Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-01-23

II nE
saa, ahout this place: I lad seen the re-
r,ara offered for a man named Kicker
~. 7 was a sort OF private detective
on my own account. Don't DC aru on
me. gents. / don't know nothlu lhasS
worth talkin' about.
The wretched man had fallen POI
hi. krees and had raised his hands IN
supplication. Nugent Leathwooo went
across to him. and stood calmly in front
OF him with his hands clasped beninu
him.
"You know a great deal too much.
my friend" he said. in his SOFT. 70"
voice. 'aThe next time o try detect
i've wcrk-that is, If you ever do try IL
asain-son't go about IL so ciuInslIy.
Get up"
The wretched mar rose slowly from
his knees and looked around appealing
Iv at the three faces. But the old wo-
mar locked as impressive as ever; Cor
nelius wore upon his face the most aw-
full grin 1t is possible TO imagine; ana
Nugent Leathwood was smiling quiet
ly. Then in a moment, at a sign from
the latter, Cornelius moved briskly
across the room and caught n arm OF
MT. huDpdihs ~
upon the other.
'sOren the door, Jemin1a," said Leath-
wood. For tonight Wen take you 10
your room; cry out, or try to break
away, and I'll strange h life out Of
your ugly body before you've had time
to shout twice. You'll play the detect
i've with me, viii you? Now then.
march."
In that order they went out Of the
rooms and up the stairs, came to the
landing out of which opened the room
from whence he had come that night,
and took him into it. 1t was a room
at the very top of the house. with a
narrow window, which had, for some
reason or other, had bars placed OUT
side it. Then. taking away the light.
they left him; he heard the key turned
on The outside.
All his dreams for fame and glory In
the profession he had mapped out for
himself were gone; he dared not sleep;
he did not know what might happen TO
him at any hour in that dreadful
house. He sat on the side of the bed.
quaSing with terror. and striving hard
to bring his mind to the accomplish
AlClI VI SDllNG NdA1iAS hIGAA AA1l AAOhAN
set him free and oyerwhelm his ene-
mics.
He fried the window, but even his
slimness could not get yer the diff
Guilty of the bars outside. He tried the
door, but it al locked securely; more
over. ne had no desire to risk a meeting
on the stairs with Cornelius or Leath-
wood, even If it had been possible to
get out by that way. Finally, he sat
down on the bed again and tried TO
comfort himself with thoughts of all
the heroes OF whom he had read who
had got out of remarkably tight places
with the aid of a jack-knife and Provi-
dence. In the midst Of these refiee-
tions-which did not, after all, bring
him very much comfort-ha fancied he
heard a curious, rustling noise at the
door of the room. A dreadful feeling
came over him that the two me had
come back for the express purpose of
putting an end to him-perhaps of
burying him in the same place as that
occupied by the other man; he started
up; fear gave him a courage nothing
else could have done.
The rustling continued; then came
the grating of a key in the lock. Mr..
Hubbard put himself into an attitude
suggestive of defense. and made UP his
mind 10 sell his life dearly.
The door opened slowly, and then the
impassive face oil old Jemima peered
round IT.; after a she came.
stealthily. into the room. carrying a
candle. she set the candle down upon
a chair, snuffed it with her fingers, and
-z1-.1l 49, ,-srnrn- usfTIn,.A I0nltrr
az him, and speaking in the most casu-
al fashion:
II managed TO git the key; Cornelius
laid Ii down and fell asleep. E won't
never suspect me- She Strengthened
her back and looked at the man who
stood, ~expectantly. watching her. Il
suppc you don't know why I do this
chr"
1T is very kind of you said Mr..
Hubbard, lamely.
She shook her head.
st wasn'e fer you,'' she said: but the
thought came into my old 'ead just
now. while / lay in the dark. that the
child / lost might--if ed 'ad any luck
'ave crown up something like you. Lord
ed ave been a bonny lad If ed lived.
And p'r'aps e might ave got into some
scrape or trouble. an. might ave beerl
glad for s~omeone-not is mother-to
give i'm a nance TO get out OF it.
Don't laugh at me. I've lived in this
place nearly all my life; I've seen q
woman weer Ter cart out ere: I've
seen murder--and goodness knows what
else besides. But tonight it's all gone
from me; I've got hack some'ow to the
years Wen my child was in my arms.
an I thought There--neyer mind
what I thought; on'y TIA glad. some
'ow, you took ii Into your cad TO come
an say you was my son. You amt: but
you've brought me hack the thoughts
Of what might Ave been. an fer that
I'd risk somethin'. / tell you. There's
the door: IN light you down. an you
can go free!''
He went free: but II is 70 be regretted
that he understood so little the motive
which had given him his release that
he stopped outside the wall which sur
rounded the tarden and shock his fist
at h black house.
Murders IL; and burying-eh?
Wen see, I'll be even with you yet. or