Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-02-20
CHApTER XVI. ,Continaedl

he q the somewhat FeiuCIAHt Sof-
nelius by the arm and led MIN out OF
the bar and up the dark stairs which
led to the upper rooms. AS Mr.. Tag
gett always talked at the top of his
voice. and he vas in the present In
stance, very anxious TO be Jovial ana
friendly with his most unwelcome Nls-
iror. their progress was not a silent or
secret one: and the noise Mr.. Taggett
made attracted the attention of a
watcher in a certain dark passage be-
meath them.
That watcher was Mr.. Nugent Leath-
wood. For something more than an
hour he had fretted and fuTned about
the yard at the rear Of the premises,
waiting, as arranged, for a signal from
Cornelius: but that gentleman had. as
has been mentioned. fallen half-asleep
and forgotten all it Gradually,
Eugtnt had ventured into the house,
cursing the darkaess and Cornelius,
and everything and everyone that had
anything to do with his discomfort. At
last, just when he had made up his
mind TO walk in boldly and ask for MIR.
Viewers, he heard the voc OF that gem
tleman and the louder tones OF An
thony Taggett.
Suspicious OF ev sTyone with whom he
had to deal, IL flashed upon him that
this old man had sold him--had gone
over 10 h other side. probably TO ave
himself He tried to dismiss the sus-
picion the next moment; but IL chung to
him. n he determined to play the spy
and to hear, If possible. what was said.
Very silently, he crept up the "a
stairs In the wake OF the two men, and
watched them enter a r0om together,
che door of which was carefully closed
offer them.
Nugent Leathwood went past that
door, fuTnbled along the wall until he
touched another handle, evidently at
tached 20 the door of an adjoining
room. Opening This very cautiously. he
found himself in complete darkness.
Save for a little streak of light coming
Through the crack OF a door at the side
M the room. Creeping up to this. he
found that il vas one OF O pair of fold
ing doors. giving on to the room into
which Cornelius had gone with Anthony
Taggett. Nugeilt softly struck a light,
and founi that he was in a very small
room, filtered with Die packing cases
and decrepit furniture, and evidently
used meseIy as a lumber room.
mo one will come here" he whis-
pered to himself. Now. Cornelius, IL
you are playing me false. Heaven have
mercy on you"
Meanwhile. In the lighted room An
thony Taggett had set out a bottle and
glasses, and vas urging his newly-found
friend TO drink. whether with the object
OF reducing him again TO that condition
I'm which he had found him in the lit
lie bar down stairs or not, ii is impossi-
BILE TO tay. Perhaps he had a faint
hope that. IL Cornelius had really come
there in search OF Olive, he mighs oe i'm
duced to forget his purpose. IL he were
made drunk enough.
The better to beguile the time. Mr.
Taggett plunged into an account OF
some OF his adventures. on the boards
and or, and further enlivened the time
hv ~discoursing abont that wonderful
drama, which was ever in mind. and
which was probable destined never to
be finished.
Now. the brain of Mr.. Taggett was a
fertile one. and the mere presence OF
Cornelius had brought hack TO his mind
the remembrance OF that CHASTITY buri-
al in the garden Of Rickeby's Folly. at
what time Mr.. Taagett himself a
been wrapped I'm q sheet. or course, he
dared not refer TO that, for OBVIOUS rea-
SONS. but Il set his mind at work, and
plunged him at once into new ideas for
his wonderful drama
Il cannot, of course. truthfuily say
that his drama exists on paper" he
said. after a long preamble concerning
II. Mo; but IL lis absolutely formed in
my mind. Already. I'm fact. 7 tread h
stage and utter the ord which were
given to the chief character TO speak;
already I slide down prscipices or
plunge across foaming torrents. My
last idea If / remember rightly. in re-
gard 70 the first act was that the hero
should come I'm on a patechnicon. with
real horses. but / am inclined TO change
that. / intend TO begin with a mysteri-
Gus murder"
Cornelius had been fast dropping into
slumber again: but Mr.. Taggett uttered
h last word with such startling effect
tkat he jumped up and sat upright
very wfde-twake indeed.
, "Yes-with a mysterious murder re-
peated Anthony Taggett. 1T has been
done. I admit: out not as I should do
II. I should. I think. use something
out OF the common--such, for instance,
as a mummy-case."
"A what" asked Cornelius, staring at
him.
II repeat-a mummy-ease; in that the
body would be hidden said Mr.. Tag
gett, speaking with great earnestness.
"Oh. you would hide the body. would
you ?" said Cornelius. He picked up
his glass and gulped down some OF its
contents. staring. wide-eyed. al Tag
gett all the while. "Ha, h~ai--please go
on. This is really very interesting"
Yes. / thought you would find ii so"
responded Mr.. Taegett. much gratided.
and warming 10 his subject. I'm fact,
now I come to consider the matter more
caro- fully. why should | use such an out
cf-the-wgy thing as a uiummy-case?"
"Ah, why. indeedr' exclaimed Mr..
Viewers. TRY something else"
II will'" cried Taggett. shaking
hands with him VITA great fervor.
"Mummy-cases are not found among
the domestic arrurtenances OF every
household. Why o use a ~cupaoard?"