SHORT STORY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 526, 5 June 1909, Page 14

SHORT STORY.

THE STRANGE CASE OF HETTY' DUNCAN,' , ATraglo Dlsttowry. ' About the year 1846 Glasgow was by no means' the mammoth city she is to-d&y. With ) her population of nearly 300,000, however, she was rapidly outstripping all competitors for the position of Second City of the Em.pire: _ The Clyde, from its condition of,a crystal woodland stream, which it had shown but a docado or two before, was, after being dredged and deepened, spoodily becoming a highway of commerce and the malodorous flood of impurity which is its normal characteristic to-day. The exquisite rural surroundings of its suburbs were all disappearing, giving place to dreary wildernesses of warehouses, stores, f Kid workmen's dwellings. < Though in somo respects this was tho fate whioh'had befallen Govan by fbe year named (1816), in some parts it was still tho quiet village of a hundred years before. It ,was itill a full mile distant from Glasgow Cross: its houses were still in some cases roofed with thatch, and woro''surrounded by gardens in which gooseberries, cherries, and apples flourished luxuriantly. In ono of theso pretty 'cottages, overgrown with creepers, lived Mrs. Duncan, tho widow of , an , old sea captain, and her daughter Hetty, as lovely and charming a girl as anyone could wish .to meet; Early onfe spring morning in 1846 Mrs. Duncan was up and about ;in her 'garden, when she was hailed with a "Good morning" from over the fence. Tho old lady was agoing along tho path to let'hor hens out from tho fowl-house in -their little yard when tho cheery hail reached hor car. She smiled and nodded'back to/a strong, muscular, Tiand-some-looking young man in official uniform, who, while passing down towards the 'river, had "given her the time of day," adding tho question, "What's come o'er Hetty, that yo're doin' yersel'?" ' "Good mornin', John Williamson. 'Ay, it's,, a bonnie morn. Hetty's atray for a night Boeing her friend, Jessio M'Dougall. She'll 1 be back soon now." i "Jessio M'Dougall?" 'retorted John, in aooming surprise. ,' ' ', ' ■ ,' The, old lady, howovor, reiterated her state- • ment,and glanced'curiously at Williamson, as if asking an explanation for tho surprise expressed in his tones. But John, nodding good-humouredly, passed on, and tho incident for the .time passed out of mind. John Williamson, it may bo mentioned, was a membe , of tho newly-formed Clyde dotective police, and he was hurrying to his duty, He walked down to the river, and entering hie boat, crossed over to feho other side, whore many vessels wore lying off tho , ■ Broomielaw, and below Glasgow Bridge. Hero ho picked up his two mates, Sandy Bain and Peter Hough, who wero standing near the Custom House, and they thon proceeded down tho rivor towards Old Kilpatrick. As tho tide was ebbing strongly, they made rapid progress. When thoy reached a point about a mile below the pleoo whero tie Kelvin joins the Clyde, they passed a boat, tho occupant of which,had evidently, like themselves, taken, advantage of the strong ebb to lie down and rest from tho labour of rowing. Apparently ho had trusted to the early hour to ensure him immunity from collision with any craft being towed by steam, tugs up to the harbour, for, he was_ to all appearance fast asleep in tho bottom' of tho boat. ' < Sandy Bain, shouted moio than qnco to arouse tho stronger, but thero was no notice taken, and so they passed on/soon leaving the boat behind. After they had discharged their duties at the Amina and tho Nancy Barlow at Old KilDatrick, making a careful examination of the two vessels in the 'interests of tho ClydetlP'olioo, they prepared jtb return". Purposely"tihey had not hurriod'over their work, so that they might strike tho young flood" in their Totum* journey, and thus once more avoid the heavy labour of rowing. In this they were eminently lucky. Tho tido had turned for about an hour whon they bogan their homeward voyago, and they took turns at tho oars to accclorato lieir Tato of progress. They had only been on their return journey for about an hour, when Williamson uttered an exclamation of surprise. ' The others \ looked questioningly towards him. t"lt|a that 1 boat again, and the fellow doesn't, seem to have moved since we passed in tho morning. He's had a blessed good sleep. Let's go and rouse him!" Tho others agreed, and the boat was directed towards the other one, which wae once moro slowly, but surely, being drifted