The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-12-29
CHApTER III. Continued,

CHAPTER III. (COnt1nueu.)
AS she was speaking the door opened
and Mcguire appeared. When I first
caught sight of him his face was lit
up with pleasure, and he was coming
in eagerly as though lie were the
bearer of good news; then, recognis-
ing that he was i~nterrupttng a tete-a-
tete, his pleasure gave way to aston
ishment: end as Nora, who had not
seer or heard him, uttered the words,
''Why, it's the Ragged Thirteen!" an
awful EXPRESSION Of horror settled upon
his features. I had never seen face
change so rapidly or distinctly as his
did under those varying emotions Of
pleasure, establishment, and horror. I
but, clutching the handle of the door,
thought that hi would have fallen,
he steadied himself.
why, Jim," I said, what good wind
has blown you back? This lady Is
Miss Courtney, a neighbor of ours"
He pulled himself together while l
went through the form of introduction,
though for the few minutes that Nora
remained he never opened his lips,
but with dilated eyes stood staring at
her, and 1 was glad when she babe him
"Good-bye' and I had seen her to the
gate.
your friend is ILL., she said. go
back to him and see what ails him."
When I returned to the drawing
room Jam was pacing rapidly to n
fro.
who was that girl?" he asked.
"She's the daughter of an Irish
gentleman who lives close by" I said.
'I asked you to come and see him the
other day when he called here. But
Jim, old chap, whatever Is the matter?
Has the book"
course the book" he burst out.
Hereby. what does these cards mean?
Who set them out there?"
at did," I said. "Miss Courtney was
telling me something about cribbage.
and I picked out these cards and asked
her to count them"
He reached me in two quick strides
and gripred my arm.
Tell me the TRUTH" he said-and
his voice was somewhat steadier- "tell
me the truth, Jack, for your own sake
more than for mine. Did you take
them by chance, or-or did you pur-
posely choose them?"
He had fixed me with his eyes, and
his face was so close to mine that l
could not avoid his gaze.
"Tell mel" he said, shaking me as
though he would shake the answer
Or Of my reluctant lips.
teady. JIM" I said. "Steady,
D. re hurting mel"
or Heavens sake, Tremayne, tell
m. the truth" and, looking into his
distorted face, I answered him:-
IT chose them on purpose. And now
for a question on my side. h DO
you know of the Ragged Thirteen"
what do I know of it? By Jove!
He asks m~e-me-what I know OF 1t!
Me! who saw her dead face! He asks
me like some schoolboy, and the curse
Of It hanging over him and me now!
Was it her spirit that was here Turing
aim on? Has she come back hk n
was then, to torment me with her
beauty, when I've fought with n
thorror for years, and was getting
peace? And is your life, my friend
my more than brother-to come under
che ban of this curse?"
= "Iim! Jim!" I cried, STEADY your
self! Try and be calm, and tell me
what you know"
IT can't now. Jack, I can't bring
tmyself to it. Let me be by myself.
let me go to my room. and tomorrow
morning I'll answer your question-Im
tell you what I know. Let me go,
Jack; let me go!" and, bursting away
from my restraining hold, he rushed
upstairs and locked himself in his
room. ..a