Oakes Republican., 1902-02-07

which he had left the girl on the prevl-
GUS night: dropped on his hands and
| knees On the floor, and thrust his head
underneath the sofa, as though he fully
expected to find the girl there: started
to his feet, and faced Mrs. Reells.
THE girl! l brought a young lady
here-last night; where is she?"
In his excitement and hurry he was
| quite unconscious of the fact that he
held in his hand the knife he had been
using at his breakfast; he aourished it
wildly as he spoke. and Mrs. Reeks. de-
spite the air of bravado she assumed,
| quailed before him.
81 am aware that you brought home
a young female last night, George
Reeks. You did not know that I was
aware of the disgraceful occurrence:
but 1 saw everything. This creature
has been restored to her natural and
proper guardian.''
The little man sst down upon the
sofa, With his mouth wide open, and
stared helplessiy at Mrs. Reel1s. IL
don't understand he said. 81 brought
here last night a young lady whom l
| had been asked to take charge of for
| few days. She was in great danger and
distress; for that reason had to bring
her at dead of night. Where is she?"
The stiffness was fast going out of
Mrs. Reels: she looked across at her
| husband. almost apologetically. II
did it for the best, George" she began,
lamely.
Did what for the best?" cried George
Reeks. starting to his feet. "Where IS
this young girl?"
1oc ;rI,t
soon after you had gone to bed He tod
me that you had taken away this young
girl out OF his charge-a sort of abduc-
ton, George. He said that he was her
natural and proper guardian; that he
did not Want scandal Or fuss. And he
took her away with him."
Mr.. Reeks, in hopeless bewilderment,
stood staring for a few moments at his
wife, finally dropped the knife he held
at his feet, and clusched both sides of
his scanty hair With his hands.
George; don't LOOK like that! What
have I done? If you had only aold me
what you intended at first
Don't talk, my dear, don't talk!" i'm
plored the unhappy Mr.. Reeks. "I
don't know quite what you've done, Or
what you haven't done. But you've got
me into a horrible muddle, and I don't
| quite see what am do to get out of
| it. Now, let's be calm; for Heavens
sake, let's be calm!"
He looked anything but calm himself,
as he walked UP and down the room,
clutching his hair and muttering to
himself; but, after few moments, he
stopped in front of his wife and put
question.
"Tell me-this man who came in the
middle of the night and took away the
girl-what was he like?"
"a very dark man, with a swarthy
skin and black eyes. Spoke in a soft
voice."
Mr.. Reeks gasped. "Leathwood-by
all that's wicked!'' he exclaimed. ''My
love-" he went on, with desperate calm
ness, Gin one moment you have undone
what I and others have plotted to do,
to save a young and innocent girl from
villain: in one moment you have CIV
en- that young and innocent girl back
into the hands of a man for whom no
name is too bad. I suppose I ought to
have told you; but do look, my dear,
the sort of a man who would abduct a
young girl and bring her into your
house in the dead of night and leave
her on the sitting room sofa? Do look
it, my dear?"
Mrs. Reeks burst into tears, and ad-
mitted, through her sobs, that he cer-
tainly did not.
There, it is no use crying. NY dear;
we've got to do the business all over
again. TIE girl is in danger, and must
be got out of the place to which I,eath-
wood will have taken her. She can't be
brought here again, because Leathwood
knows this house, and would only come
here again for her. But I must go
there at once-that's certain. Did he
leave any message; did he say any
thing at all to you?"
"He said that he expected you to
bring the papers you had promised
within two days." replied Mrs. Reeks.
ooh, indeed-did he?" said Mr.. Reeks,
sarcastically. Anything else?"
"That if you brought them within
if not, he would force you to give them
up, and you would get nothing"
The little man buttoned his coat res
olutely, and shook his head, with an all
of defiance. eve shall see," he said,
grimly. "Now, understand, my love,
that under no circumstances do you
give up those papers. 1 may be away
for some time; I can't tell at all what
may have to do. But you shall hear
from me. This man, Leathwood, may
come here in the hope of getting the
papers: don't let him have them"
eff he gets them out of me he'll be
clever" responded Mrs. Reeks. but,
George, you're not going to 1un any
risks or get into any dangers, are you?
Think of me, George; think of mel;
"My love-" replied the little man.
"duty calls me, and I must not hold
back. But whatever danger I may
rush into (for / am naturally bold
man, Lily, as you are aware), / shall
think, even to the last, of you" Then,
revertirg to his more natural manner,
he said: 'I heartily wish I'd never
mixed myself up in this business; but
III ri1,1