The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-02-15

z
e Rickerby's Folly g
9 = By TOM GALLON q z

CHAPTER XIV. (Continued.)

That's rum" he said. "Ow should
b man get into that room?"
There's only one man could be there
-and a dead man at that" whispered
Nugent. IT saw it once before-saw 1t
come and go, just in the same fashion.
Guppose-no, it's too mad altogether"
Whats too mad?' asked Cornelius.
II was going to ~say-suppose this
girl, who is always talking of this dead
lover Of hers-suppose in h a mad
state she's in she actually meets him;
suppose, in some fiendish, ghostly fash
lion he's helping herr"
IT don't suppose anything about It,
Haid Cornelius, giving himself a shake.
whats the use of supposin'? When
tonce I get out of this blessed damp
warden I'll suppose somethin' useful.
somethin', maybe, valuable in finding
the gel. Come inside and ave some
brandy"
II think you're right" said Nugent.
krying to laugh. I'm five minutes I'll
Ae all right again, and ready to look at
This matter squarely."
In less than that time, after drinking
pretty freely of neat brands, Nugent
Leathwood began to see things from a
different standpoint; to lose sight OF
any possible ghostly interference, and
Ito see only some unknown human
agency at work. With that thought.
the courage of the man rose again. and
his one idea was to find out, as rapidly
as possible, what people he was fight
lng against, and to secure Olive c
more. His first thought was in regard
TO Mr.. Reeks; he felt that that mar
might, after all, have had the audacity
to lirger about near the house and to
secure the girl, by a lucky chance,
when she escaped from 1t. With that
Thought in mind, he directed Cornelius
10 get a cab and to hurry to Little Pond
street. q.
81 can't 90 myself" he explained,
s'because I am already known there.
INT they might refuse me the informa-
zion. But o can go, and you're sharp
enough to find out whether the girl Is
There or yhere Reeks is. If he's not
there. and they can't give any salts
factory account of him, I shall know
That he is in the business again. Make
haste; you can pretend you have come
to sec him on business, to pay him
tmoney--anything. If you see the wo-
man you can easily discover from her
manne IL h knows anything"
You seem to forget said Cornelius.
s'that Nv already seen the woman-at
the gate here, when she came to in
quire about her precious husband"
ITO be sure. Then, that won't do.
No: I must go myself; If there is a SER
want, I may get hold Of her. I'll be
back as quickly as possible"
Is He returned to Rickerby's Folly in
something less than an hour. 1--WE
seen the servant" he said, land it is as
I suspected. The girl is 10 there; but
Reeks is away-no one knows where
and they don't know when he'll be
back. Now, what are we to do?"
They stood in the room in which MI
gent ordinarily sat, and Cornelius held
In his hand a torn half-sheet of news
paper. The old man held it up, as the
other asked the question, and pointed
to a part of it, clumsily marked about
with pencil.
"This is what We'll do" said Corne-
Illus, with a grim" We'll follow this
'ere advertisement. Since you've been
out, I've been 'avin a look round. I've
been 'untin' in that room where those
~play-actors were-ano I've found this"
He tapped the paper with his long fore
finger as he spoke. tits an advertise
vAlCIlIy YOU u OtIlCt TGdu IL.
Nugent Leathwood caught at the pa
per impatiently and read the advertise
ment marked; it was as follaws:
"Wanted-Heavy man and soubrette
Tor Ghost Show. No beer kegs nor bar
props need apply. Will Anthony Tag
eett and wife write in? Spencer Com
bination, Crown and Cushion, Barnet"
well, what does 1t mean?" asked
6NIlpnnf 1nnkinq of ~ in rorn1oxylkxy
TITS all Greek to me. What has this
got to do with the disappearance of the
eirl?"
Its only a suspicion. of course" re-
piled the other, but I've got an idea
that you'll find the girl somewhere near
the Crown and Cushion. at Barnet"
What makes o think that?" asked
Leathwood, eagerly.
Cornelius scratched his chin thought
fully, and looked up sideways at his
master. We'll, in the first place, that
woman. Taggett. IAN a good, deal of
friendly feeling for the gel: [ caught
Ger once 'er twice comm out of the gels
room. Then, again, they went away
yesterday. that's pretty evident. to take
this engagement at Barnet. If the gel
'as bin.got away at all. it's quite likely
they've got a and in 1t. That chap,
Reeks. may not be in the business at
Ill. At any rate, I'm of to Barnett
.I'm inclined to think that you're
right, Cornelius" said Nugent. you'd
better start at once and p out the
land. As I do nothing here, I'll fol
low you in an hour or two; I want to
stop here at present, in case, by any
chance. the girl q not gone there, and
comes back" {.