Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-02-27

instantly. NugeIt had picked up from
the floor a crumpled white handker-
chief, and was holding a corner of it to
the light.
We'll what's that?" asked Cornelius.
Look herei 4 found this on the floor
here; read the name OF 1t. Don't stand
staring there like a fool! Come here
and read this name. Am I going mad
or is his name bun mt into my brain?"
Now, read i'll"
Mr.. Viewers took the thing In his hand
and bent over it, so as to get 1t within
the range of his vision; read aloud, In a
sort OF dazei whisper: Gilbert Rick
erby." Then he raised his head, and
the two men looked into each other S
eyes in terror-stricken perp!exity.
Nugent LeatAwood was the first to re-
cover; he caught up the candle n
strobe across to the cupboard, hesitated
for a ONE with his hand upon the
fastening, and II ell threw 1t open. The
cupboard was empty!
After staring at 1t for a moment or
two in a dazed fashion, he came slowly
back to Cornelius and set own the can
die. Cornelius glanced at him with a
grin, and muttered: well. what did I
tell your"
IF I had seen this thing o alone"
murmured Nugent. :lowly, II should
have said that my senses had cheated
me; but. with two of US, there is no
mistake about it. One thing is certain
the man was dead when we put him
there
Was 'e?' asked Cornelius, quietly.
why of course he vast" Nugent
faced round upon him savagely. IF he
wasn't dead, then / never saw a dead
man yet. The question i3-what has
become of the body? 1t couldn't move
itself; someone has taken it away"
well, / 'ope they like ii, now they've
got it," said Cornelius.
But who should take 1t? If there
was anybody in the business who was
well-disposed oward us. who feared
trouble for us, and so wanted to get IL
out of the way, 1 could understand; but
no one knows this but o~urselves-no one
comes near this place"
II wonder what that light was we saw
in the room down below" remarked
Cornelius. THAT wasn't fancy"
And this handkerchief; there's nc
fancy about this" said Nugent, taking
it from the hand of the old man. This
has beer found by someone-someone
who has had to do with the removal of
the ~body-and dropped here. Perhaps it
may have even fallen from the body it
self. Cornelius. what does IL mean?
What business is going on in this place
of which we know nothing? What Sc
cret agency is at work to undermine all
we do, and strike at the root OF all we
have Gone?''
TT beats me- replied Cornelius, help
lessly. "Owever, there no gittin' over
the fact that the body's gore-an', more
than that, it's out of our way. I've
go a sort of feelin' In my bones thar
somethin' is goin' to 'appen tonight
thatll clear the way; I don't know what
1t is. but the feelin' is there
Nugent Leathwood had been thinking
deeply while the old man spoke. Look
ing up now, with something of a smile
upon his haggard face, he put his
thoughts into words.
AFTER all, there is nothing much to
fear. Gilbert Rickerby entered the
house alone; who is to say what hap
pened tc him inst lie It? Cheer up. Cor
nelius: the body is gone, the man is
gone; We'll fight through this yet. There
is only one man I fear"
Who's THAR"
The servant-the mysterious man,
who has seemed to be in all this bust
nets, and yet has not been in II. I am
confident that il was that man I met in
h dark in the inn last night. I arm
sure. too. that he knows or suspects
something. Well, let him suspect: he's
got TO prove, n proof is not easy
Easy? 1t amt possible" Mr.. Wee
vers walked across the room and calm
ly shut the cupboard door. 1T works
both ways, master. IL them as are
friendly 10 a. twhoever they may bel
ave taken the boiy-weli an good: IL
them we are workin' against ave taken
it-well an good again. Don't you see
that the thing Is zone. en- we 'aven't
got to trouble about it?"
Perhaps you're right: / wish I could
think So" replied Nugent. but we'll
get back into the other house. I expect
that fellow Reeks viii turn up tonight.
and 1 mustn't miss him. Besides. I
want TO find out II he has been here
already"
They went back the way they had
come-cautiously. and listening at ev-
cry step-and regained the room in
WIZ ANdSNiN hdu JUN IN Olu AIldlis
Then a sudden idea occurred to the lat
ter, n ne CAV voice to II.
TT seems TO me-" he said, slowly and
thoughtfully; "it seems to me that Je-
NINA may know something about this
ere. She's got a 'abit OF wanderin'
al u the place. by night. as well as by
day: she's got some mad notion in 'er
cad that 'er old mistress Is still there
an wants or. 1t might be well to try
and screw something out OF 'er." y
Yes; / had thought OF that. Fetch
her here. BY the way" added Nugent,
as the other was shutting out of the
room, 81 suppose you feel sure as to her
loyalty; you don't think IL likely that
she is in the plot IL there is one
against US, do your"
Mr. Viewers stopped, shook his head
knowingly, and gr.nned Don't you
worry about that" he replied. "Jemima
ain't got wits enough to plot against
anyone. She goes about with what eyes
she's GO shut, and 'er ears shut, too
You'll see IL / Amt right, when / come
10 ask 'er a question or two. Jemima
pioS! Well-that's a good uni"