Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-01-23
his head. and called. sharply. "corne-


someone moving about in another room
was heard. and then the shutting step:
of the old man. Directly afterwards
Leashwood drew in his head, saying Il
some one outside: Here. I want you
there's business for you here"
The old man came in slowly. dressed
in long, faded dressing gown. of nc
particular color and of NO ,particula,
cut: in his hand he carried a battered
tin candlestick. and he looked all about
him with sleepy. resentful eyes.
Well. what the dickens is 1t now p
he asked. with a snarl. "Fir5t. In
dragged out of bed in the middle of the
nigh. by some wretched woman who's
lost 'er 'usband: I'm kept talkin' at the
gate in bitin' wind, tryin' to persuade
'er that We don't keep stray husbands
ere; an now YOU start shoutin' all
over the 'ouse for me. afore I've go.
fairly warm in bed again. What is it
Don't talk there: there's been q
great deal 200 much talking already.
said Nugent, quietly Shut the door. "
| Then. as the old man obeyed. wonder
| irgly Nugent pointed AT the trem-
/ bling Mr.. Hubbard. Look at this man
found him in the garden just now,
I !ItdI hCoul oCi .SSAt'l
bodies hidden at night. and what not.
/ tell YOU, Cornelius, we stand in dead
iy danger. But a few hours ago a man
came here. claiming to be Gilbert Rick
| erby, and knowing l daresay, a great
de al more than he confessed. A little
| time since his wife put in an appear
/ ance demanding To know where he was.
/ and threatening, Heaven knows what.
~, 1,1r 10 y,Sr firIr
! for which she asLed. BY Jove. man.
! don't you see that we shall have tn.
! place abou, our ears before we know
! where we are" 1 curse the day ever
! knew the name of Gilbert Rickerby;
! but I'll fight this thing out to the bitter
enc I've got a big stake to win or 10
! lose and. il I'm to lose it, I won't loss:
! it lightly
/ Whose doin' the talkin' now" asked
| Cornelius. IF you've brought me ere TO
! pirate about what you'll do and what
! you won't do. you'd best let me go TO
/ oed again. AS for this fellow, know
! Eothin' about i'm, 'cept what 'e's said
/ 'i-nself. Ask Jemima-"
| New. Nugent Leathwood was so GER
| tain in his own mind that Mr.. Hubbard
! had discovered something concerning
J tlc dSI llIdt IL ACsCA CHlSAO0 hAS
| thoughts TO ask any questions about
F! the matter: of all things. that was the
/ ono he was most anxious to avoid. But
! he had his suspicious, naturally enough.
! about a man who apparently prowled
! about at nigh. and talked of dead bod
/ les; he wanted to know who that man
! was, and why he lad come to Kicker
/ by's Folly. After gazing gloomily at
No.. for ffsyy
| turned suddenly on Cornelius.
Fetch Je.nima,'' he said. "Ill clear
this matter up at once. I'll have no
spies lurking about here and prying
into things that don't concern them
Fetch Jemima.''.
Cornelius took up his candlestick and
shuff.ed away to the door. AS he
opened it he paused and looked back at
his master.
You've put your and to tougher
job than ever man mastered yet he
said, solemnly "On'y lnind-there amt
no us about it; you stands alone in
this" With that he opened the door
and was gone.
In the internal tefore mis- return MI
gent Leathwood said no. a word: he
paced about the room, now and then
once or twice, as though he had made
up his mind to say something; then
repenting of it and striding on again.
When, at last, steps were heard outside
he stood still and awaited the coming of
Jeninla and her husband.
They came in, yet with what diff
ference between them! Cornelius
showed in every line of his face dis
-, 1cf nd MINGLED with
little fear of wat was going to hap
zen; the old woman was as calm and
ur concerned es ever, and turned her
lack-luster eyes upon Nugent and the
other man with a faint air of surprise.
Cornelius shut the door, and, as pre-
cautionary measure, put his back
against it.
Now, Jemima," began Leathwood,
to think you've been playing me false
actly how we stand. This young man
here was brought by you into the
house."
Not by me, Mr.. Leathwood-beg-
gin your par1o1," broke in Jen,ima.
wagging her old head, SO that the gray
hair fell abont her expressionless face:
not by me. Cornelius introduced the
young gent to me, an said as 'ow It
vas my soy: An I've seen too much
of Cornelius not to know it amt we'll
to conterdict i'm
'But, good heavens, sou surely know
your own son?' cried NLgent. This
man is brought here, claiming to be
your son; you accept him as such"
"On'y under orders Mr.. Leathwood."
said the old woman. submissively. "The
only child I ever 'ad died of Group at
the age of eighteen months, just three
months after Cornelius left me. Wen
this gent'-she indicated Mr.. Hubbard
with one hand, but did not look at him
-"came along and said as ow e was
my son. 1 didn't think it was worth
vile conterdictin' i'm. In fact. it
wasn't worth mentionin'. 1 thought II
Cornelius 'ad took it into is cad to
adopt a CROWN boy. it wasn't fer me
to raise no objection" She smiled be.
, nignly upon the discounted Cornelius.
and adjusted her wrapper more COM
fortably about her.
Nugent Leathwood turned to Mr..