up by the tide towards Glasgow. WilliamBon'took tho oars, and Sandy Bain stood'-in tbo bow of the polico boat to grapple the i stern of tho other craft when thoy camo near enough. In a few moments thoy woro ' alongside. whoever ho-might bo, was'lying under a large,.cloak, which was spread out over,tho bottom of tho boat. Bandy Bain at onco hailed the sleeper. "Halloa, there, boat, ahoy! , HalloaHalloa!" But not a sign did the sleeper give "that bo heard. Just thon Peter Hough, laying hold of the cktok, twitched it oft tho sleeper. To the infinite surprise of tho .three Crydo dotectives it 1 was ,no man that lay concealed utder tho cover of-the cloak, but a , young woman of rare beauty and grace. Tor a moment they gazed at her in •, utter ■~- amazoment. Then Williamson sprang to his fe.ot so suddenly that ho almost \capsized the boat, leaned - over, and put his ,hand •upon 4ho girl's cheek. "It's Hotty Duncan." he shouted, "and she's dead." ' ' The v two 'others were both", his seniors by BOvoraU.vears, and moreover wcro married men with familiee, yet thoy, both realised by a flash of intaition that in tho ring of passionate sorrow that entered into that cry ' there lay the evidence of a profound tragedy both of heart and life.' Nor was their inspiration at fault. Tho form, lying so still anfl silent before them was that of Hetty Duncan, and, as had been said, sho was dead. In a moment John Williamson' had realised all that this implied to him and how barren of hopo and of happiness tho world v w-ould henceforth bo to him. But he crushed tho agony down in his .heart, only stopping to,register,a mental vow that if this cae« meant murder, and'at present it looked ex- _ ceodingly like that, his life .would bo devoted to running the miscreant down to earth. For deep down in rough John Williamson's heart thoro was enshrined tho imago iof Hetty Duncan, and it had been his guiding star through lifo, preserving him from vice and wrongdoing by the mote * thought, "What would Hotty think of me if I dnl this? , ;, His companions had long suspected his secret, vul had also realised that bis love was absolutely hopeless; 'that Hetty's love, if it wore not given clsowhero, was certainly not centred on John Williamson. It was not theso reflections, however, that gained their immediate attention, but the urgent question,. What was to bo done? How had Hotty met her death? They made a careful examination of tho body, but nothing could bq detected, at least on tho surface. Having dono this, they fastened the boat in which tho body of tho poor girl lay and to'vod it behind them up to Glasgow. < It was dark when thoy reached the Broomielaw, but -still there . were a number of loifers about, and tho fact could not bo concpaled that Hettv Duncan, the child of oM Thcddcus, or "Taddy Dnncan," a girl whom they all knew and loved, had met her death in a most mysterious manner. The body was conveyed on a. stretcher to tho office of the Clydo Police, where the Burgeon in ch.-.rcjo made a careful examination. Meantirrn th" boat was as scrupulously investigated to w> if any traces of strugglo could be detrM thoro, but not a singlo incriminatory crt' ]« or symptom could bo found th3t would itilVd tho faintest clue. 7ii" report of tho surgeon was also, of a startling nature. Ho stated that ho could, rIi'LOUT no reason for tho girl's doath. There wa-. i.o wound, nor even any scratch, on tho body; there was no evidonco of disease; in facl. nil went to point that she would probiMv hive lived to be a very old woman bv l fer hor unaccountable death. Th" great mystery was how came she to be «liorc slip wae and how did sho meet with her (liaili ? Her mothor, poor woman, was so cruni-Tfi by tho -cruel hkfar. that jho only suit,

Tired her dwghter'e death a week, and the two were actually kid in one grave is tho old Gorbali Cemetery. A Glue te the Mystery. ..'A*, thia'time , Archibald" Wilson was tho Chief Superintendent of the entire Glasgow distriot, with control over the Clyde Pohco. He therefore set John Williamson, in whom he had great faith, and with mm James Sihart, to investigate the circumstances of this extraordinary case. Smart, .from the very first, with that rare magnanimity which always distinguished \&m) placed his services at Williamson's disposal. "This is your big case, Williamson," ho said, "and you must havo a fair field for your trial. I'll report to you, not you to me, and in this way you will ha\o all the threads in your hands." And upon that principlo this truly