Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-12-05

retorted Cornelius, nodding his head
slowly and pointing at him.. Don't 90
it,: II amt wise. What / says / mean;
I amt goin' Il take nothin' on my
shoulders as don't belong to me. SO,
drop that little word us 1t amt APP
propriate. More than that"-he spoke
with sudden fierceness--"say 1t again,
an I've done with yer!"
Come, Cornelius, o don't mean
that, L insure" said the other, in a
changed voice. you wouldn't go back
on one who is prepared to do as much
for you as I am-would you? Come,
you shall be rich-as rich as ! am; you
shall never want for anything. Don't
be a fool, Cornelius; you and have too
much at stake to quarrel New let us
1 beg your pardon, I'm sure-let me dis
cLss the match clearly"
Cornelius, somewhat Modified, sat
down and prepared to listen; Leath-
wood, with an evil glance at him, pro-
ceeded to state what he wanted and
what he intended.
I'm the first place, Cornelius, you
know hat this girl comes here to-
night: in order to allay n possible
suspicion she nay have, you will meet
her at the station-an old family ser
want, and all that kind of thing. / have
managed the matter very carefully; l
have told her in writing, that she Is TO
meet Gilbert Rickerby at this house to-
night; that 1 have arranged that they
shall both be here at the same time.
Well, they will both be here at the
same time'-he laughed and glanced
at his companion-"but I'm afraid they
won't meet-eh?"
ct don't think they WILL" replied Cor
neljus,. with a chuckle.
After that, when the girl arrives, I
shall, Of course, explain the death OF
her lover; his burial; can show her his
grave, If she likes. Remember, Cor
nelius, she hasn't a friend in the world
except myself; bear that well in mind.
She comes here alone; being of age,
she can do as she likes. Do you follow
me, Cornelius ?"-he sprang up from his
chair and brought his hand down heav-
lily on the old mans shoulder-"the
thing is done! Gilbert Rickerby Is
gone; everything that should AVE
been his-everything he was coming
home to claim-is mine; fortune-girl
-everything!"
IA S~A 10 " o. N~
me-" said Cornelius, somewhat scorn-
fully. i've always found as 'ow gels
is ap to get in the way. I on'y made
one mistake in that way myself-and
it's lasted me a lifetime"
Nugent Lethwood turned upon him
quickly. by the ~way-that reminds
me-" he said. That wife OF yours
Jemima-what about herr" y
agyKy- lA .lA..A BA~obg 1nNnnnIn1
Cornelius, resentfully. "Ain't it enough
for a man to ave the thoughts OF such
a wife, without bein' reminded of 1t?
What about ERR"
IT mean-is she safe? Remember,
We can take no risks; that old m
is about the house all day long-an
night long, for all that I know. What
If she should"
Cornelius waved his hand impatient
ly. There amt no fear" he said.
That there is of such a stony
nature that it's my belief that, If she
saw you ~a-cuttin' VI a person into
inches. she'd git a basket and collect
the bits. Nothin' moves 'er-leastways,
/ was never able to. She asn't no soul.
'asr't Jemima."
Lucky for herI" muttered Nugent.
by the way, 1t was strange you should
come together again, after SO many
years. Quite accidental?"
Yes, quite &C, dental" replied Cor
nelius, thoughtfully. II married Jemi-
ma when I was quite a young man
some said 'andsome; she was reported
to ave a bit laid by. She must ave
laid it by pretty carefully, for I never
saw it. Anyways, she 'ad a son, an
soon after that / left 'er."
"And came back again."
Eyes. She'd been in service ERE with
Mrs. Rickerby. ] left 'er ere; I came
back twenty years ~after-an ERE she
was still. She told me the boy was
gone; what h meant by that / never
asked. l thought she might ave an
other bit put by-but I 'aven't found 1t
yet"
well. never mind about that" said
Nugent, quickly. You won't need It;
I'll swear you won't need Ii. Only I
want to be sure that the old woman is
safe"
Make your mind easy" replied the
other. What few wits she ever 'ad I
took good care to worry out of 'er long
age Now, III go an look after this
gel. What's she like to look at?"
Very pretty, very slight, and very
dark; you'll know her easily enough
there's not likely to be more than one
girl waiting about Paddington, looking
for someone to meet her. I'd go my
self, but that I want to allay any sus-
picions she might have. Besides, you
look so Internally respectable, Corne-
Illus, when o haven't got that grin on
your face, that she's sure to believe in
you. Tell her, when you meet her, that
I'm here, entertaining her lover. Don't
forget that, Cornelius; entertaining
ha! ha!-her loveri"
Cornelius, muttering choice opinions
about gels in general, and this one in
particular, set off upon his errand; and
Nugent Leathwood was once more left
alone. But to be alone in that place
seemed unbearable. He went out into
the garden and walked there restlessly
unde the stars.
1T has been cleverly DONE" he NUT
tered, as he walked among the dead
leaves and stirred them into heaps with
his feet; ~"cleverly done, indeed. I
made II all SO public-adver.ised so
freely. was so ready to give the fullest
information to every pressman who
az ,,nnn xL~ 49, ~