Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-12-19

had $40 in one moment in all my life
-leS alone ten times ten"
There was another long silence, while
Mr.. Rickerby looked at the scrap Of pa.
p~er-holding 1t alternately close TO his
eyes and at arms length, as though to
get the full, dazzling effect Of 1t. Final
" he put 1t down with a sigh and shook
his head.
TITS no good. my DEAR" he said.
1.-THE mar has gone; If he wanted to
put in an appearance, he would have
done 1t before this--if only for the sake
OF that e100. I'd have put In fifty APP
pearances for that amount"
Mrs. Reeks was thinking hard. She
sat, with her chin on her hand, staring.
with knitted brows. at her husband,
and now and then slowly nodding her
head. At last she spoke:
George Reeks-it seems to me that
there is something to be made of this"
Mr.. Reeks sat upright and looked at
his wife.
Think hard, Mrs. r." he said; you
have a wonderful mind, If you care to
put yourself to 1T. Think hard"
IT am thinking harder han I ever
thought in my life before. George
Reeks." she added, nodding at him with
much gravity. II always said that I
ought to have been the man, because I
have got the headpiece."
True, my love-most true" replied
Mr. Reeks, .admiringly. "And what
"a that headpiece?"
"It says, in the first place, George
Reeks, that this Mr.. Gilbert Rickerby
went away from here in a most desper-
ate hurry; and 1t says, further, that he
left belongings and papers behind
him
STEADY, Mrs. R.-go steady; I'm
getting excitedl" broke in Mr.. Reeks.
More than that" went on Mrs.
Reeks. rising and pointing aloft, like a
prophetic spirit; sit says hat those pa
rers are up stairs, in his room, now;
that he is disposed of, or keeping away,
for his own purposes; it says also,
that we want to know what is in these
papers, and what bearing they have on
this advertisement, and on a certain
reward of a100. That's what 1t says.
George Reeks; what do you think of
it?"
Mr.. Reeks had risen, also, in his
growing excitement; but he quailed be-
fore the infinite possibilities which
seemed to be opened out in the larger
mind of his wife. ''What-what ought
we to DOR he asked, feebly.
Mrs. Reeks had but one reply. h
sterred forward quickly and grasped
| him by the arm. Come up stairs" she
said, in a tragic whisper.
They went UP together; hesitated for
a moment It the door of the room; and
then went in-Mrs. Reeks first. Mrs.
Reeks carried a candle; and the place
although it was but a comfortably
furnished, middle-class room--had
something OF an eerie appearance, by
reason of what was in their minds;
perhaps they had thought that the mys-
terious Gilbert Rickerby might start, at
any moment, from the shadows, and
confront them.
On a table near the window, were
spread some papers, which had been
pulled, hurriedly, out of a leather writ
ing case and left exposed to view. On
these Mrs. Reeks pounced at once. seat
ed herself in the chair by the table, and
began to read them.
ITO begin with--a diary" she whis-
pered. 9Th elast page unfinished. with
a line broken off In the middle"
"Read tread II, Mrs. r." said
George Reeks, in a trembling voice.
Mrs. Reeks read:
Tonight I will put the theory of my
life to the test; tonight I will give the
lie to all those croakers who say that
there Is no truth in man or faith In wo-
man. I did wrong to bind an innocent
girl to me, by a promise she vas unable
to keep. Tonight / win play the fairy
godmother, and cry, God bless you, my
children!' Tonight somes of the old
mistakes, born in me and bred in me by
a selfish father, shall be swept away
and atoned FOR. ! go to meet the man
who loves my dear girl; / go to give her
TO him. God bless him If he be worthy
of her: God help him If"
Here the entry broke off abruptly, as
though the writer bad not quite made
up his mind how to express what he
felt. Mrs. Reeks laid her hand on the
diary and loked Up at her husband.
Now, the thing is pretty clear, so far
as we can judge" she said. III told
you, If you remember, that he had but
just returned from abroad; that he was
unknown in England. 1t is evident that
the entry refers to an appointment be
was TO keep; the advertisement tells US
that he did not keep It. Now, he lef.
this house intent en- keeping that APP
pcintment; he was in such a hurry
about 1t that he would not stop to finish
what he was writing or TO put away his
parers. The fact remains that he did
not keep the appointment; the further
fact stands that the appointment was
SO important that the other party is
willing to pay e100 to see him. Do yon
follow me?" a
"A little. my dear" replied Mr..
Reeks. "You go at such a fearful rate,
that 1t is difficult to follow you at ALL
He leaned his head upon his hand In a
state of bewilderment. What do you
expect me to do?"
I'm the first place, George Reeks."
said Mrs. Reeks. in a business-like tone.
two things are clear. This diary sug-
gests that Gilbert R.ckerby knew very
little, IL anything, about the man he
was going to meet; the advertisement
suggests that the man he was to meet
knew very little about him. Very well,
then: here Is my proposal"
Make II as a s as you oan my
dear" pleaded Mr.. Reeks.
tits as easy as winking II o put
your mind to T." replied Mrs. Reeks
sternly. you shall answer this adver.