Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-02-13
XVI.
A Drama OF the Dead.


The play-as a play-5id not prove 20
be interesting; or, at least, Cornelius
Viewers was not stirred by II In any
way. He had the satisfaction Of seeing
Mr. Taggett, as a remarkably loud
voiced and heavy villain, engaged I'm
the unlawful pursuit Of Mrs. Taggett,
with her hair down her back: varied by
mortal comhats with the hero and the
hero's comic friend; but as Mrs. Tag
gett, in her capacity OF the heroine, ap-
peared. quite artlessly. to wait for Mr..
Taggett in the very places where she
should not nave been-to-wit. a wood, a
ruined mill and a coincrs' den-Cor-
nelius lost any sympathy he might have
felt for her, and regarded her. in his
own mind. as a somewhat idiotic per
sonage. whose sufferings were brought
about by rank carelessness on her own
Fart. He turned from the stage and
regarded the people about him critical
ly.
Suddenly, while doing this, he became
aware-by that curious feeling whic,l
we nave all experienced al some time
or other-that someone Immediately be-
hind him was taking the deepest posi-
BILE interest In him. craning a neck 10
get a glimpse of his face, and breathing
hard in the vicinity OF the nape OF his
neck Cornelius twisted around sharp
", and found himself within an inch or
two OF a face staring into his in the un-
certain light OF the naptha lamps. The
/ face proved TO be so startling that he
twisted back again in a great hurry and
! pretended TO be engrossed with the
stage.
The face was that OF Enoch Hubbard
the mar who had shouted such
strange things in the garden of Kicker
by's Folly on the night of the burial,
and who had originally got into the
hous, under pretense of being the long
lost son OF Cornelius: the man, more
over. who had got away in such an ex-
trordinary fashion. leaving no trace be
hind him.
AT the present moment every breath
OF that young man seemed to sead a
cold thrill OF terror down the spine Of
Cornelius. For this was the man who
had habbled strange things about dead
bodies hidden away: the man who. IN
some mysterious fashion. had fathomed
something OF that gruesome business
concerning Gilbert Rickerby. That he
should be in this out-of-the-way place
az such a time, and when all the people
who had been even remotely connected
with the matter were there also. was
| discorce-ting Cornelius. with the full
Intention ~ giving him the sip. bega~
TO reach for HIS hat and TO EAST his gaze
towards the door. Mr. Hubbard must
have OWNED that intention, for ne
thrust his face over the shoulder OF the
| old man and whispered In his ear:
at ain't no good your tryin' TO give
me the slip. cause you can't dc Il. I
saw your pal-the dark chaplin the
street to-day: ] wasn't quite sure of
I'm, but now / am sure. There's tha.
! chap, Taggstt, on the stage-wfth is
wife. An the lot o. o Is In H. some
'ow. an youTn find I'm IN II. too"
Cornelius twisted his face around ana
loked At the speaker with an ugly grin.
You're a bright spark. you are!' He
had, f-cautiously raised HIS voice. end
Immediately there sounded all about
him indignant cries OF Order, orders"
Turn him OUT" Cornelius resUmed
his contemplation OF the stage. and be-
gar 10 cast about In bis mind for q plan
by which TO escape.
Then came an interval. and CorneIiuS
arose, with many others In the audi
ence. and proceeded outside In search
OF refreshment. In the hustle and con-
fusion Mr., Hubbard was ~seuarated
from hirn-got into an argument or a
personal nature with a man he was en-
desvorfng TO elbow out OF the way-and
lost sight Of his quarry altogether. Cor