saw I was more afraid of her knowing my past than of the police. Whatever he

wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without question, land,

money, houses, until at last he asked a thing which I could not give. He asked

for Alice.


“His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was known

to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that his lad should step

into the whole property. But there I was firm. I would not have his cursed

stock mixed with mine; not that I had any dislike to the lad, but his blood was

in him, and that was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to

do his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses to talk it

over.


“When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I smoked a

cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. But as I listened to

his talk all that was black and bitter in me seemed to come uppermost. He was

urging his son to marry my daughter with as little regard for what she might

think as if she were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that

I and all that I held most dear should be in the power of such a man as this.

Could I not snap the bond? I was already a dying and a desperate man. Though

clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, I knew that my own fate was sealed.

But my memory and my girl! Both could be saved if I could but silence that foul

tongue. I did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, I

have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl should be

entangled in the same meshes which held me was more than I could suffer. I

struck him down with no more compunction than if he had been some foul and

venomous beast. His cry brought back his son; but I had gained the cover of the

wood, though I was forced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in

my flight. That is the true story, gentlemen, of all that occurred.”