Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-02-13
CHAPTER XVI.
A Drama of the Dead.

The play-as a p1ay-did not prove to
be interesting; or, at least, Cornelius
Viewers was not stirred by it in any
way. He had the satisfaction Of seeing
Mr.. Taggett, as a remarkably loud
voiced and heavy villain, engaged in
the unlawful pursuit of Mrs. Taggett,
with her hair down her back; varied by
mortal combats with the hero and the
heros comic friend; but as Mrs. Tag
gett, in her capacity of the heroine, ap-
peared. quite artlessly, to wait for Mr..
Taggett in the very places where she
should not have been-to-wit, a wood,
ruined mill and coiners' den-Cor-
nelius lost any sympathy he might have
felt for her, and regarded her, in his
own mind, as a somewhat idiotic per
sonage, whose sufferings were brought
about by rank carelessness on her own
Part. He turned from the stage and
regarded the people about him critical
ly.
Suddenly. while doing this, he became
aware-by that curious feeling which
we have all experienced at some time
or other-that someone Immediately be-
hind him was taking the deepest possi-
BILE interest in him, craning neck to
get glimpse of his face, and breathing
hard in the vicinity Of the nape Of his
neck. Cornelius twisted around sharp
ly, and found himself within an inch or
two of a face staring into his in the I'M
certain light of the naptha lamps. The
face proved to be SO startling that he
twisted back again in great hurry and
pretended to be engrcssed with the
stage.
The face was that of Enoch Hubbard
the man who had shouted such
strange things in the garden of Kicker
by's Folly on the night of the burial,
and who had originally got into the
hous,. under pretense of being the long
lost son of Cornelius; the man, more
over, who had got away in such an ex
trordinary fashion, leaving no trace be-
hind him.
At the present moment every breath
Of that young man seemed to send a
cold thrill Of terror down the spine of
Cornelius. For this was the man who
had babbled strange things about dead
bodies hidden away; the man who, in
some mysterious fashion, had fathomed
something of that gruesome business
concerning Gilbert Rickerby. That he
Should be in this out-of-the-way place
at such time and when all the people
who had been even remotely connected
with the matter were there Also was
disconccrting. Cornelius, with the full
intention of giving him the slip, began
to reach for his hat and to cast his gaze
towards the door. Mr.. Hubbard must
have OWNED that intention. for he
thrust his face over the shoulder Of the
old man and whispered in his ear:
"1t amt no good your tryin' to give
me the slip, cause you can't do it.
saw your pal-the dark chaplin the
street to-day; I wasn't quite sure Of
i'm. but now I am sure. There's that
chap. Taggett. on the stage-with lis
wife. All the lot o. you is in it, some
'ow. an you'll find I'm in it, too"
Cornelius twisted his face around and
loked at the speaker with an ugly grin.
you're a bright spark. you are!" He
had, incautiously raised his voice, and
Immediately there sounded all about
him indignant cries of Order. order!!"
''Turn him OUT" Cornelius resumed
his contemplation of the stage. and be-
gan to cast about in his mind for plan
by which to escape.
Tten came an interval. and Cornelius
arose, with many others in the audi
ence. and proceeded outside in search
of refreshment. In the hustle and con-
fusion Mr.. Hubbard was separated
from him-got into an argument of a
personal nature with n man ne was en-
deavoring to elbow out Of the way.-and
lost sight Of his quarry altogether. Cor.