The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-03-01

Cornelius was moving SLOWLY owe
the cupboard, with a grin upon his face,
VIXEN the startled voice Of his master re-
called him: he stopped and faced about
instantly. .Nugert had picked up from
the floor a crumpled white handker-
| chief, and was holding a corner Of it to
the light.
"Well what's that?" asked Cornelius.
"Look here! ( found this on the floor
here; read the name on it. Don't stand
| staring there like a fool! Come here
and read his name. Am I going mad,
Or is this name burnt into my brain?"
Now, read it," s
Mr.. Viewers took the thing In his hand
and bent over it, so as to get it within
the range Of his vision: read aloud, in a
sort of dazed whisper: Colbert Rick
| erby." Then he raised his head, and
the two men looked Into each other S
eyes in terror-stricken rerp!exity.
Nugent Leatawood was the first to re-
cover; he caught up the candle and
strobe across to the cupboard, hesitated
for a moment with his hand upon the
fastening, and IL en- threw it open. The
cupboard was empty! "
After staring at 1t for a moment or
two in a dazed fashion, he came slowly
back to Cornelius and set down h can
die. Cornelius glanced at him with a
grin, and muttered: well, what did I
tell you?"
eff I had seen this thing done alone"
murmured Nugent. slowly. II should
have said that my senses had cheated
me; but, with two Of us, there is no
mistake about it. One thing is certain
the man was dead when we put him
there" ,
WAS 'e?" asked Cornelius, quietly. 2
"Why, Of course he was!" Nugent
faced round upon him savagely. IF he
wasn't dead, then I never saw a dead
man yet. The question i5-what has
become of the body? It couldn't move
itself; someone has taken 1t away"
"Well, I 'ope they like it, now they've
got it," said Cornelius.
"But who should take it? If there
was anybody in the business who was
well -disposed toward us, who feared
trouble for us. and so wanted to get 1t
out of the way, I could understand; but
no one knows this but o~urselves-no one
comes near this place." H.,
II wonder what that light was we saw
in the roo down below?" remarked
Cornelius. "That wasn't fancy"
"And this handkerchief; there's no
fancy about this" said Nugent, taking
it from the hand of the old man "This
has been found by someone-someone
who has had to do with the remove OF
the body-and dropped here, Perhaps 1t
may have ven fallen from the body it.
self. Cornelius, what does it mean?
What business is going on in this place
of which we know nothing? What Sc
cret agency is at work to undermine all
we do, and strike at the root Of all we
have done?''
"It beats me-" replied Cornelius, help
lessly. "Owever, there no gittin' over
the fact thai the body's gone-an', more
than that, it's out of our way. I've
go. a sort Of feelin' in my bones that
somethin' Is goin' to 'appen tonight
that'll clear the way; I don't know what
it is, u the feelin' is there"
Nugent Leathwood had been thinking
deeply while the old man spoke. Look
ing up now, with something Of a, smile
upon his haggard face, he put his
thoughts into words.
"After all, there is nothing much to
fear. Gilbert Rickerby entered the
house alone; who Is to say what hap
pened tc him insi lie 1t? Cheer UP, Cor
nelius: the body is gone, the man is
gone; we'll fight through this yet. There
is only one man I fear"
who's that?" :
1.-THE servant-the mysterious mai
who has seemed to be in all this bust
ness, and yet has not been in it. I am
confident that it was that man I met in
the dark in the inn last night. I arm
sure, too, that he knows or suspects
something. Well, let him suspect: he's
got to prove, and proof is not easy"
easy? It amt possible" Mr.. Wee
vers walked across the room and calm
ly shut the cupboard door. ut works
Doth ways, master. If them as are
friendly to us whoever they may bel
ave taken the body-well an good; II
them we are workin' against ave taken
it-well an good agai,,. Don't you see
that the thing is gone, en- we 'aven't
got to trouble about it,"
perhaps you're right: / wish I could
think So" replied Nugent. but We'll
get back into the other house. I expect
that fellow Reeks will turn up tonight.
and I mustn't miss him. Besides. I
want to find out IL he has been here
already" I
Tney went Odck ne way IHey AdV
come-cautiously. and listening ut Sev-
cry step-and regained the room in
which Nugent had found the old mar.
Then a sudden idea occurred to the lat
ter, and he gave voice to It.
S3'.It seems to me-" he said, slowly and
thoughtfully; at seems to me that Je-
NINA may know something about this
.ere. She's got a 'abit Of wanderrin.
about the place, by night, as well assSby
day; she's got some mad notion inS'er
,ead that FER old mistress isi still there
an wants 'cr. It might be well to try
and screw something out Of 'er."
n eyes; I had thought Of that. Fetch
her here. BY the way" added Nugent.
as the other was shufling out OF the
room. II suppose you feel sure as .toSher
loyalty; you don't think It likely that
she is In the plot-if there is one
against US, do you?"
Mr.. Viewers stopped, shook his head
knowingly, and grinned. Don't you
worry about that. "SShe replied. "Jernirna
amt got wits enough to rlot against
anyone. She goes about with what eyes
she's got shut, and 'er ears shut, too.
You'll see IL I amt right, when I come
to ask FER question or two. JeInima
plot! Well-that's 9 good w" Il
He went out OF the room, and aswas
presently heard at q distance Summon
Ing his spouse TO appear before Ls4th-