Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-02-06

man carefully adjusted her cloak about
her shoulders. Outside, in the little
narrow hall. they found Mrs. Reeks
waiting in the dark; that lady avertei
her face when she caught sight of Olive,
and remained ,tonily Indifferent to the
departure. But at the last moment,
when mis- hand was actually upon the
oatcr. door, Nugent Leathwood came
back and whispered swiftly in The ear
of Mrs. Reeks:
Say what you like to your husband
abou. this--or say nothing at all, just
as you think best. But tell him that
expect the papers :le is to bring me
within two days from ,his time. Le-
gally, they are mine; but he shall have
the reward I promised if he lets me
have them by that time; after that I
will take means 20 force them from him
and he will get nothing"
Before the startled Mrs. Reeks had
time to formulate reply, or to ask any
questions, Ntgent Leathwood and the
girl were gone ana the door had closed
behind them. Mrs. Reeks picked up tn,
candle and went in-o tie little sitting
room and sat down.
Then for the first time, when it was
too late, she began to realize what she
1!du uo1lC eiJ.u 10 U6 very
frightened. She began to understand,
from those concluding words her mystic
rious visitor had used, that both hesand
the girl were, in some curious fashion,
mixed up in that strange business of
Gilbert Rickerby. What if she had,
after all, made a blunder. and brought
upon her unfortunate husband greater
peril and difficulties than before? How
To that
virtuous feeling of indignation with
which she had buoyed herself up be-
fore; she determined to brave the mat
ter out to the end.
II don't care" she said to herself; eff
there has been any mistake, it's the
fault of George Reeks; he should have
told me what he was doing. and not
have gone about it in such a secret,
mysterious, shoot the moon sort of
fashion"
Comforted by this reflection, Mrs.
Reeks crept up stairs and went to bed.
Her husband was sleeping so soundly
that there appeared to be no chance of
disturbing him; but Mrs. Reeks was
very careful in her movements, never
theless. Only, before getting into bed,
She shook fist in the face of the sleep
ing. smiling little man.
Mr.. Reeks slept late the next day, and
awoke in broad daylight, in that bliss
full condition which one sometimes ex.
periences when body, is thoroughly
rested and the the mind at ease. In
fact so comfortable did Mr.. Reeks feel,
and so little did any of the forgotten
incidents of tina two previous days at
feet him, that his sole feeling was one
of unmisakable hunger; he began to
wonder what there was for breakfast.
Within a very short time of that first
springing out of slumber he presented
himself before Mrs. Reeks, dressed and
smiling, ard cheerfully rubbing his
hands. He remembered no more con-
corning those same exciting happen
ings than if they had been dreams,
which, had troubled him in the night
and been forgotten in the morning.
Morning, my love-morning?" he ex-
claimed. I'm afraid-afraid I'm a lit
tie late this mornir g, my DEAR
"Do not mention it, beg" said Mrs
Reels. She had been prepared for
wild outburst-a scene Of tumult; she
began to think, for her part, that she
had been walking in her sleep or suf-
fering from nightmare. However, she
set out the delayed breakfast, and Mr.
Reeks fel to with an appetite.
After a few moments a remarkable
change came over him. Mrs. Reeks,
who had finished her own breakfast
hours before, had seated herself oppo-
site to him, the better to attend to his
wants, and also for certain purpose
of politeness, which she might have
shown to a guest. Mr.. Reeks had looked
up at her placidly once or twice-had
nodded end smiled od-humoredly-
and had gone on with his breakfast, as
though the sight of her had given him
renewed appetite. But at last Mrs.
Reeks, watching him narrowly. OBJ
served a change beginning to steal over
him. Once he laid down his fork and
looked all around the room, in be-
wildered fashion, as though striving
hard to recollect something; took up
the knife and fork slowly; plunged the
fork into a morsel; and began to convey
it to his mouth; stopped dead, and
dropped it on his plate with clatter.
Mrs. Reeks held on to the table and
felt inclined to scream, for she knew
that he had remembered!
The next moment he started to his
feet with q shout, upsetting the chair
as he did so; darted across the room,
and stared down at the empty sofa on
!, which he had left the girl on the previ-
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. Reeks.
THE girl! I brought 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 nourished 1T
wildly as he spoke, and Mrs. Recks, de-
spite the air of bravado she assumed,
quailed before him.
II am aware that you brought home
young female last night, George
Reeks. You did not know that was
aware Of the disgraceful occurrence;
but I 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 heplessiy at Mrs. Reeks "J--I
don't understand" he said. II brought
here last night young lady whom l