The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-03-15
any very distinct notion a to where she

any very di1tinct notion % to where she
was going. 4
A light shone in one window, and
presently, while she looked, Mrs. Reeks
saw a shadow fall across the window
and a man stretch forth his arms at
either side and close the shutters. leav-
ing even that face OF the house abso-
lutely blank. More than ever disturbed
in her mind with fears as to the fate Of
Mi. Reeks, the good lady stumbled
along among the dead leaves until she
touched the wall Of the house; then. In
the pitchy darkness, she began to grope
along the bricks, in the hope Of finding
the door.
To do her justice, Mrs. Reeks was no
coward, and it is probable that she
feared nothing absolutely mortal. More
than all else, she was nerved by the
thought Of that unfortunate little hus-
band of hers in that strange house, un-
dergoing, perhaps. unknown horrors for
the sake Of that horrible $500. Just as
Mrs. Reeks reached that point Of
thought she touched a door, felt, fever
ishly, for the handle, and tumbled
through into a passage.
~ 4Jo1 lCoS oAA SAS Lax ruOOxt 4ARA
closed with a soft thud behind her, and
or whether it was safe to advance a
step. Indeed, it is probable that at that
moment she would have screamed
aloud had she not seen, straight in front
of her, a CLEAN of light. Hurrying to-
wards it, she thrust open a door, and
found herself In a room with a lighted
candle on the table. The room was
empty.
"Now, I wonder where poor George
has got to-" she painted, looking wildly
all around her. 1.-Two doors-one up in
the corner, to the right. Well, I
think Til trust to luck, and take the one
to the right" ~
Mrs. Recks caught up the candle
stick, pulled open the coor to the right,
and found herself in a narrow passage.
AS a matter Of fact, it was the passage
hat connected the two houses, and Mrs.
Reeks, in darting along it, as she now
. did, was passing into that house in
which Nugent Leathwood had lived and
in which Gilbert Rickerby had that
night been struck down. . Mrs. Ree2ks
knew nothing Of this; n only knew
that she was in the same house to which
her husband had come that night, and
hat she meant to find him.
Carrying the candle. she passed
through the passage and came to the
second house. All was dark and silent.
Not a whisper o a football anywhere.
And then, in the midst Of the silence,
cutting like a flash of steel, came the
faint scream of a woman.
Mrs. Reeks, being a woman herself,
dropped the candlestick and felt in
clinei to cream, If only as a species Of
friendly echo. The next moment, as the
cry was repeated, all that was best in
her was reused, n she ran forward
blindly in the darkness, plunged head
long, with all her substantial weight,
against a door,, and fell forward into a
room.
The room was lighted, too, although
the shutters were closed; and. there
We're two people in it. The first person
hat Mrs. Reeks noticed, when she
scrambled UP from her knees, was a
young girl, drawn back against the wall,
ana staring, with frightened eyes, at
the other occupant of the room-an old
man of a suriously bent and twisted
~figure-the man Mrs. Reeks remembered
to have seenNat the gate when she came
to Rickerby's Folly, in search Of her
husband. on the former occasion. The
old man swung round upon the uncere-
moEious visitor, snarling at her like q
sort of wild beast.
"well-what do you want?" he
g1owled. who sent you blunderin' in
'ere like this?"
"I've come to look-to look for my
husband-Mr. Reeks,' painted Mrs.
Reeks. What are you doing with that
young lady??"
whats that to your snapped Cor
.nelius. "Your husband went from ere
a good 'alf-hour ago. an with five 'un-
Ndred cash IN is 'ands-muh more than
e deserved, the dog, by a lot. You'd
better follow i'm, an not come forcin'
your way into 'onest folks 'ouses at
this hour Of the mornin'. Come, be Off
with you'll" aE
But Mrs. Reeks, quite unexpectedly.
stood her ground. mot much!" she ex-
claimed, resolutely. 81 believe this is
the young lady I did a wrong to
Nhough goodness knows I never meant
IT'D a day or two back. What's the
matter with her nov I heard her cry
out a minute ago."
"well, an If you did? It's n Of the
ways of gels to squeak" a Corne-
Illus, with an ugly grin. Look ere. my
good woman, you'd better git ou OF
this as soon as you cam. My master'l
be back intsa minute or two, an e
amt in the best of ten1pers JUS now"
THAT for you master!" cried Mrs.
Reeks, swapping her fingers in front of
his face. II don't care for forty mas
tiers; but I wort stand by and sea
young girl ill-treated by an ugly old
sinner like you. Stand out of my
way"
Mrs. Reeks, with one swift movement
Of her arm, swept the estonished Mr..
Viewers almost of his feet, and crossed
swiftly to where Olive was crouched
against the wall. Something in h
strong, defiant face must have attract
ed the girl. for she sprang forward with
a low cry Of relief and caught Mrs.
Reeks around the r.eck.
.sThere-there-my pretty; don't be
upset." murmured the good woman. -
was q best to you the other night, and
I doubt IL I'll ever be forgiven for turn
ing = young girl out Of doors; and gtv-
ing her into the hands 6fasa scoundrel;
but you needn't fret any more Hes 81
got to be q strong man who'll take vow
away from me now and he's got to Pc
q better, man than any Of your shriyel-
led-up Guy Fawkses--that ! an tell Aell
you!',, Is {ss Ss45
%s afii,harf-take nnes$to Cilberti!s cried