great man worked with Williamson until tho end. ' But at the outset any clues whatsoever seomod absolutely awanting. They tried every individual they could think of. Williamson went to Jessio M'Dougall, .whom he had seen the samo morning as ho had met Mrs.: Duncan, and who had aeked him to give a message to: Hotty, the. purport of vhich wae a request to know where she had been on the previous night when she had not paid her jjromisod visit. This was the reason why Williamson said so markedly, to Mrs. Duncan, "Jessie M'Dougall?" as though he doubted the mother's word. He now subjected Jessie to a oloso examination as to Hetty's life, although, every question ho asked and every answer ho received was a dart piercing his own heart. Jessio declared at first that nothing. By and by, howovor, she >was compiled to admit that sho suspected Hetty had a secret sweetheart, regarding whom sho was exceedingly reticent. Tho task now was to find out who he was, and if he had any hand in hor death. All that , Jessie know was that ono day when Hetty and sho wore walking together in Argylo Street, a tall, dark-eyed, dark-skinned, gentlemanlylooking man stopped them, and that Hetty camo and excused herself to Jessio for a little while, promising Jo meet her within half an hour at the Trongate. Sho had then gone away with this man,!but had returned at t&o-hour namod, and Jessio saw them tako farewell of one another some distance up the street, and then Hetty camo to tho trysting , place alone. .'Beyond that Jes?io j could give no further ..information. ''"WiHiitmsori therefoie had to play a desperate gamo of chanco and bluff. Ho rigorously interrogated an old woman, Mrs.- Dow by name,-.who had been one of | Hetty's pensioners, jf. "she had ever 6een .Hetty with any man, or had over taken 1 a message from her to anyone. At first the old woman firmly maintained the negative; thon, when by throwing out a hint or two, he led her to believe that he knew more than he had allowed at first to transpire, Mrs. Dow admitted, that once sho had carried a message from Hetty to a gentleman, whose only designation was "Pete." To him eho had to go and eay, "Is it Yes or No?" The man's "answer was, "Yes—the Hroomiolaw, south-west' end, 9.30 on Tuesday night." jWith_a ; start Williams on,realised that be had 6truck the cine at last, for the Tuesday in question was tho night of Hetty's disappearance from homo. But who was Peto? Mrs. Dow's only memory was that ho lived somowhore off Bath Street, but she could not remember more, because a young lad bad assisted her 1 to find the place, and he now had gono away to Edinburgh. -Williamson knew several old residents in Bath Stroot, arid he asked them if they knew anyone called "Pote." v Only ono of them gavo an affirmative answer, and Williamsen's ,hopes for a time were high. The indivjdual in question", however, turned out to bo an old bed-ridden man of ov«r eighty, so that no benefit resulted from that clue.i

Not a single traco had the murderor left. who had carofully examined tho body, also gave it as his opinion that murder and murder alone was tho explanation of the affair. Yet how was the deed accomplished? ' Thero was not tho faintest mark of any violence on tho body, no wound, S.'rioti'even aTSfifStch, yet all tho doctors who had been called in to substantiate tho police surgeon's report wore unanimous in their' verdict on that point. In Vain the police advertised' offoring reward tor any information regarding the crime". Plenty of far-fetched hypotheses wore sent in, but not a singlo fact that pointed towards a possible criminal, u But Williamson was not disheartened. Public interest in the mystery died out when it seemed to be likely to remain unsolved, nay, oven the Procurator shrugged hie shoulders and said to Williamson, Givo it up, Williamson, my boy. It's a mystery that will -remain a mystery." Williamson, howovor, had sworn-an oath to himself that ho would discover th© murderer, or search until his dying day. Ho had obtained access to Hetty's correspondence, and that gave him an insight into many things, among others into the reason' for her frequent fits of depression and paroxysms of weeping.' Ho had tried to get Mrs. Dow to recall tho Edinburgh address of the lad who'helped her. She could not recollect it, but thought it had to do wrbh the "back of "some place and- was associated with 'prickles. He therefore wrote to his friend, Willaim -Linto'n, Who was well up in the Edinburgh detective sorvioo, asking him if ho