Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-01-30

best. It was only after he had been
wandering aimlessly for an hour or two
that he remembered the appointment
| for that night, and that he lad prom
Used TO give Olive Mallory shelter at
| No. 2, Little Pond street. And then. in
deed. he began to fear that he had gone
! little too far. and that Mrs. Reeks
! would have first to be reckoned with.
| II can't explain" he thought, miser-
ably. How can I tell her that this
! young girl is out of her mind; that she
is being pursued by villain, and that
| sh.. is the promised wife Of a man whom,
everyone believes to be dead, and
| whom have tried to personate? How
can explain my reason for bringing
such a visitor, at so late an hour: how
can 1 make her understand that that
visitor is in danger, and must be kept
in hiding? Well, I must hope for the
best and trust to luck to pull me out of
il somehow"
Still, fearing further questioning on
the part of Mrs. Reeks, he wandered
about all that day until the time drew
near to keep his appointment. 1t had
been settled that Gilbert Rickerby
should let the two women-Ursula and
Olive-out into the little alley at the
back of the house: that Ursula should
take the girl to quiet by-street some
distance on the way to Camden Town,
| and that Mr. Reeks should meet them
there and take charge of Olive.
Half-a-dozen times, at least, Mr..
Reeks approached the spot agreed upon
and Immediately ran away from il.
For now Mrs. Reeks did, indeed, loom
over the unhappy man, gigantic fig
ure, in his imagination, of wrath and
suspicion and jealousy. But he had
that loyalty to Gilbert and that pity for
the girl which gradually overcame his
fears; and he went back at last, fairly
resolute to meet his charge.
1t had been arranged that they should
meet at a very late hour-long after
midnight. in fact, when the streets
would be empty, and When any who
might watch their departure from Rick
erby' Folly would have retired long be-
fore, TO rest The little man had, by
Gilhert's instructions, procured four
wheeled cab, which he had left wait
ing around the corner of the street.
Coming into the street itself, he saw
two figures slowly pacing towards him:
and at the same time he had dim feel
ing that there was another figure in
the distance, standing looking after
them. Indeed, this last figure impressed
him SO much that he went quickly to-
wards Ursula and the girl, and asked
question concerning it at the very mo-
ment of meeting them.
who's that?" he asked. II thought
I sew a man coming this way; he
passed under a lamp moment ago.
Are you sure no one has followed you?"
Ursula Sewell had faced about quick
ly WREN he spoke, and was looking in
the direction he indicated. There's no
one there she said, looking round at
him again. You're nervous. You for
get that there are other people in the
streets of London. even so late as this.
1t would be bad for any one who tried
to follow me- she added. with a laugh.
George Reeks looked again in the di-
rection in which he had seen the figure;
but it was gone. Treasured, he started
off with them towards the cab that was
waiting: put Olive in and got in him.
self. Looking out of the cab window,
an! seeing Ursula standing alone in the
street, he said, with touch Of COM
junction:
II don't like the idea of your going
back to that house alone. After what
you've done tonight, there may be dan
gec for you"
What should harm mes" she asked,
dafantly. 81 must go back there; it's
the only place that has any ties to draw
me to it. Don't be afraid. know
how to take care of myself" She nod
ced, quietly and turned and went back
tho way she nal come
Neither of them noticed, while they
spoke together in those few moments
before the cab started, that man had
come out of the street, and, stepping
briskly into the roadway, had gone
around on the other side Of the cab, and
passed close to the further window
much closer than was necessary-in the
act Of crossing the road. AS the wo-
man had said, London's streets were
never really empty, and it was only the
little mans nervousness that had made
him suspicious of that figure in the
distance. But they might have been
disturbed, indeel, had they seen this
man stop at a little distance and watch
this cab as it rolled on towards Cam
den Town; watch it, with a fist grinly
shaken after it, and q little burst of
laughter for the simplicity Of the people
Who had tried to outwit him. It was
Nugent Leathwool.
IT suppose I might have got hold of
the girl in the street while ] was fol-
lowing them,'' he uttered, stroking his
chin. thoug,ltfully. But that would
never have done; there might have been
screams and a scene, and, goodness
KNOWS, what sccrdal-and I can't af.
ford to risk that. Never mini; I know
where she is, and that's the great thing.
And I won't forget sweet Ursula"-he
kissed his fingers in the direction she
had taken"what owe for this nights
work.. AS for you, you bald-headed
little rascal, with your talk of Gilbert
Riclsarby, AMI DIARIES and Dapers-1'm
not likely to forget you, either. It's
lucky got that az dress out Of you; I'll
call or you presently. There's only one
thing which puzzles me; what on earth
has induced you to mix up in the bust
ness. and who put you on to this? You
didn't meet Ursula when you came to
the house, that I'll swear, for saw you
out of it myself. There's some fiendish
mystery here that I haven't got to the