Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-03-13

| w llIl d CelldlA 1SShlcSSAcSS Ill Ills lpAASS.
"Well-you've trapped me-and I hope
| you are satisfied. I've made a pretty
good fight for it-but the laugh is with
you. at last. What are You going to
do?"
| 1t must not be supposed for mo-
ment that man of the character of
| Nugent Leathwood meant to be beaten
| quite so easily. Even while he spoke.
and while his careless eyes drifted
around the room his mind was going
carefully over every loophole of escape
now here, now there. Remorse for
anything he had done was not in him;
put him face to face with Gilbert Rick
erby alone, and he would kill him now,
| if possible, as readily as he had plotted
! to kill him before.
| II intend to hand you over to justice"
replied Gilbert. 1T has taken me a
lons time to get the story pieced togeth-
err: it may be difficult for me to estab-
fish the truth as to who I really am, but
| I'll do it. AS for you-you shant escape
be sure of that"
| Leathwood shrugged his shoulders.
No: 1 expect you've got me pretty
tight" he said. In his own mind he
! had settled pretty clearly what he was
| to do-had seen a way out of this thing.
But. since you've won." he added
grant me favor"
What Is it,
81 am quite capable of taking on my
own shoulders the burden of anything l
| have done" said Leathwood. Il spoke
| just now of dragging this unfortunate
| old man-merely tool in my hands
| into the business That was wrong: l
| frankly admit it. There-I'N confess,
! if YOU like, that I killed this servant OF
| yours, believing the man was gilbert
| Rickerby. It's done. and I must pay
| the price But this old man should not
be punished for the fault o. his master;
| let him GO
| Cornelius appeared quite TO indorse
this orinion: he looked eNpsctantly NJ
Gilbert Il am. really, g very old man
Mr.. Rickerby." he whined, and I ave
a wife to think Of"
You haven't thought much OF her
hitherto said Gilbert: but. for her
sake. you may go. as far as I am con-
cerred: what the law will say TO you
afterwards l don't know
Nugent I.eathwood wasxisibly affect
ed by this concession: he walked across
the room and seized his old servant pv
the hand Il am sorry. Cornelius, ne
said, aloud that I ever dragged you
into such a affair as this. Forgive
me- Then. under his breath. in hur-
ried whisper: Get the old woman
away: leave me alone with him: LII
settle him yet Then. aloud: GU
will forgive me. wont you?
Cornelius took his cue as neatly as
i. was given Don't speak of 1t, Mr.
Ieathwood." he said. in a voice of emo
ton. II ave bin wrong. know, an its
me as ought to ask for forgiveness.
Then. in the same cautious whisper: j
understand. I'm ready for anything.
Nugent walked bact to the table.
Again it occurs to me, cousin, that our
friend. Mr.. Reeks, here, may get into
some difficulty if he is included howev-
er innocently, in the matter He has
been amply rewarded for any trouble
or annoyance caused to him; he has in
his possession $500 of your money. Let
him go; let him benefit by it. We don't
want to drag the poor fellow into such
a business as this. For Heavens sake,
cousin. let you ard I face the business
together; after ALL call me what you
will. I'm man. and I won't sneak be-
hind anyone weaker than myself. Let
Mr. Reeks go ababout his business with
his money"
Upon my word, cousin. you're a bet
ter fellow than I gave you credit for.
and I heartily wish I hadn't such a
task before me" sad Gilbert Let Mr..
Reeks go. by all means"
Mr.. Reeks was only too glad to avail
himself of the permission. He felt that
the matter was ended: he knew that in
hic rnc-ct q nf i1t,
was TO give him his chance of starting
in the world afre,sh. He picked up his
hat with alacrity and went snliling.y
towards the door.
Much obliged to you I'm sure. gen
tleemen, he murmured. II could only
wish that, for the sake of all parties
something could be done as would re.
store harmony; but still, you know,
sir Leathwood. it amt allowed, in a
christian country, to go choking ones
fellow-creatures, no matter what the
motive may be. Good evening, gentle
men,"
1t was the turn of Cornelius to play
approached Misunderstanding towards
her hesitatingly and with a certain
apologize air.
IT know 'aven't been the husband
| might ave been, Mrs. W. he said: but
it can all be made up for. These gen.
tlemen have bin good enough to give me
another chance-an' you shall see what
use I'll make of it. Ill do my best, Je-
mima-if you'll overlook the mistakes
| ave made"
| Jemima was absolutely knocked OF:
/ her mental balance. so to speak. for this
| extraordinary and unlooked-for atti-
tude on the part of Cornelius. She had
no time or opportunity to discover
!. whether he was genuine or not; the
willy old man took her tenderly by the
arm and walked her out of the room.
! apparently murmuring unaccustomed
enGearments. The door closed after
! them. and Nugent Leathwood and his
| cousin were left alone.
There was a long silence-a silence
which Leathwood bI oke. II would like
TO know" he Began in humbled voice,
what has become of the young girl
Olive Mallory whom have wronged so
deeply. and who was the indirect cause
! of all this business. Is she safe?"