locality, by Sal Rawlins. I know this is so,
because Sal told me so herself. Sal acted the
part of the good Samaritan—took her to
the squalid den she called home, and there Rosanna
Moore fell dangerously ill. Whyte, who had missed
her, found out where she was, and that she was too
ill to be removed. I presume he was rather glad
to get rid of such an encumbrance, so he went back
to his lodgings at St. Kilda, which, judging from
the landlady’s story, he must have occupied for
some time, while Rosanna Moore was drinking herself
to death in a quiet hotel Still he does not break
off his connection with the dying woman; but one night
is murdered in a hansom cab, and that same night Rosanna
Moore dies. So, from all appearance, everything
is ended; not so, for before dying Rosanna sends for
Brian Fitzgerald at his club, and reveals to him a
secret which he locks up in his own heart. The
writer of this letter has a theory—a fanciful
one, if you will—that the secret told to
Brian Fitzgerald contains the mystery of Oliver Whyte’s
death. Now then, have I not found out a good deal
without you, and do you still decline to reveal the
rest? I do not say you know who killed Whyte,
but I do say you know sufficient to lead to the detection
of the murderer. If you tell me, so much the better,
both for your own sense of justice and for your peace
of mind; if you do not—well, I shall find
out without you. I have taken, and still take,
a great interest in this strange case, and I have
sworn to bring the murderer to justice; so I make
this last appeal to you to tell me what you know.
If you refuse, I will set to work to find out all about
Rosanna Moore prior to her departure from Australia
in 1858, and I am certain sooner or later to discover
the secret which led to Whyte’s murder.
If there is any strong reason why it should be kept
silent, I perhaps, will come round to your view, and
let the matter drop; but if I have to find it out
myself, the murderer of Oliver Whyte need expect no
mercy at my hands So think over what I have said;
if I do not hear from you within the next week, I
shall regard your decision as final, and pursue the
search myself. “I am sure, my dear Fitzgerald,
you will find this letter too long, in spite of the
interesting story it contains, so I will have pity
on you, and draw to a close. Remember me to Miss
Frettlby and to her father. With kind regards
to yourself, I remain, yours very truly,
“Duncan Calton.”
When Fitzgerald had finished the last of the closely-written sheets, he let the letter fall from his hands, and, leaning back in his chair, stared blankly into the dawning light outside. He arose after a few moments, and, pouring himself out a glass of brandy, drank it quickly. Then mechanically lighting a cigar, he stepped out of the door into the fresh beauty of the dawn. There was a soft crimson glow in the east, which announced the approach of the sun, and he could hear the chirping of the awakening birds in the trees. But Brian did not see the marvellous breaking of the dawn. He stood staring at the red light flaring in the east, and thinking of Calton’s letter.