Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-12-19

stand some chance of the reward. One
hundred pounds, Mrs. Reeks. 1 never
had $40 in One moment in all my life
lee alone ten times ten"
There was another long silence, while
Mr.. Rickerby looked at the scrap of pa
per-holding it alternately close to his
eyes and at arms length, as though to
get the full, dazzling effect of it. Final
ly he put it down with sigh and shook
his head.
It's no good, my DEAR" he said.
1.-The man has gone; If he wanted 10
put in an appearance, he would have
dcne it before this-if only for the sake
Of that G100: 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. y
Mr.. Reeks sat upright and looked at
his wife.
Think hard, Mrs. r." he said: you
have wonderful mind If you care to
put yourself to it. Think hard"
II am thinking harder than ever
thought in my life before, George
Reeks." she added. nodding at him with
much gravity. II always said that
ought to have been the man, because I
have got the headpiece."
True. my love-most true" replied
Mr. Reeks, admiringly. "And what
says that headpiece?"
"It says, in the first place, George
Reeks, that this Mr.. Gilbert Rickerby
went away from here in most desper-
ate hurry; and 1t says, further, that he
left belongings and papers behind
him"
STEADY, Mrs. R.-go steady: I'm
getting excited!" broke in Mr.. Reeks.
More than that" went on Mrs.
Reeks, rising and pointing aloft, like a
prophetic spirit; lit says that those pa
Iers are up stairs, in his room, now;
that he is disposed of, or keeping away,
for his own purposes; it says, also,
shat we want to know what is in these
papers, and What bearing they have on
this advertisement, and on a certain
reward of e100 That's what it 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 do?" he asked, feebly.
Mrs. Reeks had but one reply. She
steIred 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 at 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-
FERROUS Gilbert Rickerby might start, at
any moment, from the shadows, and
confront them.
On 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
line broken off in the middle"
Read tread it, Mrs. r." said
George Reeks, in trembling voice.
Mrs. Reeks read:
Tonight will put the theory of my
life to the test; tonight 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 promise she was unable
to keep. Tonight will play the fairy
godmother, and cry, God bless you, my
children! Tonight some 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 b1 oke off abruptly, as
though the writer had 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. HE 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 he
was to keep; the advertisement tells us
that he did not keep it. Now, he left
this house intent en- keeping that ap-
peintment; he was in such hurry
about it that he would not stop to finish
what he was writing or TO put away his
papers. 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 G100 to see him. Do you
follow me?'
GA little, my dear" replied Mr..
Reeks. you go at such fearful rate,
that it is difficult to follow you at ALL"
He leaned his head upon his hand in a
state of bewilde1 ment. "What do you
expect me to do?"
In the first place, George Reeks,"
said Mrs. Reeks, in a business-like tone,
two things are clear. This diary sug-
gests that Gilbert Rickerby knew very
little, if 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 it as easy as you can, my
dear" pleaded Mr.. Reeks.
"Tf'a as easv as wjnkjpU ~ vo,, MT