The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-06

said she; land I'd have done so be-
fore now If | could ha' got out from
the cellar. II there's police-court busl-
ness over this, you'll remember that
was the one that stood your friend.
and that l was Miss Alice's friend
| too.
"She as never happy at home, Miss
| Alice wasn't, from the time that her
father married again. She was slight
ed like, and had no say in anything;
but it never really became bad for
her until after she met Mr.. Fowler at
a friends house. AS we'll as l could
learn, Miss Alice had rights OF her
own by will, but she was so quiet and
patient, she was, that she never said
a word about them, but just left every
| thing in Mr.. Rucastle's hands. He
knew he was safe with her; but when
there was a chance of husband COM
ing forward. who would ask for all that
the law would give him, then her
father thought it time to put stop on
it. He wanted her to sign paper, so
that whether she married or not, he
could use her money. When she
wouldn't do it. he kept on worrying
her until she got brain-fever, and for
six weeks was at deaths door. Then
she got better at last. all worn to a
shadow, and with her beautiful hair
cut off; but that didn't make no change
in her young man, and he stuck to her
as true as man could be-"
"Ah," said Holmes, Il think that
what you have been good enough to
tell us makes the matter fairly clear,
and that can deduce all that remains.
Mr.. Rucastle then, presume, took to
this system of imprisonment?
Yes, sir
And brought Miss Hunter down
from London in order to get rid
of the disagreeable persistence OF
Mr.. Fowler"
That was it, sir"
But Mr.. Fowler being a persevering
man, as a good seaman should be
blockaded the house, and, having met
you, succeeded by certain arguments
metallic or otherwise, in convincing
you that your interests were the same
as his.
i "Mr Fowler was very kind-spoken
freehanded gentleman" said Mrs
Toller, serenely.
And in this way he managed that
your good man should have no want
of drink, and that a ladder should be
ready at the moment when your
master had gone out"
You have it, sir, just as it hap
pened"
Il am sure We owe you an apology
, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, 'for yor
have certainly cleared up everything
, which puzzled US. And here come:
!, the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle
; so l think, Watson, that we had bes
escort Miss Hunter back to Winches
, ter, as it seems to me that our locu:
, standi now is rather a questionable
one"
! And thus was solved the mystery o
! the sinister house with the cope
! beeches in front of the door Mr.
Rucastle survived, but was always ;
! broken man, kept alive solely through
: the care of his devoted wife. The,
. still live with their old servants, wht
; probably know so much of Rucastle
. past life that he finds it difficult t.
) part from them. Mr. Fowler and Mis-.
! Rucastle were married by specia
! license, in Southampton the day afte
{ their flight, and he is now the holde
r of Government appointment in tn,
. Island of Mauritius. AS to Miss Viole
3 Hunter, my friend Holmes, rather t,
: my disappointment, manifested n,
] further interest in her when once sh
5 had ceased to be the center Of one O
: his problms, and she is now the heat
: OF private school at Walsall, where
believe that she has met with con