Oakes Republican., 1902-02-21

with his head on llle taoie. s'hu looked
at him critically; he had to steady him.
self by the table as he did so. for the
room was swaying around MN as he
strove to stand upright.
"Aseep,' he muttered why should
T wait: why should I not have the full
advantage of what is offered me! This
girl-alone and friendl"ss-out of her
mind, they say-why should L not?' He
began to move unsteadily ABOUT the
room in his growing excitement. "A
lucky chance has brought me to the
very place where she is. am no milk
and-water creature, to stand aside for
questions of right or wrong; L love her
by the sheer right OF conquest She is
mine Her lover is dead; there is no
one i'm the world to whom she can turn.
She is rline-she is mine:
He stumbled toward the door, turned
the key and pulled it open; closed it
again and went back to the table. He
picked ND his glass and emptled the
fiery stuff down his throat; then made
again for the door, On the threshold of
it he paused and tried to steady himself
and to know where he was.
LET me thin,S-et me think. Corne-
lius said that the room was to the right
of this-the third door. Third door!
Now, my Sleeping Beauty-.no need to
run away With you-no need
IIe was out in the darkness of the cor
ridor, cropping with his hand along the
wall. The door of the room in which he
had been had swung to behind him; the
darkness was profound. Suddenly, as
his hand groped along the wall, he
touched the Intel of a door. One!
He paused and laughed, and went on
again; touched another Intel. Two!
Once again, and his hand crept on ia
the darkness-missed the wall-and
touched something soft and yielding
CLOTH Even in his drunken condition.
the change was sufficient to bring him
up with a shock: he stretched out his
hand again; there was no mistaklng
what it was. Someone was standing
there, quite calmly against the wall,
barring the way.
He stopped and dropped his hand;
spoke in husky whisper. ''Why-
who's there?" he asked.
He stretched out his hand again and
touched the same innmovable body.
Then. from out the pitchy darkness, q
voice SPOKE:
"What do you want, Nugent Leath-
wood?"
The thing was ruman, after all; Nu-
gent Leathwood began to pull his cour-
age together. "Who the deuce are you?'
he asked. "What are you standing there
for in the dark; who are you?'
"You shall learn in good time,' replied
the voice. "Go back to your room.'
"I'll go where I please" said Nugent.
"And I'll see your facet"
He stepped back pace. fumbled with
his match box and struck light,
lurched forward with it, and fared the,
tiny taper in the face of the man who
stood in the way. 1t was the face OF
that mysterious creature who had fol-
lowed Miles Probyn to the grave, and
who had passed Leathwood in the street
that night. He dropped the match and
stood quite still, sobered by the meet
ing.
well, are you any the wiser? DO JS+-.l~
know ne?'' asked the other.
Yes; know you. You are the man
who called yourself George Reeks-the
man who followed-followed Gilbert
Rickerby to the grave. Who are you?''
The strange man seemed to laugh in
the darkness. "You seem to know all
about me.' he replied, "and I think I
knew something about you. At the
present moment you think you are on
your way to the room occupied by Miss
Olive Mallory: as a matter Of fact you
are going back to your own"
Despite the darkness, Nugent Leath-
wood had enough of bravery in him to
try a little bluster. Indeed" he said:
you seem to-know a great deal about
my movements. Once again-who are
you. and what have you to do with Miss
Olive Mallory"
This" The strange man seemed to
have moved nearer; Leathwood could
almost feel his warm breath on his face.
"That I constitute myself the protector
of a young and innocent girl whom you
have prosecuted enough; that know,
Nugent Leathwood who you are and
what you have done; even in this black
darkness I can see the blood on YOUR
hands,"
Leathwood started back with a faint
cry. care you a man or a fiend?'' he
whispered. What are you talking
ahout?'
"Lsten again. You are going back to
Rickerby's Folly: you dare not stay
away from the place any longer. Nu-
gent Leathwood. there is work to be
0one therc--something to be hidden Go
back to Ricker5y's Folly; you have to
meet someone there''
What do you mean? Who are you7
Out of what unknown place have Won
sprung? What are ylu doing here in
the dark at this time of the night?"
CTO De COntinucdl
Celery by the Carload.
THE celery that we are getting now"