The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-02-15

menus, IahlUk dOVdIlS08V - ass
tunity, hurried through he people and
darted up a side STREET. Thence, SITTER
many twistings and turnings. he got
back to the inn. and found his way y
his room. where he sat n the DARK;
bordering matters.
He had thought himself 50 safe-had
felt the game to be absolutely In his
own hands; and here, in a moment, ne
had been obliged to give up watching
the girl and her protector. m to take
flight on his own account. II, as wal
more than probable. h youth, Hub
bard, knew anything about the murder.
he might denounce Nugent
and Cornelius to the police at n mo-
| ment: knowing that the Taggetts had
been in the same house. he would MY
have to follow them, in order, to run the
other two to earth. Cornelius began to
! hope that Nugent might put In an APP
pearance at an early moment, in order
| that they might lay their heads togeth-
or and decide what was best to be done;
and vet, on the other hand, he dreaded,
to see his master. because he knew that
added danger would come with his ap-
pearance.
However, Cornelius Viewers was after
all, of a philosophic turn Of mind, and
was certainly the last man on earth to
worry about anything before 1t hap
pened. Knowing, therefore, that the
Taggetts could not possibly arrive at
the inn for some time, and feeling COM
paratively safe, and, moreover, being
very tired Of sitting in the dark and
very thirsty, he made an excursion
down to the bar in search of the land
lord.
The bar was empty when he entered
1t: he gave a curt nod to the landlord,
who was seated behind h wooden
counter, and ordered a glass Of brandy
and water. The place beiL-g very quiet,
and Cornelius being vehy comfortably
established in a corner a drowsy feel
ing presently stole ever him, and he
dropped into q sort Of uneasy doze-one
of those half slumbers in which one Is
conscious Of sounds and NOV ements
around him, without being able to dis
tinguish accurately what concerning
what is going on.
How long he remained in that condi-
to-: it is quite impossible to say; but ne
was reused by the sound Of voices. The
caution. of the man prompted him to re-
main perfectly quiet, while he opened
his eyes a very little way and watched.
It happened that he had sat down In his
usual grudging, surly fashion, with his
hat drawn well down over his eyes n
his arms folded on his chest; it was
quite unlikely that he would be recog.
niZed.
The people whose voices had dis
turbed him were Mr.. Anthony Taggett
and MI. George Reeks. The former
lounced against the little bar with the
air of a man to whom fortune had sud-
Gently grown kind, and who can, there
fore, afford to listen with tolerance to
the woes of his fellow man; and his
fellow mar on this occasion was evil
IDENTIFY giving a smewhat lengthy recit-
al of the particular woes which We're
his portion. Cornelius listened intently
and heard every word; and he also no.
ticed, through his half-closed lids, that
Mr.. Reeks held a telegram in his hand.
"My poor friend" said Mr.. Taggett,
soothingly, IT assure you that I feel for
you very keenly in the trouble which
has fallen upon you Man, as you are
doubtless aN are, is born to trouble;
and, amcng the fiends in human form
who prey upon him are. first and fore
brokers. Believe me, my friend, I
have suffered in the same way; indeed,
III remember, on ore occasion, being re-
duced to a pair Of green worsted tights
as my sole neither garments, on account
of the d-epredations raade by brokers'"
eyes, I know, I know" moaned Mr..
Reeks; ''but that doesn't help me at the
present moment. Mrs. Reeks is alone
and unprotected; and, moreover. Mrs.
Reeks, sir, is a figure which naturally
attracts the attention Of cur sex. See
her telegram" He held out the docu-
ment, as he spoke, under the nose Of
Mr.. Reeks.
"Yes. my friend, I observe it. It is a
species Of d%espairing signal, luttering
from the hand of Mrs. Reeks-a signal
of despair. What does it say? 'Brok-
ers in. Chief broker very attentive
That looks bad, extremely bad. A brok-
er is a beast Of prey; but he is formed
in the likeness Of man, and he has feel
ings; I suppose even a broker has an
eye for a fine woman"
Don't, don't, Mr.. Taggett: you'll
drive me mad!" cried MI. Reeks, twin
ing his hands n his scanty hair. Il know
I a trust Mrs. Reeks, who loves me
with a love not often given to man; but
It maddens me to think of a mere brok-
er casting. his eyes upon her. I must go
back; I must return at once. If I could
only get the money to pay. off these
men, to make a fresh start in life!!"
"Ah, in that I fear I cannot assist
you,' said Mr.. Taegett. A O matter
OF fact. writs ere out against my per-
son; and, but for the vanity (~excusable
enough in a woman) of Mrs. Taggett, !
should not dare at the present
to ...:..- !, IN such large type before the
public eye. But Mrs. Taggett loves me-,
and honors the name I have conferred
upon her; hence this display" &c
waved his hand toward. the yellow pia-
card on the wall.
h.M1. Taggett." said. Reeks. after e
PAUSE, 1T am about to do a disgraceful
thing. I can't help tit is forced upon
me; but my home and the sacred per-
son Of Mrs. Reeks are more to me than
anything else. I have certain paperssin
my hands which are worth e500; I
ehall take these papers to the man who
offered me that sum. directly I reach
London. The papers belong TO Mr.. GLE
bert Ricxerby. OF whom we both know.
Do not try to stop mel It would be
useless. At the present moment I have
but one watchword. and for that
3watchword I desert my trust, and aelll
what does not belong to me. a
sratchword ID: "Home and Mrs.
lleeks!"
Without even stopping to say good