Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 162: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

150 Taking French Leave. making scheme after all, and sentiment had no part in it at all. Standing Elk looked upon the white lad he had adopted merely as representing so much tobacco and fire water when the day of final settlement arrived. Cuthbert was conscious of a sudden rise in his temperature when he heard enough to disclose these facts—indeed, as he himself phrased it, he “was hot under the collar.” His indignation fell principally on the cowboy. Certainly Caleb Cross deserved the summary pun- ishment he would surely receive should the truth ever become known to his fellow-laborers of Sunset Ranch. It made the boy feel cheap to think he had be- come the victim of such a very ancient scheme. Why, it was as old as the hills, and had been played with more or less success these centuries back! One thing was sure—given half a chance and he would disappoint these brave chaps most grievously —why delay, when different measures might now be taken for the safe keeping of the lad who rep- resented a fortune? Yes, circumstances over which he had no control had forced his hand. He must cut the Gordian knot, must leave the quaint old Sioux village, sever his relations with | that prince of quacks, the medicine man, and make tracks for Sunset Ranch. The sooner the better. | Why not this night? What a thrill the proposition gave nim; but after he had carefully considered matters it became man- ifest that a better opportunity would not likely arise, and the chances were, his freedom being curtailed, he might find it much harder in the future to accom- plish the task. That settled it. ConnicGlooolkks. conn