The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-03-15

| with q certain feCkleSSIleSS Ill MS Io1S"'
"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?"
It must not be supposed for a mo-
ment that a 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 Tor
anything he had done was not in him;
nut 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.
IT intend to hand o over to Justice
replied Gilbert. ''It has aiken me a
long time to get the story pieced togeth-
err; 1t may be difficult for me to estab-
lish the truth as to who I really am, but
I'll do it. AS for you-you shan't escape
be sure of that"
Leathwood shrugged his shoulders.
mo; I expect you've got me pretty
tight" he said. In his own mind ne
had settled pretty clearly what he was
to do-had seen a way out of this thing.
But, since you've won," he addeo'
grant me a favor"
what is it,"
IT am quite capable of taking on my
own shoulders the burden OF anything l
have DONE" said Leathwood. Il spoke
lust now Of dragging this unfortunate
old man-merely q tool in my hands
into the business. That was wrong; l
frankly admit it. There-In CONFESS.
IL you like, thai I killed this servant OF
yours, believing the man was GllDerl
Rickerby. It's done, n I must pay
tn. price. But this Did man should not
be punished for the. fault of his master;
let him CO."
Cornelius appeared quite to lndorse
this opinion; he looked expectantly 1T
Gilbert "I am, really, a very old man.
Mr.. Rickerby,'' he whined, land l v
a wife to think Of"
"You haven't thought much OF her
hitherto" said Gilbert; but, Tor hef
sake, you may go, as far as l am cor.
cerned; what the law will say TO you
afterwards l don't know"
Nugept I.eathwood was visibly atfect-
| ed by this concession; he walked across
the room and seized his old servant by
the hand. 1T am sorry, Cornelius" ne
| said, aloud, "that I ever dragged you
into such a n affair as this. Forgive
me" Then. undey his breath, In a hur-
ried whisper: "Get the old woman
away: leave me. alone with him.; III
| settle him yet" Then, aloud: You
will forgive me, won't you?"
Cornelius took his cue as neatly as
it was given. "Don't speak Of it, Mr..
Leathwood," he said, in a voice Of emo
ton. II ave bin wrong, I know, an us
me as ought to ask for forgiveness"
Then. in the same cautious whisper: II
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-
err innocently, in the matter He mas
been amply rewarded for any trouble
or 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 and I face the business
together; after all, call me what you
will, I'm a 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"
MI. Reeks was only too glad to avail
himself Of the permission. He felt that
the matter was ended; he knew that in
his pocket was the sum of money which
was to give him his chance of starting
in the world afresh. He picked up his
hat with alacrity and went smiling!y
towards the door.
"Much obliged to you, I'm cure, gem
tleemen, he murmured. II could only
wish that, for the sake of all parties,
| something could be one as would re.
store harmony; but still, you know,
MI 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
his part. With seeming timidity, he
approached Misunderstanding towards
her hesitatingly and with a certain
apologize air.
IT know I 'aven't been tie husband /
might ave been, Mrs. W." he said; .'but
1t can all be made up for. These gem
tlemen have bin good enough to give me
another chance-an' you shall see what
use I'll make Of 1t. I'll do my best, Je-
mima-if you'll overlook the mistakes
I 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 mar took her tenderly by the
arm and walked her out Of the room,
apparently murmuring unaccustomed
endearments. The door closed after
them. and Nugent Leathwood and his
cousin were left alone.
There was a long silence silence
which Leathwood broke. IT would like
to know" he began. in q humbled voice,
what has become Of the young girl
Olive Mallory, whom I have w~fongedlso
deeply, and who wsas the indirect cause
Of all this business. Is she safe?"
"Quite SAFE" replied Gilbert. I'm
fact. she 10 here now. I brought her
here with me. when i followed you back
from Barnet; I would not leave her
alone again. When ! have seen about