Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-11-02
The Adventure
of Black Peter
Part Four
By ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Copyright
The Mcclure Newspaper
Fart -FOUR
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLI

but l was old enough to feel the shame
and horror Of it all. 1t has always
been said that my father stole all the
securities and fled. 1t is not true.
1t was his belief that If he were given
time in which to realize them, all would
be we'll and every creditor paid in full
He started in his little yacht foy Norway
just before the warrant was issued
for his arrest. can remember that last
night, when he babe farewell to my
mohter. He left us 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 believed,
my mother and that he and it, with
the securities that he had taken with
him, were ut the bottom of the sea.
We had n faithful friend, however,
who is a business man, and 1t was he who
discovered some time ago that some of
the securities which my father had
with him had reapperaed on the London
market. You can imagine our amaze
mcnt. | spent months III trying to trace
th'lAf anu aA ts'Ni, bphbtAhSo
and difficulties, | discovered that the
original seller had been Captain Peter
Carey, the owner of this hut.
Naturally, | made some inquiries
about the man. | found that he had
been in command of whaler which
was due to return from the Arctic
seas ut the very time when my father
was crossing TO Norway. The autumn
of that year was a stormy one and there
was a long succession of southerly gales
My fathers Yacht may we'll have been
blown to the north. and there met by
Captain Peter Carey's ship. If that were
so, what had become of my father? In
any case, if could prove from Peter
Carey's evidence how these securi-
/ ties came on the market it would
be proof that my father had not
sold them, and that he had no view to
personal profit when he took them.
ii II came down OF Sussex with the
intention of seeing the captain, but
! WAS at this moment that this ter.
rible death occurred. l read at the
inquest description of his cabin
in which it stated that the old log
books of his vessel were preserved
in it, II struck me that if / could
see what occurred in the month OF
August, 1883, on board the Sea Uni.
corn, | might settle the mystery OF
my fathers fate. tried last night
to get at these logbooks, but was
unable TO open the door. Tonight
| | tried again and succeeded, but | find
that the pages which deal with that
month have been torn from the book
| II was at that moment found myself a
prisoner in your hands
is that all?' asked Hopkins.
YES, that is all. His eyes shifted
as he said it,
You have nothing else TO tell u.s."
He hesitated.
"\o, there is nothing"
You have not been here before
last night?"
NO"
Then how do you account for
that?" cried Hopkins, as he held w
! the damning notebook. with the initial.
of our prisoner on the first leaf and the
blood-stain on the cover.
The wretched man collapsed. He
sank his face in his hands, and tremblec
all over.
Where did you get it, he groaned
Il did not know. thought had lost
it at the hotel"
That is enough" said Hopkins
sternly. Whatever else you have
to say you must say in court. You
will walk down with me now to the
police-station. Well, Mr.. Holmes.
am very much obliged to you anc
/ To yOi1r friend for coming down II
help me. AS it turns out your presence
was unnecessary, and ] would have
brought the case TO this successful
issue without you, but, none the less
am grateful. Rooms have been re
served for you at the Bramblety,
Hotel, so we can all walk down to tn,
village together.
Tomorrow-The Adventure OF
Black Peter. continued.