Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-12-26
CHAPTER vII.-(Continucd.)

Leathwood's comment, as ne nodded to
Mr.. Reeks over his folded arms. $50
you see. knowing only part Of the story,
you thought you would trade on your
knowledge of the man: perhaps you
thought you'd frignten something out
of mech: Now-do l look like man
to be frightened casily?"
NO: I should say not said Mr..
Reeks. meekly.
And I Should say not" retorted the
other. Nov, I don't mind telling you
that, in spite of this lamentable break
down on your part, and in spite of ny
beng able to see wat poor creature
you are. I think there is money in this
for YOU after all-perhaps more than
there would have been if you had mere
ly succeeded in securing the reward.
Only. l warn you: if you are of use to
me. I'll serve you WELL But must have
the whole truth out of YOU
NJ. Recks began to protest. almost
with violence, how very sincere he was
by nature, and how greatly he regretted
that he should ever have lapsed. even
for a moment. from the strict path Of
rectitrde; bur Nugent Leathwood cut
hin. short.
'Ttere-enough of that. In the first
place I want to know under exactly
what circumstances this ledger OF
yours came to you: who saw him-who
knew him-~hom he met Now, then,
begin at the beginning"
He came to me first or the recon-
hlendation Of his servant who knew Inc
sligntly-What's the matter?"
Nugent Leatnwood had turned alb
ruptly. and was staring at the little
man with wide eyes. His what?"
His servant" repeated Mr.. Reeks
''They came together, and took the
rooms together: on the night that you
tell me he was killed in the street, Mr..
Rickerby went out with his servant
and neither of them ever came back
again.
Good heavens" The man who had
been sitting on the table got down and
stood perfectly still in the middle of the
floor for few moments, staring before
hin and muttering to himself. II new
er thought of that: never dreamed
that Gilbert Rickerby, coming here i'll
secret. landing in England almost un-
known to anyone. should have anyone
with him! What the dickens does it
meano Gilbert Rickerby dead; Gilbert
Rickerby advertised for, far and wide;
ally went out with him, ON the night he
came here. says nothing. does nothing.
makes no stir in any way. What have
I done? This man. whose existence I
never suspected-this ser. ant, may be
watching and waiting; laying traps for
me- He turned swiftly to Reeks, who
was staring in bewildered fashion at
him. ''Youw say you have seen moth
ing of the servant since? Be careful
what you say!'
From the moment they left the
house together, or that night when
they We're coming to you"
GLOW do you know they were coming
to me?" asked the other, quickly.
Mr.. Reeks discovered that it wanted
more courage than he was at that mo-
nlent possessed of. But, after sleep
less night, and the discovery that The
morning brought nothing better than
two irate tradesmen, who told him pref
ty roundly what they thought of him,
he determined, in desperation. to see
what could DE done; in the event Of
failure to personate Gilbert Rickerby
he felt that there might be some pros
pect of trading UPON his knowledge of
the diary and the papers, and screwins
some money out of someone. Waiting
), until nfghfall, he made himself as re-
spectacle as limited wardrobe would
permit and set off for st. Johns Wood.
Now, tnero are many ways of getting
from Camden Town to st. Johns Wood.
If one has leisure, and the weather be
fine, it is possible to walk. and to note,
as one walks, Of the change of each
neighborhood as it merges itself into
the next; or there ire omnibuses which
strike a path into the heart of the mys-
ferrous region, and seem to lose them
selves and their passengers in it. Or
there are cabs, which may be had for
the hailing, at street corners and which
will deliver one as it were, within an
incn of the spot one desires to reach.
MIR. Ieeeks, knowing well the depth Of
hi; pocket, and having private reasons
of his own, decided to walk.
But, as has been said, Mr.. Reeks was
not courageous being: and, moreover,
he had before him a difficult task.
Therefore, with a laudable desire to
keep up the small measure of courage
he possessed, he stepped into the first
public house he saw and partook of Ger
tain strong liquors., Indeed, after that
he maybe said to have punctuated his
erratic path with such pauses; so that
Wy lIle l1IIle he Ildu arrived at the gate
of Rickerby's Folly, he was prepared
to swear positively, not only that he
was the real Gilbert Rickerby, but that
he was anyone else who might be sus-
gested to him at the moment. p
Cornelius admitted him; Cornelius
saw him go swaying unsteadily up the
garden towards the house; Cornelius
ushered him into the room wherein Nu-
gent Leathwood sat, with the simple
announcement that here was gentle
man to see him.
Leathwood. starting up from his
chair, confronted this strengthening
little creature, with hat cooked jaunt-
iyl over one watery eye, and demanded
to know what he wanted.
Zone 'unnerd pounds 'ward!" ex-
claimed the apparition, sleepily I'm
Mr.. Gilbert Rickerby!'
4 CHAPTER VII.
- A Dead Mans Money.
However startling it may have been