Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-01-23
CHAPTER XII.
Master Veeyers Gives Trouble.

coat, who had claimed the hospitality
OF Isickerby's Folly on the strength Of
calling Cornelius his father WAS one OF
Those persons bern into the world with
a curious faculty Of thrusting their
nos ITO the business of their neigh
bcrs.As { youth this young gentleman
had devour-d detective stories by the
score, had invested his first pocket
money in u dark lantern, and regarded
every policeman h. met with an awe
(which usually attaches only 70 royalty
! Later on. with the first down upon
his lip he took 10 studying the Agony
Column in the daily lapers. and striv-
ing 10 piec. together the mysteries
(which they hid, or tried TO hide, from
khe gaze OF those not actually con-
HeI-c,.G in the writing or reading Of
fhem. by day he occupied q position
behind the counter of hardware IS
Enlistment. whose very knives sug-
gestet possible future crimes; by night,
having donned the Newmarket coat he
biossnmcd out into very private de-
eective Of his own lnaking-a man VINO
Ec.zite.l d mystery with every shadow
THAT crossed q blind in d da.k street or
Saw 4 fugitive from justice in every re-
spectacle citizen running to catch
train or keep an appointment.
To such a man, the advertisement
which had appeared in thu papers con-
corning Gilbert Rickerby, came rs
something more thar. food and drink
In the first place. there was the Goo
sufficient to tempt any man to bring all
his towers to bear upon the case i'll
the second place, wnen he came to dive
fnto the matter, and to make cautious
inquiries in Inc neighborhood, there
was the haunted house. Small wonder
nov: that Mr.. Enoch Hubbard Ito give
him his right name flung himself ca
gerly into the business, and felt that
here, at last, was his supreme opportu
oitE.
He began. as has been shown. linger-
ting outside the house, and watching the
people who came and went. In that
way ha cleaned from Mr.. Taggett the
oprortune suggestion concerning he
1ost son of Mr.. Viewers. embraced 1t
eagerly, and got into the house. Once
there, he set 10 work to find out what
be could without exciting suspicion.
II must be confessed at once that his
first experience vas sufficiently alarm
1ng. Cornelius Viewers had shown no
particular affection for or interest in
him: Jemima Viewers had accepted his
coming as one of those disasters for
which the best Of US must be prepared
In q stormy world. From his own point
OF view this was all that Mr.. Hubbard
could have desired; it was not his wish
that questions should be asked; he was
GLAD enough TO be accented-for the
time. at least-for what he pretended to
be. He wandered about the house
coming against the various people who
1nlla bi,cd it at odd corners. but re-
ceirng no attention from them in any
way. In fact, he began at last to think
that he was ON wild-goose chase. and
that the sooner he left the place and
1n,-Eed his attention to other matters
the better it would be.
He was pleased, however, al the
Thought of how easily he had got into
the place, and his vanity was tickIed at
tn n,enbrance Of how completely lie
kat hoodwinked the people in it: lie
wanted to enjoy that Dlissful feeling 4
little longer. So ne consented to betake
himself to bed, at q late hour, to the
room which had been assigned to him;
ard. weary with excitement, and not a
little bored at thu "reminiscences of old
Cornelius concerning days when he had
played havoc among the women folk,
quickly fell asleep.
He WIS awakened ct some dark hour
Ce the niGht-or of the early morning
by the pealing Of bell far down in the
Inlse below him; he had come out of
an uneasy dream. and sat up in bed,
hct and trembling and frightened. Won
de,ing for moment where he was or
what was happening. Then he heard
the bell again. and. a little later. the
sharp voice of NugenI Leathwood, cali
ing auerulously to Cornelius. and the
gru,ibing voice of Cornelius in reply.
Then shutting feet went down the
stairs. and he heard side door unbolt-
ed.
BY that time Mir. Enoch Hubbard was
fully awake and was out of bed. Creep
ing to the window and pulling aside the
blind. he looked down into the garden
below. and saw the bcbbing light of the
lantern as Cornelius carried it toward
the gate. He could not. of course, hear
the conversation that took place there
between the anxious Mrs. Reeks and
the sl1ivering Cornelius but he saw the
gate shut and the lantern carried back
to the house.
CHANGING at his silver watch. Mr..
Hubbard saw that it was close on
O'Clock in the morning. He was in no
mood to go back to bed the ringing Of
the bell and the movement in the hous.
had disturbed him. and he was most
painfully wide wake. AS he sat on
the nige Of the bed he heard window
thrown UP. and the voice of LeathwOod
de:lantiinc TO know What had hap
Ienei: then thu surly tone of Cornelius
in rely. He could not catch what was
said. but his curiosity was thoroughly
aroused.
There's something goin' on as don't
know nothin' about he muttered.
<''rar't likely they'll show their 'eads
by daylight; if there's any fool bust
ness Snn' on. the night is the time for
it. must look int6 this at once"
Without further delay, Mr.. Hubbard
slipped on his outer garments and pre-
pared To investigate the matter Creep
ing Gown stairs. he found in the hall
4 l,at long Newmarket coat which dis