Oakes Republican., 1902-03-21
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CHAPTER xx1-fContinued.)

She opened her eyes and looked Wild
sy 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 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 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'ood 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 the house; he must
have gone high,r up. I suppose"
The footsteps retreated from the door
and began to ascend the stairs Laath j.
wood crying the name of the dead man
all the way. Mrs. 'Reeks, still with
her hand on the mouth of the girl, ana
with the girl clinging to her, crebt out
OF the roonl-lnaking wide circuit OF
the body-and got out on the stairs
The voice of Leathwood had grown
fainter as he went up; Mrs. Reeks
went 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
~tker.
L can't leave GILBERT WON'T" she
whispered, thrusting Mrs. Reel1s away
from her. You don't know What hap
py hours we have had in our World of
Dreams: he waits for me there now.
I must go to him: I dare not leave him
lonely any longer"
Before Mrs. Reells could say word
OF could do anything TO stop her, the
girl had turned and fed away into the
darkness of the garden. Mrs. Reeks
took a few hesitating steps after her;
she was afraid to call out on make any
against the trunk of a tree; the girl
was nowhere within reach CT sight of
der.
Mrs. Reeks stood shaking, with a
deadly fear. She knew ,that-accident-
ally or not-she had killed a man; that
she had left mis- body lying in the room
OF London ncuse. Her one thought
naturally enougt-was self-rreserv-
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
1y, 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 he key into the
1cck. the door was pulled open, anc
George Reeks stood before her, radi.
ant.
"NIy love,'' he, cried, where have yo,
oeen? I got home a long time ago
came home by cab. Special occasion
NY pet; I've got the e5O0!"
Yrs. Reeks stumbled forward blindly
.ell into his arms almost crushing the
poor little man as she did sol and Wen
into violent Mysteries.
But never during the whole of the re
tnainder of their married life did sh'
tell Mr.. Reeks what had happened tha
night.