Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-11-21

y different stamp. One was man
about sixty years of age, with q face
snaried and knotted and scanned, like
the bark of some era bbed old forest
tree: with a figure almost as bent and
twisted as suen q tree might have been:
and with long feet and hanCS which, to
carry. the resemblance farther. were
not unlike what the roots and twisted
branches might have been. The third
man. was of about the same age as the
INST. but was apparently. a servant.
At all events. rs was SO far dependent
upon the Others, and Subserviens to
them that he kept his eyes slancing.
nerrously. from one 10 the other. and
occasionally moisten=d his lips hurried
y with his tongue. For whatever bust
ress the three man waited. there was
this difference between them: that the
-1lrst waited IN craving anxiety. the Old
man il careless irnpsrturabii:t-. ana
the third man in deadly fear. Indeed.
this fsar became SO apparent presently.
thai the first mar turned inlpa tienrlv
about and faced the younger of the 9TH
- two.
What the dickenz are sou staring al
me- like that for he dana nded. Isn't
~ -4ioASIl u DS Al tii-S SldSl!S p!GtC. :
such an hour. without having man in
the room shaking and trembling rs
though he sawaghostse What on earth
is the matter with yor?"
Before the man rad time to reply, the
Old creature Of the gnarled countenance
broke in with a sort Of gruesome chuck
lie. It's nerves e wants. Master Nj
gent" he said. Nerves amt given to
everyone, like You an me: they comes
nat ral-or they don't come at ell. Bet
ter ave left i'm out of it,
Never mind what you said; I could
not leave him out Of it" He crossed
the room swiftly. ard dropped his hand
on the SHOULDER Of the younger man
dropped il SO heavily. and with such a
grip in the fingers that the other
wirced and moved uneasily.
Now, listen TO ne. Miles Probyn,"
said he Of the swarthy skin, and. as
You value your life, pay heed TO it.
have no fear OF our friend. Cornelius.
here: he's made of tougher stuff" He
indicated the old man, who acknoTl-
edged the compliment with grin. But
with you, one has to be careful; you're
of the SORT that put ropes around honest
mans necks and Gig graves for them
Only remember, my friends, that love
Company SO we'll sink or swim in this
business together.
Look at me-see what I am-know
me for what 1 am-guess what might
haze. bsen. sNo-by heavens" and he
brought lis fist down heartily upon the
table. not VIVA. I might have been, but
whatfFa fTl 9e. Not tie man keeping
IoAa ell
deeelsssee.s-s shoes to thu fire to warm for
another-not Nugent Leathwood,
guarding an old fools money, for some
one who has forfeited the right to it.
No-a hundred times no, From to-
night you shall see another Sugent
right TO it, Leathwtod taking for him
self that which he has guarded SO long.
holding the place which IS his, by right
OF power and conquest
And film it like man-not like
n1iIk-and-water baby" broke in the
cid man. in the same voice as before.
Look round this room-look round
this house" cried Nugent, getting up
excitedly and waving his arms towards
the ceiling. You know it we'll; you
have seeE scenes hare such as few men
see at all. An old man, who saw in ey-
cry living creature something only to
be suspicious Of; who lived his dark
and sonlbre life day after day. merely
because ne could not die; who had built
at great expense, q second house. with
il a few wards Of the one in which he
lived. and had shut up his own wife
there out Of his sight. You know what
ttey call the place IN the neighborhood;
what a hy-woTd il has become
.Rickerby's FoIly.'' broke in old
Cornelius. with another Of his ghast!y
chucklcs.
That's it Eickehby's Folly Be
fore I came. as you know and before
Cornelius came. old RicEerby turned
his only son OUT of doors. 10 fight his
way through life as best he might.
Then. after had come here. in a sort
OF death-bed repentance, the Old fool
hungered for the boy. and wrote to him,
craving MS forgiveness, and telling him
that all he had in the world was his.
Ard II, Nugen. Leathwood, poor re-
toni vas to keep the precious prop
erty in trust for him. and do my best to
find him out. That letter was sent
without my knowledge; it chased the
wanGerer half over the world; it found
him, under most extraordinary circurl-
stances. in California. Just as I was
congratulating myself On the fact that
the young fool had joined the old fool.
in a land where property doesn't count,
the young fellow wrote to say that he
was alive and well, and was coming
home
Two years since that there letter
came like rhunder-clap.' said Corne-
Illus. Two years without word from
i'm: and Tonight
Tonight ne comes here" said MI
gent. Tonight, in his own Internally
mysterious fashion, he comes al mid
night-alone-back to Rickerbys Fol-
iy.''
Drops in. friendly-lile to ave a look
a. the accounts and ask after is gel
Thus Cornelius. with lear Of the most
horrible description.
Yes, that's the worst part of II. He
comes back-in his own good tirae-to
claim money. wife. everything: TO say
he's much Obliged TO me and to walk
away again. To walk away again."
II ever that most blessed thing. q
smile, may be said TO be evil. il was
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