Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-03-20
CHAPTER EXTRAORDINARY


She opened her eyes and looked Wild
ly about, saw something lying, huddled
up, at her feet. and slapped her hands
over her mouth to save herself from
screaming. The something at her feet
was CorneliuS--and an instinct, truer
than anything she had ever had, told
her that Cornelius was dead.
Even While she knelt there in a sort
of stupor. she heard outside the noise
of running feet, and the voice of a man
crying, cornelius! Cornelius. Where
are you?"
Mrs. Reeks Was on her feet in a mo-
ment-haG stumbled to the table and
blown out the light. Feeling a hand
touch hers in the darkness, she raised
the hand and felt about until she
touched the face OF the girl, put her
own hand over the girls mouth, and
crouched against the wall with hel,
scarcely able to breathe. The footsteps
came on; the door was opened; the
voice OF Leathv'cod spoke in the room
"Cornelius!" Then, after a moments
pause: Where the dickens has the
man gone? And where is the girl?
I've called all over ,j1e house; he must
have gone high,r up. I suppose
The footsteps retreated from the door
and began to ascend the stairs, Leath
Wood crying the name of the dead man
all the way. Mrs. Rseks. still with
her hand on the r.outh of the girl. ana
with the girl clingne to her. crept out
of the room-making wide circuit of
the body-and got out on the stairs.
The voice Of Leathwood had grown
fainter as he went up: Mrs. Reeks
wort down in The darkness-stumbled
by good luck. upon the way she had en-
tered. and found herself in the open
air. There. while she was still hurry
ing on towards Where she thought the
gate must be. Olive Mallory stopped,
drew back, and refused TO go any far
the~
Il can't leave Gilbert won't.' she
whispered, thrusting Mrs. Ree:ls away
from her. You don't know what hap
Ply hours we have had in our World of
Dreams: he waits for me there now.
must go to him; 1 dare not leave him
lonely any longer
Before Mrs. Reeks could say word
Or could do anything TO stop her, the
girl had turned and fled away into the
darkness of sthe garden. Mrs. Reeks
took few hesitating steps after her;
she was afraid to call out Or make any
sound. She blundered in the darkness
against the trunk of a tree; the girl
was nowhere within reach CT sight of
her.
Mrs. Reeks stood shaking, with
deadly fear She knew that-accident-
ally or not-she had killed man; that
she had left mis- body lying in the room
OF London mouse. Her one thought
naturally enough-was self-preserv-
alton; she wanted to get away from
this dreadful place; she longed, pas
sionately, to meet her husband, even
while she was wondering what he
would say or how he would receive her,
when he knew what she had done. The
girl had disappeared; Mrs. Reeks was
risking her own safety in staying there
a moment longer. Utterly bewildered
and terrified, she ran forward, reckless
ly, stumbling against trees, until she
touched the outer wall, ran around it
fortunately in the right direction-until
she touched the gate; pulled the gate
open, and dashed out, breathlessly, in
to the street. 1t is probable that she
did not stop running until she got
home.
There, as she put h=- key into the
lcck, the door was pulled open, and
George Reeks stood before her, radi-
ant.
MY love-" he cried, where have you
been? I got home long time ago
came home by cab. Special occasion,
my pet; I've got the s5Oo!"
Mrs. Reeks stumbled forward blindly,
fell into his arms almost crushing the
poor little man as she did sol and went
into violent Mysteries.
R11f noyar ho y,I,o1a of tho M
fnainder Of their married life did She
tell Mr.. Reeks what had happened that
night.