could help him. Linton wrote back to Bay that thoy had tried tie "North Back of tho Oanongate" and tho "Soutfi Back of tie Oanongate'," but without success, and asking him , if the old woman did not moan "Thornoybank," for a young kd had oomo through from Glasgow te hvo there, his name wae John Jamieson. Thb moment the old woman, Mrs. Dow, heard that, she remembered tho'name, adding, "I kent it had something to do.wi' prickles. \ Aiblins Jock Jamieson will mind mair than mo." , Williamson at the train through to Edinburgh, and with his friend Linton called on'the la'd Jamieson'. Tho poor boy was terribly frightened, and his master was beginning to threaten him that if ho had got into • any ►trouble" he must leave his employment at once, whon I/inton stood up and said that far from being in any trouble bo was assisting tho polico to bring home a horrible crime to a heartless miscreant. The boy on hearing this brightened up at once, and said that "Pete" was a man who lived in a" house entering from a court 'in ,Bath Street. Ho could not namo it, but he could go to it. , . His master at once gave permission for John to go "through to and accordingly that samo night" when all was quiet Williamson and tho lad went to Batii Street. "It was thero I met good old Mother Dow, and sho asked me to help her to find the house," he said, pointing to a lamp-post. "I asked Tom Brady, tho 'police,'* and ho told me that No. 103' that entry at the furihor end. So through wo went Uko this, and that was the door o' the s house whoro the I man lived ,that Mother Dow was seokmK-" " ''.■"* ' . Tbo':boy'further: said that Mrs. 1 Dow woold not let him leave her, but held on to his arm, and that they both wont into the man's office. v.'They: asked to .see the master, on private business, and were told to wait, as he was engaged.. After nearly a quarter of an hour, during which Johnnie said he was getting restless, as ho would bo missed by his master from his own place of employment, they woro shown into the presence of a "tall, handsome, fine-looking--jnan, with coal-black hair and long bushy poard, also very white about thb face and bands." Such was Johnmo's sketchy description of him. Mrs. Dow said to him: "I conio from Hetty Duncan. Are you Pete?" . To which ho replied: "Yes, I suppose so," in a'somowhat hesitating tone. Mrs. Dow then gavo hor mossago, and got book as answer those words:— "Tio Broomiolaw, south-w«»t,pnd, ajxrat 9.30 on Tuesday night." Thia absolutely corroborated Mrs. Dow's statement, Williamson scanned tho door plate, and saw that it boro tho words, "John Potrie Garrington, solicitor and notary,public." , / . Out of.tho Net of Justice. ►Early on the 'following day tho detective waited on Mr.' Garrington, and after a few minutes' delay was admitted to see him. Instinctively Williameon felt he was in the presence of ono of those smooth-tongued, insincere men who would break a woman's heart and smile all tho. time. He came straight to business." "I havo called, sir," ho said, "with regard to tho case of Hotty Duncan." - Horo ho saw a spasm of surpriso shoot across the othesfa feature*

"I know no such person," said Garrington oddly. "No, yon do not, for ebo is dead;; but I wish you to explain your movements on the night of her death." "And pray, who are you who demands this so glibly?" '1 am Detective Williamson, of the Glasgow Clyde Polico. lam acting under the orders of tho department." Harrington could not Conceal mi emotion. "Bnt I know nothing about her death," he raid. "I befriendod her because she was lonely and wretched,: and her life'.had bo little in it. of pleasure." Dotective ; Williamson..looked at him with speculative contempt, and said in icy tones, "You aro married, are you not, Mr. Garrington?'' The other bowed in token of assent. "Do you call your course that of a friend and benefactor? You, a married'man, lod her astray, under tho belief that you were paying her. honourable attentions with a .view to marriage, and when she discovered your perfidy and wrote to you, you first mocked and then insulted her. I have your letters in,my possession, and, trust mo, they will constitute a very black record against youl" ' "My/ God, did 'she not burn {bein, as she promised i , " said Garrington in despair. Williamson looked at him for a moment, then said, "No, and thank God sho didn't I" Then, after a pause, he added, "Now tell me what happened that night, Hetty's last night on earth. .Remember, I have the statement of Mrs. Dow, who brought you the