Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-03-20
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( - By TOM GALLON x 2
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By TOM GALLON
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with ropes. to one of the stout bed
posts of the old four-poster bedstead.
Gradually the whole business stole over
him-the remembrance of his stopping
to pick up the packet; of the horrible
blow upon the head-of all the room
twisting and bending and gyrating
about him as he fell. But how did he
get here. and who had fastened him
| up in this fashion?
| Gradually, too, as full consciousness
came upon him. he became aware that
there was light in the room; twisting
his head around painfully, he saw the
light standing upon his dressing table
saw mans shadow in front of it and
a hand stretch out and lift it up.
Turning his aching eyes slowly in the
direction of the shadow, he saw fig
ure advancing towards him, holding
the light high, so that it might shine
upon him. The figure stopped before
him, and out of the swimming room
and the moving shadows looked the
face of Nugent Leathwood, with a grin
upon it.
'Ah. so you are not dead, after all?"
said Leathwood, flaring the candle at
him. I'm glad of that: it would have
been too good a death for YOU to die in
a second like that. You shall have
your death spread out a bit-a lingering
affair. You can only die once, you
know, SO We'll make the most of it for
you'
why have you brought me here?"
asked Gilbert, family. you coward,
| you know you dare not face me, even in
this weak state, if my arms We're free!"
L prefer not to take risks" retorted
| Nugent, with grin. you see, you're
such a slippery customer, one never
knows what might happen. But don't
think you will give me the slip this
time. Now if you are sufficiently sens
IDLE to understand what I'm saying, I
want to talk to you. With your per-
mission, I'll sit down. and hope you're
as comfortable as I am" He pulled
forward q. chair and sat down within
foot or two of his helpless prisoner.
You have already one dastardly
murder to account for" said Gilbert.
Are you going to add another to it?''
Il am" replied Nugent, coolly. He
| set down the candle on the floor at his
feet, folded his arms leaned back in
| his chair. AMI, finally. shook his head,
laughingly, at Gilbert.
LET him laugh who wins, Cousin
| Rickerby," said Leathwood. "You
| managed your business very we'll to-
night, with your witnesses and your
dramatic appearance at the psychology
| ical moment: but [ managed mine bet
| ter. Oh, You were going to be SO clev-
er: the girl was in your Handsomely
thing was in your hands. You'd got the
n.oney-or one of your friends had
and you'd nearly got the papers. I
should think that added head of yours
must ache a little, eh?"
| Gilbert made no reply; he was de-
termined, if possible, not to answer any
thing that was said He wondered
how long this man intended to torture
him. and what manner of death he was
| preparing for him.
"You had all your arrangements
made-the rope was dangling from the
gallows for me-wasn't it? And now I
| have made my arrangements. Shall I
| tell you what they are?"
| Still Gilbert did not speak; life was
| growing more strongly in him with ev-
| cry moment, and the instinct Of sheer
! preservation prompted him to
struggle again and tug at the ropes
| which held him.
That's it-kick and struggle as hard
| as you like" said Leathwood "This is
the best game I've played yet. You
| dog-do you know what sort Of purga-
tory you've made me live in for the
| past day or two? Do you know that
| you've made me die fifty-times over;
have made me start up in bed at night,
| with that horrible strangling feeling at
my throat, and with solid things Slip
ping away from under my feet? What
| agony is there that can make you suf-
| fe" that will compensate me for all
that? I will give you the worst death
know Of; but even that won't be
enough"
what are you going to do?" The
| words were forced from Gilbert's lips,
strive as he would to be silent.
"I'll tell you. Cornelius and T carried
you from the other house, just as we
carried the body Of that servat Of
yours. We brought you here and tied
ing to you, I'm going into the lower
rooms Of this house and I'm going to
set fire to them. Every, shutter in the
place has been carefully closed, so that
the flames won't break out, or be seen
from outside, until the place Is rag
ing, roaring furnace within. How do
you like the prospect? You'll hear the
wood cracking; you'll find 1t growing
hotter and hotter; gradually the flames
will creep up about you and catch the
bed hangings and the wood of the bed
stead-and you'll roast alive. Yes, Gil
bert Rickerby-it was the worst days
work you ever did when you came back
from abroad
you fiend-I did it. as supposed, to
help you-to give the girl to you, be-
cause thought she loved you"
'Yes-that was where you blundered:
you should have explained your mean
ing more clearly. You've been the d.
rect cause of my staining my hands
with blood twice over. You've made
middle of the whole businessman you
must pay the penalty. Cornelius has
gone into the other house to get Miss
Olive Mallory ready for journey: we
start tonight, AMI Rickerbys Folly
will know us no more. You're very much
attached to the place-or you should be,
seeing that you were born in it-and I
don't like to separate you from it. This
place will blaze splendidly-and 7 don't
fancy that they'll recognize Gilbert