Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-03-06
CHAPTER XX.
Face to Face.

CHAPTER XX.
Face to Face.
Nugent Leathwood had no doubt in
his mind that what this man said was
true. He had been stunned when the
idea was first forced upon him, that the
Gilbert Rickerby whom he had never
seen, was, in some mysterious way. how
ering about, ready to fall upon him; he
had beer stunned afresh by the descrip-
ion-coinciding so exactly with his re-
collection of the stranger who had at
tended at the funeral and whom he had
met at the inl-given by old Je1niria
of the Gilbert Rickerby she had remem-
bered so we'll. His first wild thought
was that the man he had strangled was
not really dead; that he had, in some
fashion, regdined life and vigor, and es-
capped from the house. Then. when
common sense told him that this was
absurd. he ceased to have any coherent
thought about the matter, and merely
waited, bewildered, for what might
happen. That he had blundered in some
way, he knew; but that he had killed
the servant instead of the master new
er occurred to him.
But if this man was really Gilbert
Riokerby, the whole business had still
to be faced; nothing had yet been done
to bring about what he had SO urgently
desired. Even while he looked at the
man, his brain seemed to be reeling I'M
der the pressure of a thousand wild
thoughts; he thought of that first
night when the man had come into the
room bearing the card Of Gilbert Rick
erby, and keeping the appointment
made by Gilbert Rickerby; of the bank
notes found upon the body of that man;
of the strange, lucky chance which en-
abled him to take advantage of the
death of Miles Probyn, and to set up
grave, as it We're, in the public sight,
which should cover his own crime. He
thought, too, of the strange fashion I'M
which different people had been drawn
to thwart him, and to endeavor to res
cue the girl, Olive, from his hands; and
of the mysterious removal of the body
from the deserted house; of the lights
and shadows on the blinds of that
house. But he was not the man to
take defeat-especially vague defeat
lightly; he recovered himself in mo-
ment, and bowed, ironically to Gilbert
Give no doubt we shall find much to
say to each other before we finish," he
said. "But I must remind you that a
man who makes such a preposterous
claim as you have done must do some
thing to substantiate it. 1t appears that
you know something of this same Gill
bert Rickerby-or think you do-and
you're going to try and trade on the
knowledge. It's a bold scheme, my
friend; only bold man could have
thought of it. I don't discuss my pri-
vate affairs before other people; if you
care to talk to me alone, i'll listen to
what you have to say"
"You will listen here and now-and be-
fore these people," replied Gilbert, quiz
city.
"You insolent dob!" cried Nugent
pretending wrath to cover up deadly
fear which was creeping over him; "do
you know whose house you are in?''
"Yes-mine!" came the prompt reply.
Perhaps you would like to know how I
got into it?'
ut would be interesting" said the
other, with q sneer.
Il have lived here for some days past:
I have been within few yards of you;
l have known all about your mornings
and your outgoings. You saw shadows
on the blind of the old haunted house,
did you? You saw lights come and go
about the windows-eh? You hound,
murderer and profligate! The time has
ccme when the shadows stand out in
realities-When the ghosts of Rickerby's
Folly become flesh and blood, to haunt
Mr. Viewers had been slowly shut
fling along towards his wife, with an
evident intention to make bolt Of it.;
he stopped when Gilbert spoke. and
slowly scratched his head and grinned
nlaliciously.
Nugent Leathwood seated himself on
the edge of the writing table, with his
hands thrust in his pockets, and one
leg swinging, and nodded slowly to Gill
bert. Go on. my inventive friend,' he
said. Pm curious to see how you'll
play the part you have arranged for
yourself. Let US Rave the whole thing"
you shall have it ALL" replied Gil
bert. and from the very beginning. II
have arranged that my friend. MIR.
Reeks, here, should be present tonight,
your guilty soul rs it was never haunt
ed before. Corneius"-he turned sharp
ly in the direction of the old man--"if I
see you making towards the door again
I'll twist that why neck of yours a lit
tie more than nature has already done"
because there is part OF the story
which he must tell; my old nurse, Je-
NINA Viewers, is also here at my re-
quest, because the story could not be
told well without her. Oh, yes: you
shall hear it all, Cousin Leathwood."
IT see-I see" murmured Leathwood
nodding slowly and smiling: quite a
little syndicate: all the facts got up
beforehand and the plot carefully ar
| ranged. But go on-go on"
when l first received your letter.
began Gilbert. speaking sternly and yet