message from Hetty, along with that of the lad, John Jamieson." I On hearing'this Garrington became even more livid than his*- wont, for he felt the fetters of criminality being forged firmly upom him. Ho said in nervous tones, '"1 have very little to say. I met Hetty—Miss Duncan—at the Broomielaw, and we Btood speaking there, under tho shadow of one of tho warehouses for about half an hour.' I told hor I' should do all I possibly cotild for her, and I 'gave her some fifteen or twenty pounds then, and sho then went away, apparently quite satisfied, in the company of a boatman who had agreed to row her across the river and put her ashoro opposite her own mother's cottage." Williamson eyed Garrington in sikneo for a full minuto before ho spoko. Ho, then told him very plainly, but Without any heat or anger in his tones, that his statement was simply a tissue of falsehoods. Garnngton fain would havo taken tho high horse and , closed tho interview. But the detcetivo, quietly informed him that' ho was now un- i der examination ■ with a view to. deciding whether ho should be arrested or not, and that a warrant for his arrest was-in tho do- | l tective's hands. "I wish to do nothing h&ishor'high-handfid, bnt,-.at.the same time, I this mystery must bo solved." ' Garrington, howover, refused to Bay more, declaring that ho had no more to say. "Very good, Mr. Garrington," replied the detective, "I regret lyour decision, because you must then accompany, me to tho polico office. I may say I have tho boatman to whom tho boat which you used that night belongs, and ho eaye it was taken, by you without his direct permission. Ho saw you and Miss Hotty tako it, but, as ho knew you 'both, ho said nothing; I havo Jim i Bruce, who passed you when you 'were in I the boat togethor. You were quarrelling, and you said aloud,' 'I deeply regret' ray conduct, it was yonr beauty., that drovo me to do it, but I can do no more than givo you the, sum I stato , ; whereupon Miss Hetty said indignantly, 'It is not enough to repair tho ruin you, havo brought into life' Thon Tom Lamont saw you, emerge from the rivor after you had swum ashoro at Kelvin mouth. Ho could see the boat in the .distance, but thero was no one apparently in her. I havo, only one link awanting to complete tho chain." , , , But Garrington novor spoke. 'Ho sat down at his desk, there was a quick movement of tho , wrist, something was, swallowed, and then a look of quiot satisfaction over-spread-his foatures. "You havo betrayed my consideration and kindness for you," said Williamson bittorly. "I see you have taken poison!" "Oan-you blamo mo? There is no use trying to counteract it. plans are laid too/carefully not to havo taken account-of eTOry contingency. The poison I havo used is so subtle and volatile that oven now it is in the blood. It will leave no trace and it, never disfigures tho body, but it is absolutely .sure.' Listen, Williamson, your theory of the cfimo is absolutely correct, as you will find stated in my confession, if you liko to call it so, in" this sealed -roll Which I now give you.' Had Hotty been reasonable, noithor of us need havo died, hut 6ho would listen to no torms but my leaving tho country, otherwise sho threatened to oxposo mo." "Quite right, too," said Williamson, with diffioulty restraining himself. "Yon think sop Well, you need not insult a dying man. I have exactly sixty min- , utes to live. Have you any other questions to ask?" ' I' "Only to aak how you managed to '. kill Hetty without leaving a trace of wound or scar?" , ' "Alexander Wood's hypodermic injection of tiho same drug that is now running its course with mo,.to.wit, a distiflation of'lndian hemp." / After 'some further conversation had passed, Williamson said," "Hare you anything to request in view of tho inevitable exposure?" ' "Nothing, save tihis, remember my -pooT wronged,wife,'and, Gave her feelings as much as is consistent with justice to the dead. I have sinned, but I havo suffered, and thero is expiation in—Ah! my heart —I go to solve the eternal secret." "' There'was a spasm or two of pain, a convulsive shiver, .and 'then all was over. The Mystery of Hetty Duncan was solvod, and her murderer had passed to Iris account. The publication of Garrington'si so-called confession, attested by two witnesses, created a profound ■ impression in Glasgow, Only enough was disclosed, howevor, to clear up tho •mystery of poor Hetty's fate; tlic other facts wore suppressed in consideration for the living.—"Weekly Scotsman."