Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-01-16

uucOnSci0usly, raising your voice. IncES
is no gallery here. Taggett; this ~ q
matter of silence, with all lights
down" He caught hold OF the lantern,
as he spoke. and shut on the hght.
Eyes. there's no doubt about II that 1
am alive in spite OF all tLat anyone
may say TO the contrary. But ! am IN
hiding here, and tonight / have to per-
form the gruesome task of 5urying a
murdered man."
.sYou-you are not rehearsing any
thing, are you, R~ickerby?" asked Tag
gett, as a gleam of hope shot into his
mind.
NO. This is solid. sober earnest. un-
fortunately. The nan we are to bury
tonight was killed in mistake for me.
and hidden in that empty house. This
good friend of mine, Mr.. Reeks, knows
all about il, and is helping me-" Mr..
George Reeks was seen in lie semi
darkness, to bow, in acknowledgment OF
the introduction; he appeared, ar the
same time, 10 shiver, violently.
There Is no time TO explain matters
now" went on Gilbert. I'VE must get
this thing done. Tell me, as quickly as
possible, what you're doing here, and
waht mad prank you were playing In
that sheet when you stumbled into my
arms"
My lear young friend" began An
thony Taggett, lowering his voice TO
suit the o~ccasion-'T had heard a great
deal about the haunting OF this house"
Haunted. indeed-pcor. unhappy, old
place." exclaimed Gilbert, glancing
round at the dark windows. What is
to be the end OF it all. i wonder. what
other fate awaits you? Black murder
and midnight burial. and men flying
from the place with terror-stricken
faces TO die violent deathsi Forgive
me, Taggett," he broke OF, and glanced
round at the two men. Il have seen
such things In this place as few men
see anywhere. But, no matter how you
come, I am glad TO see you; I have
need OF all my friends about me now. IL
/ ever had need of them in my life.
Now, tell me. how did you come here,
and who is with you2"
Mr.. Taggett. as briefly as possible,
and not without much dramatic ges-
ture and much waving Of a white
sheeted arm towards the night-sky,
gave a full and particular account of
all that had happened 10 him since he
set put to walk from Bristol; of h
meeting on the road with Ursula Sew
ell; the coming to the house; even the
meeting that day with the strange son
OF old Cornelius Viewers. This last
piece of news appeared to puzzle Gil
bert Rickerby rtcre than anything else.
old Viewers sont" he exclaimed
There must surely be some mistake.
I was always led to believe that Jemi-
mas child died when il was a mere
baby. You're quite sur he said he was
a SOM"
Absolutely certain" replied Taggett.
The woman you call Jeminma appeared
TO recognize him, and spoke with de-
light of the way in which he had
grown"
After puzzling over the matter a mo-
ment or two in silence. Gilbert Kicker
by appeared to cast the thing out OF his
mind: turning about, in a business-like
fashion, he stopped over the body and
spoke sharply to MIR. Reeks:
Come. we have no time TO lose" he
said. I'm sorry to drag YOU into this
business. Mr.. Reeks. tut you know how
I am situated. and what I have TO do"
II was thinking" said Mr.. Reeks,
hesitatingly. that your good friend.
Mr.. Taggett, might are to take my
place. So far as / can see In this light,
there is more Of an official look about
him, and he is, besides. q much bigger
man."
MY dear sir" said Anthony Taggett.
hastily, at have no desire to step in and
take your duties from you. My cos
tune is, I admit. somewhat ridiculous;
but I feel that I shall grace this occa-
sion more as a spectator, and, by how
ering about. to prevent surprise, than
by taking any actuaI active part in It."
Very wen. sir" replied Mr.. Reeks,
r~esignediy. He stopped and picked up
one end or the burden; together he and
Gilbert Rickerby lifted 1t and began TO
bear it away towards an angle OF the
high wall, where a clump of bushes
was planted thickly. Mr.. Taggett- who
had got hold OF the lantern again. fol-
lowed slowly, tucking up n end of the
sheet over his arm. and blowing his
way among the weeds and the dead
leaves of many past years.
lust as they reached the clunp Of
bushes the three Of them stopped dead:
there had come. from the other side OF
the double house, a violent ringing Of a
bell-the ben which was attached TO
the outer gate. AS II by common con-
sent, they laid their burden down, in
the shadow OF the bushes, and dropped
silently down on the ground themselves.
For heavens sake. TagSett. take Oh
that ridiculous sheet" whispered Gil
bert. impatiently. 1T win draw atten-
ito TO US. for certain, IL you go iutter-
Ing about in that fashioni Take it on.
mani"
II have already explained TO you,
Mr.. Rickerby," came the whispered re-
Fly. that / merely donned II for pur-
poses OF my art As 1t Is likely TO com
promise you, ami as 1t IS. moreover.
ccnfoundedly in the way OF my legs. /
obey with pleasure" He slipped put OF
the garment as he spoke, and thrust IL
behind him.
After cutie a long time, during which
the ringing If the bell was once or
twice renewed. the three men, crouch
ing down in the darkness, heard the
sounds OF the drawing OF bolts and the
creaking OF a door: saw a light go
dancing aero Is the darkness in the dis