Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-03-20
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8
s Rickerby's Folly 38
z % By TOM GALLON 2
by TOM GALLON
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with ropes. to one OF the stout bed
posts Of the old four-poster bedstead.
Gradually the whole business stole over
hin-the remembrance OF his STOPPING
10 pick mp the packet: OF the horrible
blow upon the head-of all the room
twisting and bending and gyrating
about him as he fell But how did he
get here. and who had fastened him
Ep in this fashion,
Gradually, TOO, as fun consciousness
cane upon him. he became aware that
there vas a light in the room: twisting
his head around painfully, ne saw the
light standing upon his dressing table
saw a mans shadow i front OF IL and
3 hand stretch out n lift IL up.
Turning his aching eyes slowly in the
direction Of the shadow, he saw a fg-
IRE advancing towards him. holding
the light high. 50 that ii might shine
upon him The figure stopped before
him. snd out Of the swimming room
and the moving shadows looked the
face Of Nugent Leathwood, with a grin
upon IL.
-Ah. SO you are not dead, after ALP
said Leathwood. Earring the candle al
him. I'm glad OF that: 1t would have
been too good a death for you. 20 die In
a second. like that You Ian have
your death spread out a bit-a lingering
AFFAIR. You can only die once. you
know. so wen make the most of it for
you"
Why rave you brought me here"
asked Gilbert. family. You coward,
you know you dare not face me. even in
this weak state, IL my arms were free"
Il prefer not 10 AXE risks" retorted
Nugent. with a grin. You see. you're
such a slippery customer, one never
knows what might happen. But / don't
think will give me the slip this
time. Now. If you are sufficiently sens
ihle To understand what I'm saving. I
want TO talk TO you. With your per
mission. III SIT down. and I hope you're
as comfortable as I am" He pulled
forward a chair and sat down within a
foot or two of his helpless prisoner.
You have already one dastardly
murder TO cou for" said Gilbert.
Are you going TO add another to it7"
Il am" replied Nugent cooliy. He
set down thu candle on the floor at HIS
feet. folded his arms. leaned back in
his chair. AMI. fr1Ily. shook his head.
laughingly. at Gilbert.
Let him laugh who wins. Cousin
Rickerby.' said Leathwood. You
managed your business very well to-
night. with your witnesses and your
dramatic appearance at the psycholog-
icai moment: but I managed mine bet
ter. On. you were going TO be 50 ciev-
err: the girl was In your hands-every-
thing was I'm your hands. You'd got the
nsoney-or one OF your friends had
and you'd nearly got the papers. I
should think that added head OF yours
must ache q little. eh2-
Gilbert made no reply: he was de-
te-msaed. II possible. not to answer any
thing that was said. He wondered
how long this mar intended 20 torture
him. and what name Of death ne was
preparing for him
You had all your arrangements
made-the rope was dangling from the
gaIlows for me-wasn't it, And now 7
nave made my arrangements Shall 4
tell you what they areg-
Still Gilbert did not speak: NE was
growing more strongly In him with ev-
cry moment. and the instinct of sheer
self-preservation prompted him TO
struggle again and tug at the ropes
which held him.
That's it-kick and struggle as hard
as you like said Leathwood. This is
the best game I've played ret. You
dog-dc you know what sort of purga-
tory we made me live In for the
past day or twog DO you know that
you've made me die ffty-times over:
have made me START up in bad III night.
with that horrible sfrangEing feeling at
my throat. and with solid things slip
ping away from under my feet7 What
agony il there that I can make you SUI
fe- that win COMPENSATE me for all
that I viii give you the worst death /
know Of: but even that won't be
enough
What are you going TO dog" The
words were forced from GIfbert's lips.
strive as he would 20 be silent
I'll tell you. Cornelius and I carried
you from the other house, Just as we
carried the body OF that seFyat OF
yours We brought you here and tied
you NJ securely. When I've lone talk
Ing 10 you. I'm going into the lower
rooms OF this house and I'm going 10
set IRE TO them. Every shutter In the
place has been carefully closed. so that
the flames won't break out. or be seen
from outside. until the place In a rag
Ing. roaring furnace within. How do
o hk the prospect You'll hear n
wood cracking: you'l find IL growing
hotter and hotter: gradually TIE farnes
win creep up about you and catch the
bed hangings and the wood Of the bed
stead-and you'll roast alive. Yes. en-
bert Rickerby-i1 was the worst days
work you ever did when you came back
from abroad"
You iend-I Aid II. as I supposed. 20
help you-to give the girl 20 you, be-
aus I thought she loved YOU"
"Yes-that was where You blundered:
you should nave explained your raean-
ing more clearly. You've been the d.
rect Of my staining my hands
with blood twice over. You've made a
muddle OF the whole busirsess-and YOU
must pay the penalty. Cornelius has
gon into the other house 10 get Miss
olive Mallory ready for a Journey. we
start tonight. AMI Rickerby's Folly
viii know us no more. You're very much
attached 10 the placer you should he.
seeing hat you were born In it-ani I
don't like 10 separate You from II. This
place viii blaze splendidly-and I don't
fancy that theyH recognize Gilbert
RirkarAx whan ehaw Nra uA1rs. 10. 80