / told her OF
/ the three appearances of the Spaniard
/ and then of the appearances of the
lawyer. When / offered her the sheet
of paper containing a transcript of a
/ page of Mr.. Sidney's diary, her hands
i tranohled hut she took the sheet reSO-